Haematoma on chest - how long to leave before riding?

[legaldancer]

Thought I'd post in here rather than Veterinary as it's quiet in there at the mo.

My son's pony appears to have been kicked on her left chest pad, & while the skin isn't broken, she has a largish bag of fluid which has gathered between her front legs. The vet has told me to give her some bute & cold hose which I'm doing. She doesn't feel she needs to come out, or drain it as this could introduce infection.

I would say the pony was slightly stiff, but is sound, though she has had a sachet of bute yesterday. She appears happy in herself & doesn't mind me touching it.

I'm aware these can take a while to go down as I once had a youngster who got one after running into a gate latch. However, I'd like to know when I could resume exercise, particularly as PC camp is at the end of the month. (Vet was in a hurry on the phone!) We had quite a busy time planned in the lead up to camp & would also prefer she was reasonably fit if she's ok to go.

 

[Angua2]

my old gelding got one by impaling himself on a wheelbarrow handle while avoiding me (sent me and the wheelbarrow flying and trod on my thigh) and other horses. We left it but after a fortnight there was still no improvement so I had it drained. At no point did we stop work, we even did a clue ride with him and his latex glove drain!

 

[legaldancer]

At no point did we stop work, we even did a clue ride with him and his latex glove drain![/QUOTE]

That's encouraging. Can't have been a good look though!

 

[Angua2]

No can't say it was, but it was a talking point!

 

[Bosworth]

My youngster had exactly the same - only no evidence at all of any trauma. I was told by my vet to just leave it - not to drain it as that was introducing a foreign object in the body and could potentially introduce infection. It would eventually go. it took about 5 months to go completely but now no evidence at all and no nasty after effects. So just carry on as normal as long as the pony is not in pain

 

[K27]

Hi

My horse once had a huge Haematoma on his chest as a result of over zealous playing in the field with his friend.

The trouble is with Haematoma's I think is that they just keep filling and if they are not drained the horse can end up with a hard lump that will not go away-at the time my horse had his (about 6yrs ago) I was using some Vets that TBH were a bit of a poor show and at first the Vet wouldn't drain it properly when I asked for it to have a drainage hole put in. Everyone seems to have very different ideas with what to do with them and whether to leave them or drain them. In the end I got a drainage hole put in and he had Antibiotics and bute we kept him being turned out and in light walking out and within a couple of weeks was back in full work and had no more problems with it.

 

[ladyearl]

Hi

My horse had a kick last year, there was a skin break, which the vet saw on the day and cleaned out, gave her a jab etc.. The next day - very swollen!! The vet said ride the horse (walking) and it brought the swelling right down.... Every day for about a week (or maybe two) it was a bit swollen and then after riding it went down. Obvisouly, every horse is different but this is what worked for my girl.

 

[legaldancer]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I can find out quite a lot about treatment, but nothing about whether to continue working or not. Keep your experiences coming!

 

[Swift08]

Mine had one as a 4yo after being kicked by an 18.3hh (he was only 13.2 at the time). If i remember rightly he had about 12 weeks off (but was allowed turnout) as it was the size of a large melon! The vet didnt bother to come out at first as it was so small (just said to hose it) but it grew to that size in a week/10 days. He ended up having a bute a day plus this cream (can't remember the name). I did ride him for the first few days when it wasnt very big though and he was always happy!

 

[Wobblywibble]

Mine had one right between her front legs, it dangled horribly (but that was gravity really) and you could almost hear it swishing! Didn't ride her as it looked so uncomfortable/annoying although she was happy munching grass and not working and it went away in about 2 weeks.

 

[mil1212]

my 16hh 4 year old was kicked in the chest by my 17.3hh - I saw and heard it happen. There was only a small lump when I got him in a couple of hours later, but over night it swelled up to the size of an orange and then over the next few days kind of drained down in to a lump between his front legs. I searched posts on here and paniced, as you do! People seem torn between having them drained or leaving them and expect it to go down in several months time!
I left mine, carried on as normal, as exercise is going to help disperse the swelling, it went down in about 3 weeks (oh and he is now in a separate field )

 

[micramadam]

Mine got one on the right side of her chest after a knock (no cut). Swelled up to the size of a basketball (not exagerating) after 24 hours. Vet said to hose it down but no difference after 2 weeks. Ended up calling Vet out as an emergency when her temperature shot up to 41C and she wouldn't move at all. She was so ill that she didn't even move an inch when the vet cut it open (without numbing the area) and loads of foul smelling liquid (old blood but no pus) poured out. Vet wouldn't stitch it up as it needed to be cleaned out twice a day. Her stable had to be totally disinfected and she wasn't allowed any bedding in case of infection. Stable also had to be disinfected every morning and evening. Anyway to cut a long story short she couldn't be ridden for about 3 months and to be quite honest I wouldn't have wanted to.
We were one of the unlucky ones.
I would go with your gut instinct/common sense on this one. No-one here can see the haematoma or how your mare reacts to it. Every horse heals at a different pace and if you know your mare well you will know if she can be ridden or not.

 

[legaldancer]

Gosh, quite a few varients here. The pony seems quite happy & normal, but I think must be sore if she was kicked hard enough for the haematoma to form. I may try to exercise her on Thursday if all continues well & it doesn't get larger. It certainly hasn't got any larger than it was yesterday.

The irony of this is that she is normally paddocked seperatly but yesterday's wind blew down part of the electric tape & her best mate must have kicked her after getting in. She was only in there a couple of hours at most!

 

[Dolcé]

From my own experience, I have had mine (on my bum) since Feb 20th when I was bitten by our mare who was going for another pony but I got in the way! It is still incredibly painful and still can be seen very easily as a huge lump compared to the other side and can clearly be felt. I still have trouble sitting in some positions. So, I suppose it depends if it is somewhere that is forced to move when the pony is being ridden or even if when moving the lump 'bounces' about, as when I run I get pain from mine bouncing around (I know, I should have a firmer bum!!)