Bumps and tremors

[RooRoo]

Hi - does anyone have any ideas on the following. My mare is 20 years old, fit and healthy, yesterday we completed a sponsored ride, 12ish miles 2hrs 45, we took it very easy walking at least 70% of the time. When we finished she had muscle tremors in her back and front legs, I put her sweat rug on and after 5 -10 minutes it seemed to easy... should I be worried?

A second separate issue, she has also recently developed a had/ boney bump on her nose, pretty much where her flash band usually crosses on her nose. It doesn't hurt when it's pressed, it doesn't move around.. slightly puzzled as to what this can be. Have changed to a cross nose band so that nothing presses on it... Any ideas on either would be fab.. Thanks, Roo Roo

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Take great care hun because the symptoms you describe where the mare developed muscle tremors could be azoturia, also known as tying up. It might be that the hack was too long for her fitness levels. If it happens again, you need to immediately dismount and try to get transport for your horse from where you are. Walking the horse can seriously damage her muscles and might make further hacking difficult to impossible for her. Bear in mind that if it is azoturia then she will now be more prone to future attacks. Regarding the bump on her nose where the bridle presses, this might be linked to the length of your ride. It might be a small haematoma under the skin, in which case it should slowly be reabsorbed without any veterinary attention. On the other hand, if it was visible before your ride then it's probably a poor fitting or there's something stuck on the underside of the flash that has rubbed her face and caused a swelling. Do you need the flash? Ditch it if not.

 

[RooRoo]

Hi - thanks so much for replying. I do need the flash as she's a mouth opener and jaw crosser!! I have no brakes when she doesn't wear a flash. I've switched to an English X noseband which misses the bump all together. She's always worn the same bridle so it's just wierd how it suddenly appeared. I thought I'd ask my vet when he comes to do her jabs in July if it doesn't change.

As for the tremors, what you suggest is my worst fear. We did an even longer ride last year and she was fine however we had done way more hacking in the lead up to it so it maybe that she just wasn't ready for the distance this weekend. I'm planning on taking her out hacking more regularly and gradually building up the time. The last thing I want to do is break her... made me very sad at the weekend

Thank you again, your advise is much appreciated

 

[fatpiggy]

Could she have been dehydrated? 12 miles in under 3 hours is actually quite a brisk walk, and she has got a few miles on the clock I remember once hacking to a show (over an hour and with quite a few brisk canters, not my choice!) and on arriving I noticed my mare's hind leg seemed to be going peculiar. It was as though it was made of jelly and she looked like a tent with a corner peg pulled out. She didn't seem the slightest bit bothered and after I'd grazed her in hand for a bit it just went away of its own accord. I never did find an explanation for it. It was a regular hack and she was VERY fit. It never occurred again.

 

[RooRoo]

She may well have been a bit dehydrated. She never really drinks that much in the stable and they are on reverse cycle at the mo, out at night in during the day. She seemed ok last night and I'm going to have a plod round the tracks tonight - gentle walk and see how she goes. We usually school or hack round the tracks 5 days a week so she's pretty fit. But I think you could be right, it might just have been a bit to much... We did have a bit of gallop up a hill mid way so that might of been a tad excessive... Planning on a hack this weekend which is about 45mins so I'll see how she gets on.. thanks for your suggestion though..