Advice please...

[apkelly01]

Hi,
Looking for a bit of advice please.
My horse has developed swelling on her near front leg. I've attached a picture for size and location of swelling.

There is little bit of heat and when she is trotted up on a hard surface, she doesn't appear to be lame.

She's 12yrs old BTW and 9 months in foal. She was standing in for most of the day as the farrier was coming so I noticed this late in the evening. I hosed down her leg for 10 mins and today she stayed in again. The YO trotted her up and he said she wasn't lame. I put some stay sound cooling stuff on her to see if it would help.

The fields are in bits and are badly poached - maybe she did it in the field?? Or maybe from standing in?

She is nornally sound as a pound and in the 8 years I've owned her I can count the amount of times she's been lame on one hand and still have fingers to spare!

Has anyone seen this before??

Any advice would be appreciated

 

[dozzie]

By the shadow it looks like it is on the inside. If it is on the inside it could be a bit of ligament damage. I wouldnt ride her just in case. Mind you you are probably not. My horse had the same but remained very slighly lame when turning. I got the vet and when he nerveblocked she was very lame so its really difficult to tell in terms of lameness. The trouble is they can do this in the field.
It may not be anything but if it doesnt go down I would call vet tomorrow ie I wouldnt do an emergency call out but would treat as poss lig damage and box rest. You just cant be too careful. Whilst he is there he can check on the progress of the foal too!

I hope it is nothing to worry about!!

 

[apkelly01]

Hi,
Yes it's on the inside and only on that leg. I didn't mention that the fetlock on her other front leg has a fresh knock to it as well - didn't mention it as it has not affected her at all.

I'm not riding her, she's been out in the day and in at night. I check her legs everynight (as she has being suffering mud fever) so it has only happened either Thursday or Friday.

I feel sorry for the poor thing, she's never been on box rest, so have no idea how she's going to take it!

Thanks again for your comments

 

[dozzie]

I would def speak to vet tomorrow because the weight of the mare with foal could have caused it. I dont know what the advice would be for a mare this far on in her pregnancy. I dont think I would be wanting to keep a pregnant mare on box rest for long but your vet would be able to advise. Lots of people turn horses away for a year with lig injuries and as you wont be riding her for a good nine months if it is ligament probs they will be well rested. The thing is when you bring her back into work you dont want to overdo it if there has been a problem.

My mare has a blood vessel that swells up and looks like a lig injury. So it may be something as simple as this and nothing to worry about.

I hope someone who has more experience of pregnant mares can help as Im out of my depth in this aspect!

 

[apkelly01]

Hi,
Thanks again

I also meant to say that the picture is taken from a photo of her cantering last year - it's the only picture I have a clear view of her leg

I was thinking blood vessel as that's how it feels when you are touching it. But just to be sure to be sure I'll call the vet out tomorrow as she needs a CEM and EIA done anyway for the stud

I'll take her out for a pick of grass today and give her a groom. I don't know if I should just walk her in hand for a little to see if it helps??

Thanks again

And as you said hopefully it's nothing

 

[Shilasdair]

Hi
I guess that either she's jumped around a bit (it's been windy here so ours have been silly) and, because she is so heavily pregnant, become unbalanced and knocked her splint bone with her opp hoof, OR that she has tweaked the check ligament.
Pregnant mares don't do well standing in (swollen legs, poor circulation) so if you can put her in a little paddock and/or if she's relatively sane, I'd turn her out at least a bit.
After all, she has the best part of 8 months til your foal is weaned so can rest plenty then....
Good luck with her...let us know what happens
S

 

[apkelly01]

Hi,
I went up to her toady and brushed off the stay sound stuff and checked her leg. The swelling was right down her cannon on the inside.
I trotted her up again on a hard surface and again showed very little signs of lameness ??
I then took her for a little walk down to the little wood to give her a pick of grass and a groom (change of scenery for her

) I let her just wander about on a loose contact on the lead rope eating grass for about an hour. Walked her back to the stables and let her pick at the grass there as well for a bit.

I checked her leg and there was a definate reduction in the swelling. I put some more stay sound on her today and I'll walk her again tomorrow.

All the fields are in bad shape so don't want to risk throwing her out. They were starting to harrow the bigger field today so hopefully she'll be put in there soon

Thanks again, will keep informed

 

[apkelly01]

Hi,
Super spent the day in the paddock today and I took her in and checked her leg. The swelling and puffyness had all but disappeared, so it was caused from standing in waiting on the farrier - phew

Now that the weather is improving, I'll keep her out longer and maybe keep her out overnight.

Thanks again to everyone who offered advice