To me it looks like Chrome has been walking strange, not exactly lame, but off somehow for about a week. Whatever I'm seeing is in his rear, although I'm not sure if it's his back, stifles, hocks or fetlocks and it's more pronounced going up hill. I wanted to get the video on a hill, but my husband's back still hurts so I didn't want him to walk that far. To my eye unfortunately the abnormality didn't really show up on the video, but maybe all of you horse knowledgeable people might see something anyway. Please let me know what you think. It may just be soreness from playing rough. We had rain last night (the odd gait has been going on since before last night though) and I heard them playing outside for at least an hour. I added a clip on the end of the video of him in slow motion. It was my first time using this program so it's not very good and the sound is messed up, but it's still cool being able to see him walk in slow motion. :)
ETA: I also forgot to mention that I'm thinking it could be stiffness because when the video was taken he'd been moving around a bit already and may have loosened up. He was also walking faster than he normally does in the video because I was so far ahead of him (didn't want to be in the shot - bad hair day haha). When he's out in the pasture he almost drags his toes and doesn't step under himself. Could it just be laziness or lack of conditioning? Or playing too much? Or maybe the diet change? The ration balancer doesn't have as many calories as Safechoice did (although he is on beet pulp now too), but he's always been kind of lazy\laid back, even before the diet change.
I don't see anything. He still has a good long, even stride. Notice in the slow-mo video how far over the front prints he's stepping with his back feet. They appear equal in reach. If he were sore, one should be lesser than the other. Don't worry, it's probably a growth spurt or something.
He looks pretty good to me as well - very nice walk. Try these tests: first, have someone lead and walk next to him, matching his front feet with your feet and then his back feet with your back feet - feel anything not quite right? Second, watch from behind as someone leads him away from you at the walk - are his hips going up and down an equal amount on each side, and is the line down his back from high point of butt to tailhead moving equally from side to side. Less movement on one side would say something's a big stuck. He's young and it will work out, or else have a good chiropractor take a look if you need to.
You will always see things first because you study him every day and know when something is off. Sometimes our pets are like cars. Something needs to become VERY bad before it can be diagnosed. I can't see anything abnormal, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. Go with your instincts.
I'm not experienced enough to know really. If it were me I'd just ask the farrier to have a look next time, as they tend to be more experienced at looking at feet, leg muscle development etc. :)
I've been doing a lot of research on lameness lately since all three of my horses have gone lame for different reasons. Looking at the video, Chrome's legs seems to be moving fine. His neck is bobbing up each time a foreleg hits the ground. I don't know if that's normal with him or not. Usually, the head goes up to take the weight off the leg that hurts. Lostine seemed to be walking on eggshells with all her hooves, so I cleaned them out and found that her frogs were spongy and some black gunk was in her hoof crevices. I started treating her for thrush on all four hooves and she started moving better. But lameness doesn't just come from the hoof, but can come from anywhere on the leg, neck or spine.
Gosh..I'm so used to my lame horses off gait (though it's getting so much better) that I think Chrome looks awesome! But like Mango said, you see him everyday, so if you suspect something-keep after it.
I don't see anything. He still has a good long, even stride. Notice in the slow-mo video how far over the front prints he's stepping with his back feet. They appear equal in reach. If he were sore, one should be lesser than the other.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, it's probably a growth spurt or something.
PS- he's looking beautiful. I can really see the Friesian in him.
ReplyDeleteHe looks pretty good to me as well - very nice walk. Try these tests: first, have someone lead and walk next to him, matching his front feet with your feet and then his back feet with your back feet - feel anything not quite right? Second, watch from behind as someone leads him away from you at the walk - are his hips going up and down an equal amount on each side, and is the line down his back from high point of butt to tailhead moving equally from side to side. Less movement on one side would say something's a big stuck. He's young and it will work out, or else have a good chiropractor take a look if you need to.
ReplyDeleteYou will always see things first because you study him every day and know when something is off. Sometimes our pets are like cars. Something needs to become VERY bad before it can be diagnosed. I can't see anything abnormal, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. Go with your instincts.
ReplyDeleteMango Momma
I'm not experienced enough to know really. If it were me I'd just ask the farrier to have a look next time, as they tend to be more experienced at looking at feet, leg muscle development etc. :)
ReplyDeleteI've been doing a lot of research on lameness lately since all three of my horses have gone lame for different reasons. Looking at the video, Chrome's legs seems to be moving fine. His neck is bobbing up each time a foreleg hits the ground. I don't know if that's normal with him or not. Usually, the head goes up to take the weight off the leg that hurts. Lostine seemed to be walking on eggshells with all her hooves, so I cleaned them out and found that her frogs were spongy and some black gunk was in her hoof crevices. I started treating her for thrush on all four hooves and she started moving better. But lameness doesn't just come from the hoof, but can come from anywhere on the leg, neck or spine.
ReplyDeleteI think you are just paranoid. That's a fine walk on the video. Stop worrying and go train your dog!
ReplyDeleteGosh..I'm so used to my lame horses off gait (though it's getting so much better) that I think Chrome looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteBut like Mango said, you see him everyday, so if you suspect something-keep after it.