Yesterday I started riding this warmblood again after he's been off for six months, lame in his right front leg.
When I got up on him and started walking down the trail, he was initially very, very stiff in both front legs, so much that his gait was bumpy. I actually thought he was limping. I got off, led him around for another person who couldn't see any limping, got up again, and he wasn't doing the strange, bumpy walk any more. But then I realised a much worse problem:
He is EXTREMELY stiff sideways. If I try to turn him in a moderately large circle he will turn on his hindquarters / walk sideways! Turning to the right is worst - his right front leg is the one he's lame in.
Important: He's "technically" lame but an untrained eye can't pick it up and the vet has given a green light for 30-minute walks every other day. I am NOT doing anything contrary to vet's orders!
WHAT is wrong? I'm quite worried. Is this just stiffness that will go away as he gets used to being ridden again? Or could it be something worse to do with his lameness?
Should I keep walking him in large circles, or should I try to avoid turning him at all??
When I got up on him and started walking down the trail, he was initially very, very stiff in both front legs, so much that his gait was bumpy. I actually thought he was limping. I got off, led him around for another person who couldn't see any limping, got up again, and he wasn't doing the strange, bumpy walk any more. But then I realised a much worse problem:
He is EXTREMELY stiff sideways. If I try to turn him in a moderately large circle he will turn on his hindquarters / walk sideways! Turning to the right is worst - his right front leg is the one he's lame in.
Important: He's "technically" lame but an untrained eye can't pick it up and the vet has given a green light for 30-minute walks every other day. I am NOT doing anything contrary to vet's orders!
WHAT is wrong? I'm quite worried. Is this just stiffness that will go away as he gets used to being ridden again? Or could it be something worse to do with his lameness?
Should I keep walking him in large circles, or should I try to avoid turning him at all??