not quite right....

[hollyvj]

Something is up with Oscar, and i'm not quite sure what to do with him. Just wondering if any one has any advice really....

It all started last week when I had my lesson with him. He felt quite "stuffy", unwilling to go forwards and generally not very happy. Instructor thought he was slightly lame, so we stopped the lesson before even getting warmed-up. Instructor suggested hoseing his leg and giving him a couple of days off, which I dutyfully did. However I couldn't spot the lameness (unless a horse is really lame I can't see anything to save my life....) but she said that he was just taking a bit less weight on one of his forelegs. There's no heat in it either.
So mid-week having seen no lameness and getting other people to watch him beeing trotted up and not seeing any lameness I decided to take him in the school for a few minutes to see how he went. He still felt "stuffy" and unwilling to move forwards. So cold hose and more time off until today when I took him out for a few minutes to see how he was. Still the same.

So I'm worried, and have thought of a few things which could be causing this.
When the farrier came a couple of weeks back I mentioned to him about Oscar overeaching (he over-reaches quite badly and has wrecked a couple of pairs of boots) and he suggested trying rolled toes, I had also had this mentioned by other people. So I decided to have a go. Could it be these that are causing him trouble? He had them around the same time as all this started.

I'm also worried that it could be me. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. But I don't know what.
Also he's not young so maybe he needs to take some time off. But then there's the risk of him getting stiff....

At the moment I'm thinking more that it could be his shoes. Has anyone had any experience of rolled toes? I'm thinking of calling the farrier and getting him to pull them off. And also getting the vet to come and give him a health check.

Sorry it's a bit long, but I'm getting upset and worried over him

Thankies x

[dannyboy]

I hope it's just the rolled toes & once the farrier comes, Oscar will be a new man

[racaille]

I would have thought that if the farrier came a couple of weeks back and this only started last week, it wouldn't be his shoes causing the problem, but I don't have any experience of rolled toes.
I think, especially given his age, it's worth getting the vet out to have a look. Oscar may be getting a touch of arthritis perhaps? I doubt very much that you are doing anything wrong though! You seem to have done everything right so far. Chin up and let us know how it goes

Oh, and 'time off' doesn't need to be complete rest necessarily, so don't worry about him getting stiff. It might mean time off from intense work in the arena, with a bit more emphasis on hacking.

[haffyfan]

Hate to bring it up but has laminitis been thought about and ruled out? Sometimes if they just have a touch of it/very mild cases they are just pottery rather than rooted to the spot. Try feeling to see if his digitial pulses are up...this is usually the case if it's lami.

[brigadier]

or could be an abscess- perhaps oine of the shoe nails was a bit tight and caused one- becuase it all links in with the timing of the shoes Id personally ask the farrier to come back and check. A nail bind is easy done and once it removed the problem is more or less over.

On the arthritis side of things the rolled toes could be causing him to change his gait slightly and using his joints differently so that could be an issue!

My horse was a bit stuffy and unlevel a bit ago and that turned out to be a bit of a abscess- sometimes thay dont go completely lame- its just that you know something is not right but cant put your finger on it!

[maximum]

given his age I would get the vet out and have him check oscar over- no matter what anyone says you know your horse best and if you think he is not right then go with your instinct.

[hollyvj]

Thanks for all your advice!

I've decided to get the vet out. Hopefully they'll be able to come out quite quickly

Haffyfan - I hadn't even though of lami! Thanks for bringing it up! I will check them asap

Brigadier - I hadn't thought of an abcess either. Will mention it to the vet. Arthritis is one of the things in mind at the moment.

In all the time I've had him, it's been the first time he hasn't felt "right"

Thanks again for your advice everyone

[Becca]

my first thoughts were abscess or lami. abscess' are rife at the moment because the weather has been all over the place.

do let us know what the vet says though

[hollyvj]

Have rung the vets this afternoon. The vet I spoke to otold me that they have a specialist equine vet starting with the practice on monday, but she is coming in tomorrow morning, so he is getting her to ring me to have a chat and sort out an appointment.

Will let you know what she says

[hollyvj]

Have spoken to the equine vet and she's going to come and see him first thing monday. Was hoping for a bit sooner but wasn't possible. And she thinks that it will be ok to leave him until then.

She said to turn him out as much as possible so that he doesn't stiffen up in his stable.

Will let you all know how he gets on on monday.

[haffyfan]

Well she clearly is ruling out lami if she's suggesting turnout so thats one good thing at least.

[brigadier]

So my guess is she is thinking arthritis (turnout to keep him moving) but she doesnt sound too concerned otherwise she'd be out like a shot!

[ronansmum]

If the lameness is in front I can't really see it being the rolled toes because they are put on the back feet. Ronna has them oin his back feet because for a while he was pulling one new front shoe off on a regular basis!! Since he moved on to rolled toes the problem has all but gone...touch wood.

I suspect too that it is a bit of nail bind or something to do with the farrier or maybe it is just that Oscar is feeling a bit bored or of he feels stuffy oin the school. What is he like hacking?

If there is no heat then it really shouldn't be that serious but I knwo how worrying it is. An absecess usually makes them hopping lame unless it's a grumbling one which is usually around for ages before being diagnosed.

Hope it all goes well on Monday? As brig says the vet can't be too worried, and maybe by thne he'll be back to his normal self.

Good luck and here's some karma to soothe you.

[Becca]

good luck for monday

[ceej]

There is a spate of lami about at the minute (down here anyway) as we had a couple weeks of really good sunshine. Do you know how to feel for a digital pulse as this would help you for both lami and abcsyss if it was either of them and help you monitor until monday, just in case...

also, get him to turn a pretty tight turn to see if he struggles to put weight down when his forlegs are crossed over. If he does, ring them back and tell them you want them sooner. If he is ok turning like that, no digital pulse and no heat around the coronet, I recon monday should be fine....

[hollyvj]

Thanks again for your advice everyone!

Brigadier - That's the feeling I've got aswell.

Ronansmum - His rolled toes are on the front, to help them get away before the hind strickes them. I also thought that it could be boredom at first, but he is the same out hacking. Thankies for the Karma

Ceej - will try him with the circle. I have never taken digital pulses before, but looked up how to do it after haffyfans suggestion, and had a go, but i can't find anything. Will have another go and get some other people to have a look if possible.

I also feel happier after talking to the vet.

[maximum]

max has his fronts rolled but it should not have this eefect unless they are severley rolled and have changed the hoof /pastern axis which would put extra strain on tendons and ligaments of the leg but they way you describe it I dont think it sounds like that.

we will wait to see what the vet says but be positive.

[hollyvj]

Soooo he was an obnoxious little monkey and wouldn't keep his foot still, but I've managed to get a digital pulse today. (couln't find anything yesterday and no one around t o help)
His bad leg (right fore) is 38 pulses per minute, which is the same as both hinds. I couldn't find the pulse on his left fore though.

Have turned him in tight circles in both directions both yesterday and today and he is putting weight on it.

I just don't know what's up with him

[chiefsmyboy]

Sunday tomorrow so not long to wait - hope all goes well for you both

[Jen]

monday today, let us know how it goes!

[hollyvj]

Hey guys!

So the vet has been and the news is pretty pants...

He has got a tendon injury, not sure quite how he has done it though. Vet thinks that it is caused by a conformation fault: the hoof on his bad leg is bigger than the other and the heel is lower. Was worried that it was the shoes that had caused it, but the vet said that the toes are helping with it.

He is on a course of bute for 1 week and on box rest for 2. I asked if he could go walkies in had for a couple of minutes, but no, he's not to put a hoof out of the door he hates being in all day. He was crying when I left him

He's also got to have the farrier come back and put graded shoes on him, to raise his heel.

It's a gourgeous day here and he's just got to watch the sunshine over the stable door.Sniffle, my poor baby...

I'm off to the tack shop in a bit to buy him some toys. He'll like that

THankyou all for your halp, advice and support! Karma coming your way!

Holly x

[fimacg]

at least you know what it is now and how to treat it, box rest is pants but string up some veg as well to help keep him occupied and hide some treat sround the place.

[Becca]

is the farrier going to to just use remedial shoes or is he going to try encourage the hoof bback to the right size/shape etc? because if he is any good he will

glad you know what it is though and i'm sure he will love toys from his mummy

[hollyvj]

fimacg - like the veg idea, will get some ready for him!

becca - farrier mentioned wedges, which he didn't recomend at all, he said he was tending more towards a graded shoe.

I got him a couple of refills for his likit holder including a toffee apple one... And have put some of his cubes from his dinner in treat ball.

Everyone down the yard has gone to give him cuddles when they came to do their horses.

[Becca]

awww thats sweet everyone giving him cuddles.

the only reason i mentioned "training" the hoof is my friends mare used to have no heels and was always going lame but since our ep has helped her grow her heels a bit, touch wood she has been sound