Lameness in Horses Is Lame

For those of you with horses in your life, you’ll be able to commiserate. If a deep connection with horses is still on your bucket list, be forewarned. Lameness is lame and sadly a part of life now and then when you have an equine significant other.

Monday I was supposed to have a riding lesson. Instead, as I began to trot Knight, my trainer noticed he wasn’t moving correctly. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t feel anything. If she hadn’t been there, I might have continued to ride for a while until I noticed something. It was so slight.

My trainer had me trot to the right and to the left so she could document his movement by videoing it. I would never have thought of that.

Tuesday I did not go to the barn as I had things to do and places to go and people to see in Los Angeles after work. My trainer sent a video of Knight on the lunge line trotting in both directions. It was a little painful to watch. Not only was he bobbing his head very noticeably, but his stride was short and irregular.

And by the way, “He also has small hives,” she said via text.

I phoned her to grant permission to call the vet.

Plan in place. 

What does this mean for the dressage schooling show in two weeks? Not sure. Is it possible he’s having a weird reaction to his de-worming and vaccinations from the weekend? But would the weird reaction be delayed a day or two?

As much as I know they say the flu vaccine does not cause you to get the flu, the worst case of the flu I ever had was right after I went to the free school-district sponsored flu clinic a few years back. Never again. (Who is/are they anyway?)

“Must Google ‘lameness with hives in horses.'”

That wasn’t super helpful. Although there is tons of information about horse lameness in cyberworld. I didn’t go too far into the search as I’ve made the mistake of looking up symptoms for myself on WebMD before and have convinced myself I’m having an aneurysm.

Tuesday night I literally prayed Knight has an abscess. (Is it weird to pray to have an infection? Pray for a horse?)

Wednesday morning I received another video in which Knight is looking remarkably better. Not 100%, but not painful to watch. In the cell phone quality video he might even pass as sound. It’s not HD.

The hives have spread, but apparently are quite small and are just a few here and a few there.

I’m still hoping for an abscess, but I doubt that’s the situation since he seemed so much better in today’s video.

Thursday at 3 is when our vet will come. Thursday is also the day Knight was going to have his first chiropractic adjustment. At this point the vet visit is taking priority over the chiropractor. I wish we could do both. I know I walk straighter and probably have a better stride after a chiropractic adjustment. Maybe Knight would too?

And that is the official horse update. I will hold off on being alarmed until I have more details.

Comments, advice, and/or suggestions, are highly sought after. 

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