Highs and Lows, Great Day turned into not so great!

[Skhosu]

I took the big lad out to a pre-vocie yesterday, really aiming at havin a good run since I fell off over a novice course recently. He was AMAZING! Good dressage, a lot more settled, one pole SJ which was my fault and an absoloute machine XC. T=He had one hesitation at a drop (he hates them) and a few sticky moment where I should have sat but pushed for a stride but he was brill. Jumped into the water, then paused whilst I got directions (the next jump was closed off as was the jump after as it was the problem and first one led directly. Starter hadn't bothered to tell anyone this!) and we did a real proper finish, just let him gallop, gavehim a touch of the heels and let him go, perfect stride to the last fence and all. So then we got 4th which I was delighted with.

However, two hours later I went to put him out in the field, noticed he was a bit funny in walk, trotted him up and he is hopping lame.

Now, it wasn't a long course, ground was damp and a bit muddy but nothing awful. He didn't hit anything and the last gallop is the only thing I can think of if he's hurt anything.

He recovered well though. There's perhaps a tiny tiny bit of swelling, not enough though to account for this.

Trotted him up this morning, no better. A little bit of heat, but you would have to be looking for something to find it. Anybody got any suggestions with what to do with it/what it could be? I've stabled him since so any swelling should surely have shown up by now? I was tinking of cold poulticing just to be doing something with it and to remove that little bit of heat?

 

[Bossanova]

where is the heat?? I'd cold hose asap and keep cold hosing at regular intervals

 

[Skhosu]

It is just above the fetlock on the back, the only thing is he does have an 'unhealed' cut on his fetlock that we've been cold poulticing on vet advice (not because it was bothering him or anything but just to get it healed) so the heat may be coming from that?
Would a tendon have swollen by now? He used to get swollen legs after hard work but then we fittened him and turn him out after an even and that has kept him sound/ swelling free.
Should I get some bute for him? I'm not used to having a semi-badly lame horse....
The other thing I thought is it's awfully similar looking to when my pony got a thorn in his foot, same sort of lameness.
We are entered for next weeks event, with tomorrow lunchtime being withdrawal for getting the money back, is it worth just withdrawing him and letting it be for a week? I think it might be as he has a month or so eventing left to do.
Sorry so many questions, but I'm sure there are lots of people out there with better ideas than me on what is best her!

 

[henryhorn]

I don't want to worry you but Jonty presented just like this with her tendon injury, hardly any swelling or heat at all, which is why we just cold hosed and rested her for a few days. When the lamenss didn't get any better we took her to the equine spa, thinking still it was only a minor tweak of some sort.
After the spa treatments we decided to have her scanned as she seemed better, and were stunned to discover a 6% tear in her superficial flexor tendon.
The injury was due to the deep mud she competed on we think.
I would keep the horse in (this is a total turn around on what we did prior to tendon injury) as if it is that, it can go much much worse if they run about.
Hose for 20 mins three times a day and watch it carefully. If it disappears you may have been lucky, if it remains get it scanned asap as we are faced with a year off with our mare.
If I were in the same position again I would spa every day for at least 6 days , the improvement was excellent even though we were a week late doing it.
I hope this is a minor infection from the cut, but if there is a spa locally, worth the expense as it will heal that too!
I would withdraw if I were you..

 

[Skhosu]

S**T. I'm terrified this mis what he might have done, although the ground wasn't that deep, he doesn't have the most robust make up.
I'll head out now and cold hose it, don't know why it didn't come to me, after all that is the first thing you do normally!
When would you take it to the vet? I don't think there is a spa near us, we're in northern ireland but I might have a look.
What about bandaging etc.?
Thanks guys, it's better to just have a bit of advice to back up my feelings (which was, keep him in and cross my fingers he hasn't done a tendon!) .