Mystery Lameness

Since his appointment in April Mystic has just been hanging out. He wasn't on stall rest but was on limited activity. So he went into the pasture everyday but was not worked at all. Apparently that was enough to make whatever was bugging him at the April appt much better because when he went in for the lameness course at OSU the only way they could get him to show any lameness was ina  circle on hard ground. Where was he lame? On 3 of his 4 legs he was graded a 1/5 lameness. They threw the lameness locator on him (super cool tool!!) and it agreed with the students findings. When they flexed him he tested positive on his left hind and right front but when they took radiographs they were surprisingly very clean for his breed, age, and work load. Like they wouldn't even recommend maintenance hock injections yet! For a turning 10 year old heavy breed doing 3rd level and having jumped in the past I thought that was pretty remarkable. He does have a chip and a lesion on his right hock but they couldn't get him to test positive to flexions so they don't think it is bothering him at this point. 

Because he wasn't lame enough for them they couldn't block him to isolate the area/s causing issues. They did however block his side bone on the right (because it is massive) and said they do not believe it is fractured or causing him any pain. One piece of good news!! So basically we are down to soft tissue injury. Because they couldn't isolate an area they don't even know where to begin with ultra sounding anything. They basically did a full set of radiographs of him. Hoof/fetlock/Pastern on front and hind, knees, hocks and all angles of each. And nothing pointed to what was causing his lameness. So, because he tested positive to the hoof testers and his soles are thin we are starting with putting a front set of shoes on him with rim pads. I'm not convinced it is going to solve our problems as he has never needed shoes in his life. I think it will help given his sensitive soles right now but I do not think it is all that is going on.

So the plan is to put shoes/pads on (happening on Thursday), put him back to work, and see what comes up. They also suggested him being on Adequan which he already has gotten this year so we will just be sure to stay on top of it every 6 months. Potentially also adding in Ledgend. If he comes up more lame when in work he will go back in to get blocked and most likely unltrasounded. Low on the list is potentially getting a bone scan down the road but that is only if all the other plans don't pan out. 

So we don't really have answers but we have a plan in place. No fractured side bone which gives me hope! Now it's just going to be a hurry up and wait game where everyday I am over analyzing his soundness. Let the games begin! Fingers crossed for maybe salvaging the second half of show season?! His lesson kids miss riding him! But not more then I do 😊