[judybigredpony]

Ummmm....OCD in neck screams to me..and or Sciatica severe sciatica....best of luck

[fairtheewell]

Road founder? Worked on any hard ground or galloped around on hard ground? I guess if he doesn't react to the hoof testers it wouldn't be that. Such a dilemma...

[vxf111]

Sounds like EPM to me, or maybe (although I think it's a longshot) West Nile. Does the horse have a fever? It really doesn't sound like WNV to me, but my horse had an "unusual" presentation so I throw it out there just as an idea.
Sounds very much like EPM to me.

Jingles for a good outcome, please update us.

[CAH]

Having lived through it, my first thought was neurological. Attending vet thought everything else but. Shipped off farm to another vet clinic and she saw it as he came off the trailer.

[Bastile]

if you test for EPM make sure you do both tests - the blood serum test and the spinal tap. not sure where you live but there are two kinds of EPM, one is more prevalent on the east coast and one on the west coast, but my horse living on the east coast had the west coast variety. also, i second neck problems - did your horse have any accidents where he would have "face planted"? even several years ago? friends horse had jumping accident and had poll and neck problems that didnt show up for quite awhile. after months of testing and stays at various clinics a chiropractor was called in and horse got much better! good luck - if only they could talk!!!

[Judysmom]

Did some basic neuro tests on him when I went up to the barn today, and he sure looks neuro to me I could have made him fall over easily by pulling on his tail. I could cross all of his legs too, without him trying to correct it.

See what the vet says on Thursday. Sucks. My other horse went lame too. He's ok though. Acting like an abcess. Have the vet look at him too.

I am so super upset about this. I don't want to write a ton about why I love mr. orange princess so much because I'm going to cry. Sucks.

[Laurierace]

Don't fret too much until you know what you are dealing with. Then formulate a plan and tackle it head on. You will get him through this!

[Meadow36]

Did some basic neuro tests on him when I went up to the barn today, and he sure looks neuro to me I could have made him fall over easily by pulling on his tail. I could cross all of his legs too, without him trying to correct it.

See what the vet says on Thursday. Sucks. My other horse went lame too. He's ok though. Acting like an abcess. Have the vet look at him too.

I am so super upset about this. I don't want to write a ton about why I love mr. orange princess so much because I'm going to cry. Sucks.

Stay positive, you don't have a diagnosis yet. He may respond well to treatment; for whatever is wrong. I also owned a neuro horse and I know how frustrating it can be. Keep your chin up!

[vxf111]

Don't get frustrated yet! My horse had WNV, almost died, survived, and really had no long-term effects (he's got plenty of other problems but they pre-dated the WNV). So DON'T be too pessimistic!!!

[mswillie]

I have no suggestions but hoping that you can find a cause and get him right again. Jingles to you and your horse.

[Chall]

My goofball has never passed the cross your legs test. In fact he liked to stand with his front ankles crossed. He's also is easy to pull around by the tail. He had an episode where he wouldn't budge on the lead. He got moved to a field where he was fed in the field(so didn't have to be led out) and they put 4 barium shoes on him all year long. That helps him deal with his weaker hind end in the mud and ice.
He's 30 and seems to be fine now. But I still have to tell him to watch his feet.
He's been retired though for many many years.

[newhorsemommy]

My goofball has never passed the cross your legs test. In fact he liked to stand with his front ankles crossed. He's also is easy to pull around by the tail. He had an episode where he wouldn't budge on the lead. He got moved to a field where he was fed in the field(so didn't have to be led out) and they put 4 barium shoes on him all year long. That helps him deal with his weaker hind end in the mud and ice.
He's 30 and seems to be fine now. But I still have to tell him to watch his feet.
He's been retired though for many many years.

My mare did the same thing on her PPE. Vet crossed her legs, and she just stood there, like "OK." Vet said she had never seen one do that before. She's fine.

My gelding recently went through a bout of laminitis, and in the beginning was not reactive to the hoof testers, and did not have a digital pulse. He was just foot sore for the first time in his life, and I thought it was just the rocks in his paddock making him uncomfortable after the rains... It took a couple of weeks to get a reaction with the hoof testers and a digital pulse in all 4. It's low-grade, there's no rotation, and I am cautiously optimistic as he is feeling much better. We will probably never know what caused it, as he is not IR and does not have Cushing's. My point is to keep checking the digital pulses, just in case!

[Zenyatta]

Keeping my fingers crossed all goes well with the vet. Please keep us updated.

[Atlas Shrugged]

Sounds just like what I am going through... vet was coming to see horse because she did not want to canter with me on her all of a sudden.. she would rear. She's 4 and very sweet wb. Put horse on line for vet and she's off right behind.. what the heck? He did Mis. on her back and will return friday. Still off on leg and wont put weight on toe when standing. She had gone nuts in paddock the day vet came (a pony got loose with a dog chasing it... chaos). Not sure what is going on. Went thru founder with last young horse... freaking out now. Not sure what is going on and trying not to panic. Still turning her out, wrapping behind, bute and roibaxin given. This is my last horse... if something is wrong, I am done. Period. I feel cursed. One thing I will say, don't jump to conclusions. If you can't find a definitive answer in next day or two, put her on the truck and go to a good hospital.. New England Surg in NH is excellent.

[ram10]

Find a vet that will do the newer EPM test and Oroquin 10 as the treatment -- the test is supposed to be much better (tests for all forms) and the treatment is better and cheaper. I just went through this with my horse. I thought he had stifle issues but vet found neuro-muscular issues and hind end foot soreness. EPM takes many forms. Good luck.

[Judysmom]

Sounds just like what I am going through... vet was coming to see horse because she did not want to canter with me on her all of a sudden.. she would rear. She's 4 and very sweet wb. Put horse on line for vet and she's off right behind.. what the heck? He did Mis. on her back and will return friday. Still off on leg and wont put weight on toe when standing. She had gone nuts in paddock the day vet came (a pony got loose with a dog chasing it... chaos). Not sure what is going on. Went thru founder with last young horse... freaking out now. Not sure what is going on and trying not to panic. Still turning her out, wrapping behind, bute and roibaxin given. This is my last horse... if something is wrong, I am done. Period. I feel cursed. One thing I will say, don't jump to conclusions. If you can't find a definitive answer in next day or two, put her on the truck and go to a good hospital.. New England Surg in NH is excellent.

I've actually been there with this horse before Dr. Omar Maher is fabulous. Good luck with your horse Atlas! Jingles for minor soft tissue injury!

Thank you everyone for your well wishes!

The saddest thing is how frustrated he was today that his legs don't work right. He's very expressive, I don't call him the orange princess for nothing.

I will update after the vet appointment. My favorite sport horse vet is coming and he's very good, so hopefully we will have some answers.

[jjgg24]

I'd recommend x-rays of all four feet to rule out founder. It can present so differently in all horses. Of corse EPM is a good guess too.

[Atlas Shrugged]

Jingles! And yes Omar is great! I hope we both figure out what's wrong with our horses and that it is nothing serious <3

[Ghazzu]

What makes a horse go rapidly lamer on all 4 legs? Not Lyme.

So 3 weeks ago horse felt SLIGHTLY off, like .5, on rt hind. Called vet. Vet saw horse a few days later (week and a half ago). Horse flexed positive rt front coffin joint, both stifles. Mildy lame on the lunge, pretty lame u/s. Horse was lamer at vet visit than when I called for appointment.

How can you isolate to those joints with flexions?

[Ghazzu]

In my experience, that does not rule out laminitis. Especially when it occurs in all four feet.

This is worth a closer look.