Please help me solve a lameness mystery! Before everyone asks, the vet has been called but they arent open Sundays so she cant come out til tomorrow. Background: I got my 8 year old OTTB just about 3 weeks ago. When he first arrived he had ulcers that were so bad they made him very hind and body sore, but he passed all his flexions with flying colors. His hind end muscles are especially tight, but my vet said until he finishes his ulcer treatments we wont be able to tell if it was because of the ulcers or if something else is going on. Ive been riding him long and low and lunging him for about 20 minutes 3 times a week, 10 in warm up and 10 in very loose side reins (with my trainers supervision). This program combined with his ulcer treatment, a custom saddle fit and a magnesium supplements has done wonders for him. He is still tight in his hind but hes working out of it easier and easier every day--and he seems especially free-moving once hes had his side reins on for a few minutes. New problem: Yesterday, I lunged him as normal prior to my lesson, then he was worked on the flat under saddle for about 40 minutes. He never took a lame step, and we had a great lesson. Then, as I was cooling him down at a walk, he started to really favor what appeared to be his left shoulder. I dismounted and hand walked, but he was really seeming tender in that shoulder. When we palpated the muscle, he seemed pretty sore. I was hoping it was just muscle soreness, so I decided to wait to see how he was today. Today, I get to the barn after hes been turned out all morning, and he seems totally fine, not taking a single lame step. I decided to take it easy today and just do some groundwork. I free lunged him (for join up) and he seemed completely sound to me, though I kept him at the trot, never pushing him to canter unless he wanted to. I worked him for maybe 20 minutes after that, just at the walk, getting him to move his feet and doing some desensitizing with the oh so scary plastic bag, and he was fine. Then, once again when I was walking him back to his stall (the indoor is attached to the barn and theres a concrete walkway) he seemed off again, but this time favoring the other front leg. Attached is a video of his free lunging (I thought he looked sound but Im also so used to seeing him very tight in the hind that I may not be able to see it anymore) and in comments is a video of him walking back to his stall just a few minutes later. Im stumped with this. He has no history of tying up, and has been in a consistent h/j training program doing much more strenuous conditioning than Ive done with him, but thats the only thing I can think of. Anyone have any ideas? Sorry for the novel and thanks in advance for any advice!
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 20:41:17 +0000
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