Horse accident in the field

Littlemissmoneypenny

Littlemissmoneypenny

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Hi,

My mare has taken quite a tumble...(what we think anyway). My yard owner went out this morning to collect feed buckets and found my girl at the gate pawing for attention (this is rare in the mornings!) and she noticed her turnout boot on the leg she was pawing with had slipped down and she was covered in wet mud, we think it must have only just happened luckily.

She brought her in to wash her legs down and sort the boot out and on taking the back turnout boot off she found a large cut down her shin (almost to the bone) and then found more and more cuts on all legs :( Luckily she washed them all and trotted her up and she's not lame but now being kept in.

We think she might have been galloping around as usual and over reached onto the boot that slipped down and fallen (I hate thinking about this!!). I managed to get there straight after work and now her knees and just above are quite swollen and sore and her back legs are looking sore as well.

I hosed her knees for a bit and then took her for a walk in hand around the arena to help the swelling and loosen her up.

Is there anything else you would do? We've put that silver spray (not sure on proper name) on all her cuts and left them open for the moment. I doubt the vet would do anything for the cuts yet as they wouldn't be able to staple or stitch them. Going to keep cold hosing her front knees as she seemed to enjoy this today (or maybe just having a cuddle stood there!).

I've also bought some arnica for her...what dose would you recommend and how to feed it to them (the tiny little balls)? Going back up early before work to walk her in hand again and then will walk and hose tomorrow after work. Will also get our back lady out to check her over.

:( poor girl hate seeing her all sorry for herself!

Any ideas/advice very welcome! (Sorry its turned into rambling!!)
 
If the cut on her leg were "almost down to the bone" then I would get the vet out- at least to get an antibiotic jab! -Is mare up to date with flu and tet?

I would not leave feed buckets out at night either- as we one a Kicker- who would Run backwards kicking over a feed bucket- full or empty

Are you keeping her in tonight or turning her out?
 
Yeah she's up to date with her jabs. Going to take another good look at the bigger cut tomorrow morning as my yard owner put the spray on as a barrier straight away after cleaning it, so I haven't seen it properly yet. And will decide on vets for anti biotics etc tomorrow, luckily I trust the yard owner 100% on things like this and she would call the vet out straight away if she thought something needed doing.

She's turned out in her own field and the bucket is one that hangs on the gate. We're keeping her in to keep it clean and dry as the fields are so bad now with all the rain.

She seems quite perky at the moment when walking in hand and really walking forwards stretching.
 
I would get the vet to see her.Would I trust your YO or not ,if any of the cuts are anywhere near a joint there could be a problem.

A small puncture would cause a lot of damage

Was the wounds cleaned out or flushed out, there is a difference cleaning is surface and flushing get much deeper which is needed to make sure every bit of muck and grit is removed.
 
If there's a cut 'almost to the bone' it needs to be seen by a vet. It most probably needs stitching and if not, bandaging. I presume she is stabled tonight?
 
Almost to the bone could have done a host of damage that you can't easily seen, including torn tendon sheaths and loss of synovial fluid. I'm amazed you didn't get the vet immediately for an almost to the bone injury.
 
What ever you did or didn't do at the time is now done / not done. (Profound before my first coffee!) After 24 hours the cuts cannot now be stiched anyway. But with a cut as deep as you have suggested she really is going to need antibiotics and the longer you leave it the worse it is going to get. If infection sets in it could prove intractable.

Yes cold hosing. She might need supportive bandaging if you can do that - but poorly done bandages can do more damage than none at all. Get the vet to check her and get some antibiotics on board. You'll probably need to keep her in for a bit, if only because mud on open wounds can be a recepie for mud fever even if she hasn't had it before.

They do manage some daft things don't they!
 
infections to wounds take 3 days to start so if after 3 days and the wounds are not septic then you wont need antibiotics, however would still get the vet out to see the deep ones and dress and treat accordingly also might need some bute for filling and pain, lots of hand walking to keep the swelling down, if weather improves I would put vet wrap bandage on and turn out for a couple of hours on own, good luck!
 
Thanks for all the responses! Sorry haven't been back on here to respond.

She is doing really well, cut didn't look that bad once I had recleaned it on fri night. I spoke to the vet on friday night and explained everything, then went and picked up some antibiotics from her that night.

She's still not lame and the swelling has gone right down...her front knees are still up a little but I think this is just bruising! I've been walking her out daily (twice most days) and rode her on sat and sunday just in walk plodding around as she is easier/safer doing this than leading. I did make sure her back isn't sore before doing so and hoping the back lady can come up this week to check her over.

On sat morning after walking her out I bandaged all her legs but the one with the cut I put on a activion (sp?!) honey gauze pad then gamge then vet wrap on that and I removed it yesterday and put a fresh one on after. I must say I'm really impressed with the honey pad thing as it now looks amazing, not deep just looks like the top layer has come off, I think it must have just looked worse than what it was when it happened. I will try and get a pic of it tonight. I'm still giving her arnica for the bruising but please with her progress now. :) I dont think she will be going out in the field for a bit as they are now completely sodden/flooded from the rain yesterday!
 
If there are lots and deep as you say, mixed with mud I would either get vet out or speak to them and get some antibotics to stop infections.
Also depending on the injuries movement is good ti stop it swelling. Either controlled exercises or turnout in a confined area.
 
she did get antibiotics!! my pony fell down a cattle grid a few yrs ago.. scraped all four legs.. quite deep on a back leg.. i cleaned it up then called the vet, he came and said oh you dont need me youve done a good job of it, heres some noradine... just ask for it if theres a next time.. he trusts me .. i did tell him on the phone he didnt need to come out.. but i feel better that he did...
 
putasocinit said:
infections to wounds take 3 days to start so if after 3 days and the wounds are not septic then you wont need antibiotics, however would still get the vet out to see the deep ones and dress and treat accordingly also might need some bute for filling and pain, lots of hand walking to keep the swelling down, if weather improves I would put vet wrap bandage on and turn out for a couple of hours on own, good luck!
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If a wound is over a joint or tendon sheath, which I am not suggesting that in this case it was, waiting for three days could be catastrophic even of it doesn't look deep, please don't hesitate anybody to call a vet if you have any doubts about the underlying structures when it come to wounds especially puncture wounds. When I say call the vet, I don't mean give them a ring I mean get them to come out and look at the horse! They shouldn't really prescribe any drugs without looking at the case.
 
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