Limping, arthritis?

Stephhinrichs

New Member
Jun 13, 2019
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My horse is approx 20 y/o and recently he has felt a little off. Occassionally stumbling on a hind foot when we go for trail rides. Is this something I should call a vet for?
He is just on grass and the mineral block they have out says it for beef cattle...

This is a video of him today.
 

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It's difficult to see from that angle but if a horse is limping then it's really time to contact your vet, they may just advise some rest initially and a visit later if that doesn't resolve it or may want to come straight out to get it dealt with. Do you have a vet in your area?
 
As Jess says it is hard to say from that angle, but to me he does look quite lame. I'd definitely be getting the vet out, it sounds like you've already given it a while to resolve and it hasn't. If it is arthritis they can give things to help, so the sooner you call them the better. It would also help him if you could get some weight off him as that would mean less strain on his joints.
 
With that degree of lameness that's been going on for a while then a foot trim isn't going to fix it. Please don't leave it that long to get a vet.
 
Agree with all the above - have the vet out sooner rather than later.
 
I can't tell his gait different from the other 7 horses in his paddock atm. So I feel comfortable waiting. The video might be better if you could see his whole body and I wasn't moving as well.

If I decided to change my appointment how would you characterize this lameless? Which leg? I've never seen him stumble as it happens maybe once or twice in two weeks, and only very minor when I'm riding. So not sure which foot it is. I've walked him for 30 min in the arena a couple times and not had him stumble. And he trots around with his buddies and doesn't stumble. I hesitated to chase him in the round pen at a trot because it's very uneven and filled with grass and weeds.

The farrier didn't notice any issues during his trim and he went and got him from the field, did the trim and walled him back, and he is one of the better and most popular around. I'm lucky he owns this barn.
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