Info On Pin Firing Please!

My Horse Has Pin Firing Scars All Along His Front Leg Along His Tendon.
Just Wondering If Someone Could Explain Detailed What It Is? I've Been Told That Someone Stuck Pins In His Leg 2 Make An Injury Worse And That Its Cruelty.

I Asked The Saddler Coz He Was The One Who Told Us What It Was ( Id Never Heard Of It Before!) And He Just Said It Was Disgusting Whoever Did it.
Any Info Greatly Appreciated!

Also Just Wondering Will That Affect His Soundness? He Always Has A Bit Of Heat In That Leg But It Never Bothers Him And Its Always The Same Amount Of Heat

See if this article helps. The Horse | Pin Firing

Wow, these people know nothing about anything....... its NOT cruelty and its NOT trying to make an injury worse. Sheesh, people should know what theyre talking about before they speak. He probably bowed a tendon, or something, and they pin fired it. Most of us don't pin fire anymore because we cryo instead. Anyway, they sedate a horse to pinfire it, its used to TREAT injuries. Anywho im sure that link in the previous post will tell you everything about how its done. But gosh, I can't believe someone would tell you that. And no, it wont affect his soundness. Its to treat an injury so that he IS sound.

Thanks 4 your reply but while I was waiting4 replys I looked it up and I got a few answers that said nothing like what you siad.

Horse racing is inhumane@Everything2.com
1st Bullet Point
"Pin Firing is a process in which acid is injected into the injured tendon (and often the nerve), causing the area to swell and sometimes bleed. The theory is that the increased blood flow to the region will cause more rapid healing. In reality, pin firing can cause the injury to become chronic; it can also temporarily relieve pain, allowing the horse to further injure himself. "


Pin firing... is it allowed in england ? - Yahoo! Answers

!"Pin firing is the treatment of an injury by burning, freezing, or dousing it with acid or caustic chemicals. This is supposed to induce a counter-irritation and speed and/or improve healing. This treatment is prevalent in equine veterinary books published in the early 20th Century, however many present-day veterinarians and horse owners consider it barbaric and a cruel form of treatment."



Equine & Horse Advice: Pin Firing
"Firing is the application of a heated metal instrument, usually referred to as an iron, to the skin, and in some instances to the deeper tissues as well. It has been practised for thousands of years.

It used to be used when all previous lines of treatment had failed. As horses normally heal their injured tissues by inflammation, the extra stimulus of firing was thought to bring about a recovery if the blood supply could not produce sufficient inflammation by itself to effect a cure. It is now illegal in this country, I'm pleased to say, and I imagine it is in most countries although the method will still have its proponents, I'm sure.

In point or pin firing, the point of the iron penetrates the whole thickness of the skin into the subcutaneous issue or tendon and, in the case of bony deposits, into the actual bone. The scar tissue thus formed hardens the area. All cases need rest after treatment, up to a year or more depending on the severity of the injury and whether the horse is required to do fast work.
Many vets have said that it is the rest that cures the horse, not the firing, and that the pain inflicted is therefore cruel and unnecessary"

Also in the above answer it says its illegal in USA so its obviosly cruel if they're going 2 make it illegal.

RSPCA Policy C4 Horses in sport, entertainment and recreation - RSPCA Australia knowledgebase
Last point
"RSPCA Australia is opposed to the firing of horses as this procedure is associated with considerable pain and tissue damage."

Well sorry but its not cruel. They may not pin fire anymore, but they do cryo (freeze fire). Which is the same process, but they use metal "sticks" that are stuck into liquid nitrogen.

I just had my 2yr old fillie freeze fired. And guess what, it works. I have hand many racehorses freeze fired, and almost every racehorse has been freeze fired. That's a key in buying a racehorse who is older (atleast 5), if they don't have freeze firing dots, then they arent worth a crap because they don't race hard enough.

Its not cruel. My fillie was twitched and given a little bit of sedation and was just fine.

And obviously you did not look at the link Sandy2u1 left for you

Pin firing isn't cruel but it is looked down on a little nowadays. It's used to decrease healing time.
AlmagroN wrote some great responses.

Well you've seen the evidence there from vets saying it is cruel and barbaric. If it wasn't why would it be illegal ini USA and Great Britain?

So you would only buy a horse off the tracks if its been 'raced hard enough'? Pure cruelty.

If its not cruel then why is it illegal?? Answer that?

I did look at it.
You mustn't have read the links I left.

If its not cruel somebody please explain to me why its illegal and why vets think it's barbaric? I must be missing out on something!
But why would you use pin firing on a racehorse 2 reduce healing time as once there fired there sold.

Actually they aren't sold. Pinfiring is used to speed up the healing process to get them back on the track quicker. Why would they waste money trying to heal a horse via pinfiring to just sell it? That makes no sense.
Many many many horses are pinfired, it's not illegal in Canada as far as I know, though the process is getting outdated as AlmagroN explained.
Which vets have you personally called up and talked to?

Pin firing doesn't make it heal faster, it just deadens the nerves so the horse can't feel anything.