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Splints

4K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  Beau Baby 
#1 ·
My mare just recently has 2 splints form on her legs. One on the inside of her left front and one on the outside of her left hind. There is soft, puffy, heat filled tissue below each of them. I've been icing both legs for the past week. I went out yesterday and it was -36 outside. When I brought Regena in and felt her leg it was extremely noticable which really tells me its bad because its -36 celsius outside. I had my coach look at her and she told me it usually takes about 6 weeks to heal splints. I am out there every single day hosing for 5-10 minutes and then icing each leg for 15 minutes. I don't mind the work, its a little annoying but its my job and I'm okay with that. I was just wondering if there's anything I can do to make it either heal faster or better. Are there supplements I can give to give her a better chance of healing good?
 
#2 ·
aside from calling a vet, its probably best to continue what you are doing. could you maybe put her on stall rest with hand walking? ive never dealt with splints...although i want to say my bfs mare had splints and he had the vet do like a shock therapy type of thing on them. i could be mistaken...it was years ago.

good luck!
 
#5 ·
Hm,
That's a tough one since she's living outside.
Usually I'd recommend keeping the legs bandaged constantly. Taking the bandages off only when you're going to be icing and hosing the leg (which should be done as often as possible).
Since bandaging isn't an option in this case, I'd invest in lots of arnica oil to massage into the splints. Not only will this help with the swelling, but by keeping the circulation going it is possible to lessen the resulting blemish and helps the splints to go down more.
If the inflammation is as bad as it sounds, I'd say you should contact your vet to get her some anti-inflammatories.
I'd also speak to your barn owner about working some kind of deal for your horse to stable, overnight at least, just until the splints settle. Otherwise you're going to end up with huge blemishes that will be even more difficult to get rid of.
 
#6 ·
Splintex and laser therapy.

Also splints are generaly the result of a percussive injury, so too much trotting on roads, a band or knock to a leg. So you might wantto look at why she got them in the first place.
 
#9 ·
You can absolutely use bandages while your horse is in a field, just use some duct tape and you should be fine if you or your barn owner are checking often enough, and I assume your barn owner feeds twice a day, so check on your horse once a day, and you should be fine. As far as I know there is nothing that you can do to speed it up, but I might be limited in what I know.
 
#10 ·
I had the same thing with a pony. Yes he did it to himself somehow outside in the field. He was affraid of everything so never went near a road lol.

I spent lots of time/money and worried constantly about his legs healing.

In the end NOTHING but time worked.

I am the type of person who wont ride a lame horse, so he had several months off. It did take at least 6 months, but the deeper healing to a cold set blemish will take longer.


The cold and bute will reduce swelling and give her some pain relief. Other than that I would turn her out for the winter and just let her heal.
 
#11 ·
bakkir my coach told me they usually takes 6 weeks to heal and she's been in the business for 45+ years and is very reliable. She's had many horses with splints in her time as she rides and trains 3-Day Eventers to olympic level. I guessed that just icing and giving time would heal. Thanks everyone!
 
#12 ·
In all honesty, I wouldn't worry about them too much. After they are healed, if they ever did cause lameness in the first place, which many times they don't, it is more of an aesthetic thing than anything else. I have a 16 year old bay horse that has so many splints on his front legs that they honestly look a bit deformed but he has never taken a lame step in his life even under extremely heavy work. His legs are perfectly sound and healthy, they just look a little ugly.
 
#13 ·
my mare had one on the inside of the front right last year...vet gave me some anti inflammatory to put on her leg and told me to cold hose 20 mins every day. then wrap her legs and she was on stall rest for a couple weeks.

then hand walking only for a few more weeks...it did take a little while but them she was back to her old self and the vet said getting splints once doesn't mean they're any more likely to get it again which is good :)
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