Advice wanted: pony lame after lesson today :-(

laceyfreckle

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2007
9,701
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Essex/Suffolk
I had my usual 1hr lesson on Harvey today and he was good as gold :) We even jumped a few cross poles.

Anyway he was absolutely fine to ride, wasn't even a tiny bit unlevel, absolutely normal.

However when I got off he again seemed fine until I tied him up and did his rugs. RI had gone home by now and as I finished doing his rug he started lifting his front foot up as i did the belly straps, tbh thought nothing of it really.

Gave him his dinner and he kept holding his foot up (near front) and puttin git down again and then repeating. Took him to turn him out and he's definitely lame on that foot. There's also a little heat in the hoof. Harvey isn't normally brilliant with giving you his feet but he practically gave it to me to look at, can't see much else wrong with it.

He was re-shod earlier on today (fronts only)

Anyway not sure what to do about it, have left him out for now as thought the movement might help but he has a little limp and is occasionally holding his foot up.

Worse then all that he'#s meant to be going jumping with my sharer tomorrow (1ft 8 so not big) so not sure whether to tell her he;s lame and therefore can't go or if i should wait til the morning and see if it was just a strain and whether he's sound again? If he's back to sound tomorrow will he be ok to jump?

Piccolo is going to the same show (in hand) and the idea was to take them both together down there (walk there) as Harvey isn't keen on being on his own.

:mad:

Any suggestions/ideas as to what it is??

Already have the vets coming in a few weeks to do allergy testing as Harvey has got some more bald spots, one of which bled today although they don't bother him....could do without more vet bills! (tell a pony you're not selling it and it wants to get poorly to make sure you can't change your mind!!! :p)

Do you think he's strained something?
 
Sounds more concussive, as the heat is in the foot. How old is he, out of interest?

I would thoroughly check the sole of his foot for punctures, bruises etc. If you have hoof testers use them, if not just use the blunt end of a hoof pick (not the pick end!) to test for localised soreness. If I were you I wouldn't take him jumping in the morning, even if he appears sound. It certainly won't do him any good.
 
I wonder if he was slightly pricked with a nail this morning and the hours work made it more painful? Seems a bit of a coincidence he was done earlier in the day:confused:

I definately wouldnt be taking him jumping even if he does appear sound tomorrow, just in case, could do a lot of harm if you are not sure whats going on. I would say if he still isnt right I would get the farrier back to check him - don't know what yours is like but IMO its often the farrier who solves lameness problems rather than the vet? Thats of course if it is something fairly obvious and minor?:)
 
Sounds more concussive, as the heat is in the foot. How old is he, out of interest?

.

He's between 10 and 12yrs

hmmm, I think if he is lame tomorrow I will call the farrier out again, in case it is his shoes/nail bind.

There's heat quite high up the hoof wall but not on the underside. I picked his hoof out and it all seemed clear. It's not sensitive to touch and it was a bit odd in that he kept trying to give me his leg/foot where as normally he doesn't like his feet held. I back him up to put him in his field gate and he didn't want to put weight on it and struggled to back up.

Will put it on the floor but not walk on it properly.

Looks like jumping is out tomorrow. Starting to think this pony doesn't want to actually go anywhere fun!

Worse thing is I've still got Piccolo to show tomorrow (already booked) but am now worried about leaving Harvey on his own. He's normally ok if i take pic out but its normally only for a hour or so and if he's lame don't want him hooning on it.

Whats that saying about never rains but pours!?
 
Tell me about it!! Next time don't tell him when he's going jumping or anything, just suprise him!!

Could possibly be nail prick/bind - to test this, get a hammer and tap each nail head to see if he flinches. If so, get the farrier :)
 
I would probs keep him off the jumping and strap the leg just incase it's a strain, see how he is after a few days off and if it's no better and the heat is still there then call the vet. Could also be a good idea to get the farrier to come back and have a look, he could have been pricked a little and only felt once the blood flow had increased with work
 
Thanks everyone...will check the nail heads tomorrow.

plus will give him a few days rest anyway, even if it looks better.

Will probably stable him while I'm away with his friend tomorrow so he doesn't run round the field like a complete loon.

and to think...i was really chuffed today that I actually jumped him! (RI put up a x pole, I haven't jumped in years (apart from when I went to try him as felt like i had to then!). My sharer is the one who was doing the show tomorrow so will have to let her know, feel really bad for her though as she was really looking forward to it.

Looks like I've got a 3 mile walk hack to the show on my own with my baby 3yr old pony too.
 
How was ponio today?

Well....pony was completely sound this morning :confused: not even slightly lame on a circle or on a hard surface etc, very confusing. Can only think he must have tweaked it.

He had had his own sense of humour overnight as I found he had also taken his rug off (all straps still done up!)

Anyway SJ show was cancelled anyway but as there was very little wrong with him my sharer hacked him up to the show with me (I led piccolo in hand), so only walk and trot up there.

Piccolo got a 2nd in m&m small breeds, a 1st in youngstock under 14.2hh and a 3rd in bays, browns and blacks. There wasn't many competitors out today though and piccolo had never been in a sand school so perfected her rodeo impression at times along with rearing that the black lloyds bank horse would have been proud of (sadly i wasn't!)

My sharer did take Harvey into one class as he was fine and did working hunter which had one tiny 1ft jump in it. He got a 2nd in that.

We then hacked home, and Harvey is still sound and acting like he never had a problem in the first place! very odd.

Glad he's better though :)
 
Glad he is on the mend!! I can only think he's jarred himself slightly and is now fine. Ah well if it's not one thing it's another!! Glad he's better and well done both of you :D
 
Well done with Pic at the show, glad that Harvey is on the mend - you're right, he prob tweaked it somehow yesterday. They do like to worry us these horses!!
 
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