[Mountaingirl89]

I had a post up once before about my Morab mare being lame and possibly faking it (thank to all who replyed to my silly post!) I don't think she is faking for this long.

But I am worried about her now. At first I thought it was a rock or being kicked by my mini, then someone on here said that is sounded like an abssece, but that was some time ago.

She came down lame around June 3rd and was only slightly lame. Then more then a week past and when my trimmer came out she looked dead lame! He even said so and neither of us are likely to think its worse then it really is.

Then a couple days later I took her out for a walk and she seemed fine. No lamness. So then I took her out and lunged her a bit, VERY lame when trotting. So after that she was much more lame in her paddock.

So for the last two weeks she was been fairly lame, if she runs around at all it gets worse, but for the most part she just stands around.

I generally only have the vet out when its really needed, plus I am still trying to pay off the vet from a month ago. With lamness issues I have always let the horse get over it on their own, but she isn't. She doesnt' have any swelling or heat on her leg, and the farrier checked her out for an abssece.

SO my question is: what sorts of things cause lamness and when are they treatable by something other then rest?

[JBandRio]

The running around making it worse makes me very, very suspicious of a suspensory issue. Since exercise makes her worse, I'd be stalling her until the vet comes out which, at this point, I think is warranted. At least call and describe what you're seeing. S/he may be able to give you some tests to check to get a better idea, and maybe some short-term recommendations to see if improvement can be made.

[Kizza]

Could be tendon. I would personally get a vet out.

My mare tore her tendon, low down in the hoof. Few visible signs, had a little heat and swelling on the tendon sheath that vanished after a week or so. Went from dead lame to sound to lame again. Took a good couple of months before we figured out she tore her tendon, because it was by the navicular it was only visible by an MRI scan. She was on box rest for 8 months.

Edit: I agree with, JB suspensory ligament was a suspected one for Ace (my mare) also. Please call the vet, it sounds to me that this has been going on long enough to warrant it. We always call the vet if the horse is either dead lame, goes from lame to dead lame to back again, or is slightly lame for longer than a couple of weeks.

[Mountaingirl89]

I yeah did I forget to mention that I did already call the vet? I was going to last week but was having a horrid week ( I mean really horrid!!) anyway waiting for the call back now, I was just wondering what you guys had to say, I like getting more input then just from the vet. I am going to post a video tomorrow.

[stephanie]

I hope you get this figured out soon

[buck1173]

I went through 2 years of on/off lameness and it turned out to be an arthritic stifle... after stall rest, he'd look and act fine, then be lame a few days later... stall rest, look fine, then lame a few days later. turned out, it was the stall rest that was killing him. If I kept up daily light exercise, he was moderately sound, but on an even keel. If stuck in a stall, he'd burst with energy for a few days, then be crippled. I really hope you figure this out, and agree that perhaps a vet is warranted at this point.

[Mountaingirl89]

Thanks everyone!
I am hoping to have the vet out this week, its a bit of a hassle because I have to trailer her to a friends house, the mountains are a hard place to check for lamness! Haha!
I am going to go insane if she has something chronic, she is only nine and I just bought her for endurance. I will also go insane if I have to stall her for a long period of time, I don't really believe in putting horses in stalls and I already have to keep my 6 year old paint in a small paddock and can't ride her!!! Grrrr!