Quadi had the once over from our physio today. She said he looked unfit (lacking topline muscling, to be expected) but that there were no soft tissue problems. We did have a few attempts at his tummy reflex but we got there, he becomes more responsive to this with more attempts, so I am to persevere with those. Apparently because of the angle of his pelvis, there really isn't much more upward flex he can have, but he doesn't need to do a big flex for it to be effective for him.
Because of the initial reluctance to stretch work the day I found him lame, she gave his front end flexibility a thorough check, and could find no stiffness. He's becoming quite bendy and limber :)
We also discussed pole work. She suggested taking things right back to basics with him, which would be unraised poles on a straight, then we can graduate to a curve no smaller than 20m and then think about raising them. And to stay off the small circle work for the moment. Looking over his notes and his Pessoa programme from his back treatment, she suggested I could also go back to the beginning with this, although we both agreed we prefer long-reining our horses to lunging!
We trotted him up and she could see him lame every few strides, even though he'd had Danilon this morning.
So, what could it be? Still the slight chance of an abscess but he had no digital pulse and no heat, but not impossible of course. Those things can grumble away deep inside the foot. Or a strain from being a twit in the paddock, but again I'd have expected swelling/heat and also that he'd be more sound on painkillers. Which leaves joint issues, top of my list is arthritic changes in a joint somewhere. Disappointing if that's the case, but not unexpected. It could be that nodule on the tendon too, of course, Anna agreed that was an odd thing to find and a possible cause.
Tomorrow I'm going to lay out a new paddock, large enough for the three of them but not too big, hopefully the fresh grass will encourage them to keep their heads down and all legs on the ground!
More questions than answers is pretty much where you are then, I totally empathise as it's the not knowing that really gets to you in these situations. Still, lots to work on in the horsey gym and hopefully the mystery lameness will resolve itself tout de suite!
ReplyDeleteMystery lamenesses are so aggravating!
ReplyDeletemystery lamnesses are the pits....
ReplyDeleteIt's so frustrating when you know there's something
ReplyDeleteRumbling on but there's nothing obvious.
I really feel for you after being in a similar position with Ali!
fingers crossed all your TLC will soon have him on the road to recovery.
Nicolax
A mixed blessing in that the therapist did not find anything serious...but still, lame is lame. Hope you figure it out soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys, I will admit to being a little disheartened at the moment! :) You all know what it's like!!!
ReplyDelete