Poor Pony...

Well I was all excited to use my new winter riding clothes to confirm it will keep me nice and toasty warm... I got all dressed up, grab my grooming bag, and off to Flicka's stall I go... Give her majesty a hug and put her halter on and bring her out. Not really paying attention to her, brush her out, but notice she's flinchy in the skin. So one foot cleaned out, ask for the second and she picks it up very odd, twice as high as normal and out twice as far (She almost got me in the head) odd, but she's done it before. I asked her to move over for the third foot, and notice a VERY lame side step and she refuses to pick up her back right foot.

We take her go for a walk in the arena, and by the 150 feet to the door it's only every 3rd or 4th step that's off, and every step in a turn and almost was able to trot around on only 3 legs but had a limp of the forth leg. to make it a 3 beat gait.

From what I can find, she's got slight swelling in the right fetlock and there is heat there. So she's on bute last night and stall rest today, we'll see how she is after work. The only thing I've questioned myself, should I have wrapped her back legs?

I hope I don't need to have the vet in on the holidays or the weekend.... On a good note, I was nice and toasty in my new riding outfit....

oh.. poor Flicka.. hope she heals up on her own without the expense of a vet .. wonder what she did to cause the soreness.. horses.. geesh .. if it's not one things it's another.. healing vibes coming your way..

Well she's still on bute and sore and we found a bump on her fetlock, but I'm not 100% convinced that's all her issue due to how she is lifts up her legs, or how she doesn't lift up her other leg.. I didn't make it out today, so I'll see how she is tomorrow, and I'm guessing I might need to get the vet out on Monday....

So I talked with the vet and he's agreed with me, it's not in the fetlock, that's a secondary to her having soft tissue damage in her stifle area due to her falling/kickingout or who knows what else out in the field.

So more bute and stall rest and slowly working her again.... I just finished going through this and started riding her, but it was for the OTHER STIFLE!!!!!!!!!

Bah.. I'm going to go and sit in the corner with a good book and imagine all the riding I could be doing if she wasn't hurt...

I can't remember if this was your situation or not...but do you get Flicka trimmed every 6 weeks or longer? (Due to farrier scheduling)

Anytime I think of a stifle issues and their causes...I think of overgrown hinds (long toe low heel)...or too much heel on the hinds.. Either one can change the angles in all her joints and cause stifle issues..

If that is not the case for her..and she is trimmed more often...then maybe she is having accidents that are affecting both her stifles...

Might be worth looking into... hope it helps...hope she feels better soon. :)

She's trimmed every 6-8 weeks, and he does keep her short as that really helped her other stifle when it was acting up. But I can tell when she's due, with how she moves and starts to drag her toes.

Who knows, I so wish she could talk....