Hunting Injuries

[Always_A_Moody_Mare]

Hi Everyone,
I am currently writing a EPQ on hunting injuries, specifically leg injuries. I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to PM me if their horse had sustained any substantial injuries during hunting that I would be able to use as a case study in my report.

I have already got one of my own case studies on tendon damage, but any other injuries welcome! The more complex the better.

If you are willing to answer a few questions on the injury, treatment and have photos that would be much appreciated!

Thank you

 

[Always_A_Moody_Mare]

Anyone?

It would be really helpful!

Thanks x

 

[tootsietoo]

You could possibly try ringing some hunt kennels or livery yards that do hunt staff horses - I've heard of lots of injuries to hunt staff horses this season, I guess because of the terrible ground and the fact they have to keep going to do their jobs.

 

[Always_A_Moody_Mare]

That's a good idea, thanks I might do that Somebody has very kindly give me a case study, if there is anyone else please PM me.

Thanks!

 

[Happy Hunter]

no photos im afraid - and horse is now long gone.

Few years ago my mare sustained a horrificly deep wound to the outside front bulb of hoof.
I hindsight probably should have been a horse hospital / stiches job - but my god you were lucky to get near it to get bandages and vet wrap on it - once this was over I never ever picked up that foot again!

took 2/3 months to close properly - We were SO very lucky to avoid infection - Frozen ground probably helped there - she was on box rest for a week.

Never got back to 'normal size' the scarring was horrific.
Went on to do another very quiet 5 or so days next season - then retirement through my University absence and COPD.

She had never over reached before - and I believe that it was an injury sustained from another horse getting too close whilst cantering down a narrow track. - I know when it happened as we were homeward bound 2mins later!

Sorry no photos - hope it helps a bit

 

[Always_A_Moody_Mare]

Thank you very much! Its really appreciated

 

[JenHunt]

Again, no photos, but a few years ago my horse over reached into his near fore, not only removing the shoe but cutting a 3 inch gash into his heel. It was about an inch deep and had triangular shape to it.

unfortunately we had about 2 miles to hack home before we could treat it. Miraculously he was never lame.

On returning home we washed out the wound, and on phone advice from the vet bound it tightly with animalintex and vetrap, to encourage the wound to bond back together.

He had 2 weeks box rest with regular dressing changes, then a week turnout with it still covered. He stayed sound and the wound healed really really well. His heel is still, years later, a bit of an odd shape, but my Farrier says it's not affecting his movement, or during

 

[JenHunt]

Stupid phone....

Last word should have been shoeing...

And there's no scar to speak of.

We prevented it happening again by altering how we've shod him, and his schooling has improved so he's better balanced and more on his hocks.

 

[Always_A_Moody_Mare]

Thank you! these are all great

 

[PoniesRock]

My pony got lymphgitis after hunting. Ovbs not half as damaging as tendon or deep cut damge though.

 

[maxine1985]

Mare I had on loan, was a whips horse previously, put a leg down a rabbit hole with him, somersalted landed badly and fractured her pelvis (confirmed by bone scan-was not mega lame but real drop through her hip)

Was off for a year but returned to full work and I evented her up to Pre Novice, she was PTS 2 yrs ago aged 17 unrelated to pelvis though

 

[Maesfen]

No pics sadly but it happened this year.

Good going, big hedges and horse overjumped a smaller one; cut straight into his tendon. He was rushed to Leahurst but nothing could be done to save him so he was taken to the kennels and put down. From injury to put down was less than 4 hours. Because he was owned by a vet and it was done on a Saturday, his insurance did not want to know so he had to check with the kennels that they still had the horse, have the leg from knee down removed, collect it and take it up to Leahurst where he had to get another vet to PM it. Can you imagine how traumatic that would have been if he hadn't been a vet? It was bad enough losing his horse of his lifetime (the one with a blaze in my avatar) without having to go through that as well.

 

[Hunters]

We didn't have too many incidents whilst I was a master, but one does come to mind.

After jumping a series of hedges on a Saturday it grew dark, we headed back to the boxes and loaded the horses. We had had a field of over 100 horses and some people were enjoying a cup of tea & chatting about the day. Whilst this was going on, a riderless horse was lead into the yard, the horse had gone seriously lame & was seriously unhappy.

The horse (it was not local) was taken to my joint masters home & a vet called. The vet found a puncture wound, it was a black thorn.

The horse was at collapsing point & admitted to the vets straightaway for treatment.

The horse recovered enough to go home, but was never ridden or hunted again.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Hunting a few years ago, we were jumping some rails off the road. Person in front of me had banged top rail (was nailed in both ends and in the middle with nail points facing us) and it had come away in the middle.

My horse jumped it and somehow managed to get a puncture wound from the exposed nail straight into his knee.

Thought he'd just banged rail so we carried on but he suddenly went lame and then got lamer and lamer.

Took him straight to vets where he had to have joint flushed and horspital stay at Oakham for a week. Quite an expensive job that was!!

Horse this year (not mine) jumped a hedge and staked behind his elbow on a post that was in the hedge. Another one trod on a branch which flicked up and caused a large haematoma in his boy bits region. Very lucky not to hit the artery.

There are tons and tons I can think of!!

 

[Hunters]

Just remembered another one, horse got excited & ran backwards. It cut it's leg on a Flint. The rider took it back to the lorry, washed it's leg & waited.

A few days later, with no improvement a vet was called. The horse was admitted to a well known vets as it had suffered a lack of / leak of synovial fluid & died on the operating table. Very sad, but could have happened anywhere