Any similar experiences/suggestions? Swellings on mares face!

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kirstinw55

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Having a problem with my mare when turning out on grass after she has been off it for a while! When my mare eats grass after a period of time of it her face swells dramatically, she does not seem bothered by it but it looks horrendous and dont want to ride her while she is like this! After she has been back on the grass for a while(2 weeks+ ) this does not happen anymore. I assumed this was only an issue in summer months when the grass was at its richest however when she was turned out today for a brief period in their summer field, as i did not have time to put a haybale out in the morning. When i brought her in her face was terrible and effectively put paid to my afternoons schooling session! Does anybody have any ideas why this happens and if i should be concerned? Considering getting vet out incase it is something more sinister although she seems totally fine in everyother aspect! Thanks for reading!
 
Are there any nettle patches in the field (or will they have all died down now?) My horse came in from a new field with his eye all swollen - took him to the vet and he said it could have been the nettles or something else that he'd stuck his head in. Vet gave him an injection and it had gone down by the next day. Just a thought.
 
No there isnt, shes grazed in the same field for four years now which adds to my confusion as it has only been in the last year it has happened. Correct me if im wrong but lumps from nettles appear to be more on the outside,whereas this swelling is from the inside from her browband round where her throatlash fastens, very confused!x
 
I had a gelding with exactly the same issue. swollen right behind the jaw. Only ever happened this time of year. It is a sort of allergy to something specific to these months. When they are grazing fluid fills the lymph glands behind the jaw. It never caused problems, and as he came in every night (fed from haynet) it drained down. It never stopped me riding because there was no pain or discomfort.
 
Many people ive asked about it have said to go ahead and ride her as she in no discomfort whatsoever however didnt feel comfortable asking her to work in an outline and such as she is the kind of mare who would oblige to anything i asked regardless of any discomfort she was suffering! i have heard of swollen "grass glands" and apparently are nothing to worry about! Heres hoping!x
 
my gelding suffers with this every summer, looks like a hamster with its pouches filled! they are fine to ride but dont expect her to work in an outline as that will be uncomfortable with where the swelling is. mine gets it when eating short grass and i think it has something to do with the saliva glands. It will go down over a few hours of being off grass.
 
One of our mares is insulin resistant, after periods of grazing her face swells up, particularly in the hollows above her eyes, and the throat area behind the jaw. The vet initially talked about 'grass glands'.

She is also very cresty, a classic symptom of IR.
 
my mare gets like this mainly in spring and autumn when the grass is good. asked the vet about it when he came out to do their vaccinations and he said it was nothing to worry about, was just her glands.

it is fine to ride them while they are like it and riding them actually helps it to go down, but don't try to make her work in an outline as this will be uncomfortable for her!
 
from h&h website

Grass glands

This is the classic example that will worry many people more than it does their horse. Everyone will have seen it at some time, yet it is poorly understood.

Frequently, a horse or pony will be brought in from the field after grazing for some hours with large, firm and usually painless swellings behind the jawbone at the back of the throat, beneath where the throat lash would go. Occasionally, the swelling will be accompanied by some fluid swelling under the skin.

Affected horses can look rather like hamsters and may be reluctant to work with their head down on the bit. Such lumps are commonly mistaken for a manifestation of the disease strangles, when in fact they are simply swellings of the parotid salivary glands.

Such swollen glands can vary in size from day to day. They are often linked with particular areas of grazing and are suspected to be a form of allergic reaction.

The glands enlarge after the horse has been out at grass and most return to normal size within 36hr of coming in with no treatment. It helps if such horses, when affected, are fed from a height once they are brought in, to allow any accumulation of fluid to drain down.

There is no need to do anything except have a careful feel of the area to confirm it is just swollen parotid glands. If the horse looks ill or the swelling persists, talk to your vet.
 
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