My horse is sore in right shoulder

Question
QUESTION: I have a AQHA mare who just turned 5 earlier this month.  She's the most pleasantly tempered horse I've ever met.  Granddaughtr to Zippo Pine Bar (worlds most famous pleasure AQHA sire) I received her as a gift 2 yrs ago so I've known her nearly 2 years.  She's always been easy, sound, and delightful in arena and on trail.  3 wks ago she developed an absess in left fron foot.  Didn't diagnose it for about 4 days, then my ferrier cut a slit in bottom of her hoof near center aside frog and it drained.  Soaked it in epsom salt and wrapped it in ipthamol for few days.  Pretty sure its gone now.  But for some reason, that leg is still painful to her.  Ferrier checked her out yesterday and all 4 feet are sound.  I believe in him, he's outstanding ferrier.  No other problem seems to be in leg, but now that I'm watching her move, it seems pain is in her shoulder.  No sign of injury, heat or swelling I can detect (but i'm not vet). Her temperment has changed, this is most alarming to me because her temperment was more than perfect before.  She's very sensitive to anyone approaching her right side. It has taken me a few days to gain her trust to apprach this side and she trusts me no matter what.  Any ideas what this could be??? I am buting her, keeping her quiet, but can't seem to bring her any comfort.  May be it will pass. Vet is coming out on 6/6 but would like to be more informed when he visits on what to look for or observe in her in meantime.  No immediate concern (I hope), she's not thrashing, she's eating/drinking, pooping, etc. She's just not herself.

ANSWER: M,

Find an equine chiropractor.  Sure sounds like her shoulder is out.  I experienced a dislocated shoulder last year and it hurt!  She's exhibiting a lot of the classic signs of a shoulder that is out. An excellent pre-adjustment thing to do is to get her worked on.  Often the dislocation is caused by a trauma.  As a result there are a lot of muscle groups that sustain damage, and have knots that will effect the ease of the required adjustment and help insure that it holds.  She will still be uncomfortable after the shoulder is put back in because of the tendons and ligaments that get stretched.  Plus, she's over-used other muscles to make up for the damaged ones.   But you'll notice a difference.  

Lyn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Lyn,
Thanks for your speed reply.  I think you're on to something. But I can't recall any trauma within the last 3 weeks. We did a natural horsemanship clinic for 4 days, just rode in circles at a walk/trot and did ground work, turned her out regularly with my gelding, they just run and buck and play together, no other horses. Once she did get tied up on a rope during clinic when I had her tied to trailor.  But when i approached, she relaxed and I undid slip knot.  NO problem or damage to anything, no rope burns on face or neck or anything like that. She just got pissed being tied up for few hours (which she normally never does) Unless something happened in her corral when I'm not there?????? Can this happen when she's running, frolicking, bucking when I turn her out???  She is young and still quite playful.

Answer
M,

There is no trauma associated with it lots of times.  I had a friend whose Morgan gelding had his shoulder go out a number of times.  I've seen it happen when horses were getting up from either laying down or down to roll and have a front leg skid out when they are trying to get up.  My mare's hip goes out fairly regularly and there's no trauma involved.  I suspect that was one of her problems when she raced.  And once the ligaments get stretched it's a lot easier to have it pop out again which explains why it happens regularly with some horses.    Bucking, frolicking, playing any of that could cause it to happen.  Plus, as a youngster those ligaments are not as well developed as an older horse.  You may have to watch her closely until she's an adult if this happens more than once.  

Lyn