Horse Head injury, how long would you wait to ride? *Graphic picture*

[Amber905]

My horse hit her head a few days ago. She had a small injury on top of her head (no bone chips or anything, purely flesh wound) It was stitched up with 7 stitches, looks good to me. The bridle doesn't touch near the wound. Would you ride?

It doesn't seem to bother her

)

 

[Finlib]

No I wouldn't ride . I would give it a couple of weeks at least .I have had a couple of facial injuries and concussion such as running hurt like hell as the foot fall reverberates through .

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

No not for at least a couple of weeks- a knock to the head that is hard enough to cause that sort of injury is bound to leave the horse feeling a considerable amount of pain and discomfort even if 'it doesn't seem to bother her. Did you ask your vet this question?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

No, I wouldn't ride until well after the stitches have been taken out/dissolved (as appropriate). Poor girl probably has a nasty headache, in fact I think I would have a physio appt for her before riding. She may well have tight muscles from 'protecting' the injury.

 

[Daniel_Jack]

Speak to your vet first but personally I'd be leaving it a while til stitches are gone. That looks nasty!

 

[Amber905]

No not for at least a couple of weeks- a knock to the head that is hard enough to cause that sort of injury is bound to leave the horse feeling a considerable amount of pain and discomfort even if 'it doesn't seem to bother her. Did you ask your vet this question?[/QUOTE

Honestly, I forgot in the heat of the moment and I just wanted to get some opinions Not my regular vet I used.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Yeah ... At work we ride them the next day! So it's up to you! If it were one of my own I would give it a 3 or 4 days if I had a good reason to carry on riding. But given that I don't have time to ride my own these days they would end up with months off to go with the year and a half off they have already have!

 

[Carrottom]

It would depend on the horse's usual routine. If they were stabled and exercised every day then I would ride, probably mainly walking. Also if I was working on fitness in a specific time frame. If not I would probably give a couple of weeks off.

 

[Red-1]

Looking at that injury the question would not be about when I could ride, but about how I could make my horse the most comfortable.

I would not box rest, but then I would not chuck out in the field either, especially if with others. I think I would walk for half an hour each end of the day, in hand. I would not go faster than a walk for a fortnight, and then only if the wound itself looks OK. I may switch to riding at walk after a week.

When to turnout would depend on what turnout was available, after the wound knits together, and that would be 7-10 days on average for a stitched wound, then I would turnout if the horse looked well and it was not into a field of bullies.

Faster than walk would wait 2 weeks and be as long as the horse looked well in himself.

I have worked in a commercial environment where the horse was there to do a job, and in that case it would possibly get one day off and be back to some form of work, but my "at home" horses I want to enjoy their time with me, so they would have the time off.

 

[AmyMay]

Personally, I'd wait a minimum of a month before riding.

 

[only_me]

Personally, I'd wait a minimum of a month before riding.

same

 

[Gloi]

It looks nasty but it only seems to involve the skin. If the horse isn't being too precious about having its head touched I don't see a reason not to ride though I'd keep it gentle until the stitches were out.

 

[SpringArising]

Would you want to go for a jog after a laceration to your head and stitches after a few days?

 

[Carrottom]

Would you want to go for a jog after a laceration to your head and stitches after a few days?

Personally I would rather get outside for a walk than be stuck in my bedroom.

 

[Finlib]

Would you want to go for a jog after a laceration to your head and stitches after a few days?

I have had a couple of facial injuries and I most certainly wouldn't want to go out for a jog the footfall really reverberated and hurt like hell . .But no I didn't stay in my room a very very quite stroll was ok but I was very guarded and was conscious of guarding the injury so a stroll in hand to pick the hedgerow would be the most I would consider

 

[SpringArising]

Personally I would rather get outside for a walk than be stuck in my bedroom.

Who said anything about shutting the horse in anywhere?

You can take the horse for a walk in hand without riding them, or let them have a mooch about in a quiet field.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I think the best thing to do is ask your vet.