Hi, I recently got a 16 year old purebred arabian. He has a very impressive show record in country pleasure and show hack. He has sat for the past two years and only been turned out 3 times a week in a indoor areana. I don't know much about him and I have tried finding out as much as I can. About ten years ago he popped 2 splints in his left front and had a hole in his tendon (core lesion)He was vetted and turned to pasture for a year. His old owner had him ultrasounded and he was fine. She showed him all over the country and at youth nationals and he was never lame. Now he has been a big show horse his whole life. I don't believe he ever saw snow before until now. He has always been a deprived horse in my opinion. He never went outside or had time to be a horse. I picked him up about 3 weeks ago. Boy did he have a change. He went from being in a stall 24/7 to being in a 25 acre pasture 10 hours a day. HE LOVED IT!!! It was sad because he didn't know how to interact with other horses he would stay all by himself and run away when the other horses came near him. Well my farrier came out and we decided to pull his shoes and leave him barefoot. He soon turned lame on the left front. I figured he was sore. Well we are going on 2 weeks now. I called my vet and he thinks he just needs alot of time to adjust. Which I can see becuase he has rough terrain one day and then mud other days. It seems like when it gets colder he gets worse. I tracked down his trainer of 10 years and she couldn't believe he was even lame. She told me to just give him time. He is now not lame at the walk but at the trot he is. My farrier put front shoes back on him and said he thinks he is just a sissy. His tendon is never swollen or has heat in it. I actually rode him at a walk today with no problem.He was not gimpy at all. I pushed him into a trot and he was lame. Any advice. Should I just give him more time. I have been checking into joint supplements any suggestions. Also I forgot to say that his right leg is shorter than his left and in my opinion my farrier cut him to short. When I got him his feet were pretty long so I am sure this was a huge change.

Thanks

Sheri

Where are you from? Crown Point, Indiana

How did you locate this forum? seaching from research on joint supplements

Hi Sheri,

I smiled from ear to ear when I read how this horse is now allowed to live in an environment that is more in sync with his natural horse instincts. You are doing a fine job with him and I congratulate you.

It is perfectly normal for a horse to have tenderness when shoes are removed after years of wearing them. And, the fact that he is still lame during a trot, even after you put the front shoes back on, tells me that the shoes are likely not helping. So, if you want to have him barefooted (which is best for him in his current setting), go ahead and remove them so you can best assess his improvement over time.

Your farrier may have cut one foot too short – that is not unusual when a farrier sees a horse for the first time. If you like him, express your concerns and as he gets to know your horse’s feet better, things will likely be much better.

OK – now let’s get to treating his problem. As I suggested, I would recommend that you remove the shoes, since they are not helping. Once you remove them, give him time to adjust. But, his lameness only shows when he trots, which tells me that it is due to the extra exertion placed on the entire leg, not just a tender foot. He is getting older and sometimes an old injury (such as the one he’s had) can start causing problems later on.

So, I would recommend a joint supplement that provides Hyaluronic Acid along with extra vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. There is a product that I know of that has all this called Corta-Flx HA Solution. You can likely find it on line at any vet supply company, such as Valley Vet --www.valleyvet.com. I also like this product because it contains Yucca, an herbal anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce pain.

Keep in mind that he is under some stress as he adapts to his new situation. And, stress in any form, slows down healing. So, feed him well, offer him fresh, clean, temperature-controlled water at all times, a salt lick, this joint supplement, and lots of attention – a perfect formula for one, super happy horse!

I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

If you wish to transition your horse to a barefoot horse, I would like to let you know there are boots to help. I would suggest easy-boot's new Boa boot. Is your trimmer a barefoot trimmer?

Where are you from? Oregon

Hi, thanks for all the great information. I ordered the corta flx HA and the regular corta-flx. Hopefully he can be started on it by this weekend. Now my other question to you is am I safe to ride him at a walk. I did ride him today at the walk and he was fine we just did really BIG circles and I started some leg yielding. I do plan on showing him counrty and hunter this summer but I am not putting pads on him. He has enough knee action with out shoes and I perfer to save my horses legs! Now he kept wanting to trot so I let him take a few steps and he was gimpy so I made him walk and he didn'tlike that so after we made it around 2 laps at the walk I got off him becuase I didn't want to stress his leg. I would appreciate any advice. My friend told me he is the horse that is going to teach me paitence and she is right. I do just want to ride him and have some fun but he is different to me. Even if he was never sound again I don't know if I could give him away. Thanks

Sheri

PS- our pasture is all muddy and JJ got to roll in it for the first time he just loved it!!! He is such a happy horse.

Where are you from? Crown Point, Indiana

How did you locate this forum? seaching from research on joint supplements

Hi Sheri,

Yes – patience is something I think all of us can benefit from! And, horses are good at teaching us its valuable lessons.

He has healing to do, so it certainly is best to take it very slowly. You’ll be giving him the joint supplement soon (I’m not sure why you decided to purchase both types – the one with the HYA and the one without it? – you’ll want to give him the Corta Flx HA).

So, let him warm up and be on the supplement for a few weeks before you try anything more than a fast walk. Otherwise, you could set him back a few weeks just recovering from a leg injury. However, I think that he will tell you when he’s ready – so let him be the judge of how much stamina he can put forth.

Keep up the fine work -- how wonderful that he’s able to enjoy life’s little pleasures! I would love to see a picture, if you have one to send on line!

Keep me posted!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Sure I have tons of pictures. The Corta Flx HA is not a supplement that can be fed as an ongoing supplement. I called the manufactuor. You feed 10 ml a day for 3 days of the corta flx ha and then you go to regular corta flex and before any shows/stressful work give him the corta flex Ha.

Sheri

Where are you from? Crown Point, Indiana

How did you locate this forum? seaching from research on joint supplements

Hi Sheri,

Yes, that's true. The manufacturer recommends only a short term administration of the HA version. I prefer using it long term, however, because the only major difference between the two is the addition of sodium hyaluronate, which is the critical ingredient.

So, if after you go back to using the Corta Flx, you find any change, I would suggest returing to the Corta Flx HA.

All the best,

Dr. Getty