Is this a splint?

holeymoley

holeymoley

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My older gelding has been a generally easy keeper all his life. While others on the yard have came up with splints, I’ve never dealt with them first hand.

He is quite stiff in the mornings(see cartrophen post, about to be treated next week) but this morning I thought he looked worse and I’m sure I seen a bit of a head bob at one point but I put it down to being a very cold morning. I brought him in tonight and decided to have a thorough feel over his joints to see if I could feel anything untoward. Very slightly below his knee at the inside he has a hard lump. It’s too low to be part of the knee bones, yet not big enough to physically see with the eye unless you really looked up close. He is completely sound in the arena in walk in both reins and straight line, looks okay in trot on the right rein, but on the left rein in trot will have the odd head bob when the left fore lands(this is the leg with suspected splint). He’s quite a stoic chap and is standing square in front in the stable, certainly looks perky in himself. I can’t decide if there’s heat in it, if there is it’s only very slightly warmer. What’s the general treatment for this? Bandage for support, box rest, cold hose? Vet is due out next week for arthritis treatment.
 
holeymoley said:
My older gelding has been a generally easy keeper all his life. While others on the yard have came up with splints, I’ve never dealt with them first hand.

Bandage for support, box rest, cold hose? Vet is due out next week for arthritis treatment.
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I've also never dealt with one myself but this was the advice my friend got, minus the bandages. It was all cold therapy, cold hose, ice boots etc so I think bandages would heat it too much. Also Splintex was recommended but I don't think she ever got her hands on the right one so can't say if it works or not!
 
close to the knee it could be a bony arthritic growth or it could be a spilt although spilts are usually seen in young horses
I would not bandage hosing might help but unless he goes drastically lamer he’s will be ok to wait till the visit you have booked.
 
From what you describe a splint is a possibility. Generally rest and cold therapy will settle them.

Silly question but have you had a good feel on both sides, if the lump is tiny it’s possible you are just feeling the splint bone, rather than anything additional!

Personally, with a touch of lameness but the vet due out next week, unless anything worsens, I’d turn out but not ride. Then evaluate just prior to vet and get them to check while they are out anyway
 
ihatework said:
From what you describe a splint is a possibility. Generally rest and cold therapy will settle them.

Silly question but have you had a good feel on both sides, if the lump is tiny it’s possible you are just feeling the splint bone, rather than anything additional!

Personally, with a touch of lameness but the vet due out next week, unless anything worsens, I’d turn out but not ride. Then evaluate just prior to vet and get them to check while they are out anyway
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Thank you, I felt the other leg and there was nothing there in the same place. I also felt my youngster’s leg incase I was going nuts(!) but he didn’t have anything there either. I think it must be a small splint. How long he’s had it is anyone’s guess. We had a very wet day last week so he stayed in and then he and youngster had a play in the arena afterwards. There was also a new horse introduced last week too so maybe there was some activity however he does tend to keep out the way.

I’ve turned him out today, it’s not going above 2c here and ground quite hard so we’ll see what he’s like when he comes in.
 
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