Hard Swelling on outside of hind leg below the hock.

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n1ck

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I have a 15 yr old TB Gelding who has been out for the winter. I have come home from uni to bring him back into work and have noticed a hard swelling on the outside of his near hind leg about a hand span below the hock.

He appears to be sound. If i press it it doesn't cause him any discomfort. If he is in overnight the leg fills up a bit, but will go down when he is turned out again.

There is a little bit of heat in it, so I am wondering if there may be some infection, however i cant find any wound.

As he is not in any pain from it I am reluctant to fork out for vets fees if it is just somthing that will sort itself out.

I would be very gratefull for any ideas or advice!
 
When you say a hands width below the hock can you be a bit more specific are you measuring from the point of the hock or the lower part of the hock joint .
Is he turned out with other horses
 
He's not turned out with any other horses, so its not a kick....unless he's done it to himself! He came in with lice, so he may have been rolling more than usual and could have hit himself.

The lump seems to follow the line of the bone, and feels almost as hard as bone.

This is a picture of the leg with the swelling:
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3521/dsc00133wom.jpg

And here is the other hind for comparison:
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1617/dsc00131dmx.jpg

not sure why they have come out on their side.
 
That looks to me like a splint or a bony exotosis on the cannon bone. Could he have been kicked? When you squeeze on the lump does he flinch? Is there any heat?
 
Thanks Halfstep,

Nope he doesn't react if i squeeze or tap it. There is a bit of heat, but not very much at all.....I have been hosing it. He's been an his own in the field for over six months now, so he hasn't been kicked. I've seen similar bony growths after kicks to a bone, but i just can see how he could have hit it hard enough to do that to himself!!

He was shod fairly recently so he could have caught himself, but what confuses me is that its on the outside of the leg.
 
Worked him for the first time today....just did 20 mins walk with a short trot to check his soundness. I couldn't feel any uneveness in his trot. The lump is still 'warm' and there has been no change in its size etc, and he still isnt bothered by it!

I think I'll just do as halfstep says and keep an eye on it!
 
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