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  Discussion on Walking on toe of right hind
Author Message
New Member:
Benbern

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 9, 2007 - 11:55 am:

I have an eight year old Quarter Horse who is walking on his right hind toe and snapping down the heal as he weights over the foot. A year ago i went to ride him and it felt like he was loosing his hind end. In observing him from the ground it looked like he was not getting his right hind toe up high enough so was falling over it as it hit the ground. Over the past year he has been rested for periods of time, put on bute for periods of time and has been very rideable at times. This problem has turned into him landing toe first with the right hind and snapping the heal down has he puts weight down on it. He rests that foot so much that his toe is squared off. We tried to do a block at the pastern but he was so dramatic, pulling that leg way up as we walked him off that you could not tell anything. I took him for a bone scan recently and that showed uptake in his hips and right hock. He had steroid injections to the hips and the right hock, rested for three weeks and on bute while on rest. He still has the problem. I have tried stretching him. No change. Anything faster than a walk and he pays for it with increased lameness. He had always been such a solid sound horse, I never though he would be lame. I am running out of ideas of where to go next, but thought that if someone else has seen this, they could give me some guidance. He has never had any swelling in that leg or visible injuries. I am thankful for any and all input.
Member:
Scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 9, 2007 - 2:41 pm:

Hi, Leslie and welcome to HA. I guess the most obvious question would be are his toes too long?
I have a gelding that does the same thing when poorly trimmed behind. He got so sore from the increased breakover, he couldn't canter correctly anymore. Just a thought.
Member:
Kstud

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 9, 2007 - 6:18 pm:

Hi Leslie, Could be spavin as well as one possibility or injury to the nerve supply to that leg for eg a fall
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 9, 2007 - 9:16 pm:

Welcome Leslie,
It is a very good description of the gait abnormalities but not pathognomonic (diagnostic) for a particular problem.

I would be looking at the heels and support structures of the leg (flexors, suspensories) but until a area of pain or dysfunction accurately identified you are stuck. Are there no localizing signs at all: hoof testers, heat, swelling, pain on palpation? You say the toe is getting worn but are the heels also growing long? Has a thorough neurological exam been conducted? Sometimes when you don't know what is wrong the best place to start is what you know in OK, at least you can rule that out.
DrO
Member:
Slytwink

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007 - 9:23 am:

leslie, we have a horse with that had the same symptoms. i went thru the blocking and he became
sound so we did xrays and determined it might be the navicular bone even though it was the hind leg. he received a steroid injection in this joint which i did not see any results from. i was considering nerving him if possible. was talking to a specalist in that area. meanwhile we put egg bar shoes on his hind feet which gave him some relief but he was still walking on his toe but would now stand on his whole hoof. christmas came and i just couldnt get him in to the specalist. after about another month, (this had been going on now for about 3 months), he began walking on it normally. my farrier thinks the bone fused on its on. who knows. i just know that time and special shoeing brought him thru it. he is 21 years old and we love him. good luck with yours.
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