mynutmeg
Well-Known Member
A couple of nights ago my mare came in and was lame on her hind leg.
To walk she is stiff but not limping lame, she's slightly limpy in trot but more very stiff more than anything else.
She was obvioulsy uncomfortable when stood as she was reluctant to put weight throught it - this is the first I noticed because she wouldn't let me lift her other leg to pick out her feet.
Her hind leg was on the swollen side on her second thigh. The first day I kept her in with just a little walk out and she improved, being more comfortable standing on that leg.
She went out in a small paddock on her own the next day but was worse that evening so have kept her in again today (3rd day) and she seems a little better again. The general swelling has gone down although both hind legs are pretty filled from being stood in but around the muscle on her second thigh is still swollen up. I had a feel and she flinched away from the middle of the muscle.
I'm thinking she has either been an idiot in the field and torn the muscle or she's been kicked. There's no outer mark on her leg but no-one else in that field has shoes on. There has been a lot of 'grumpiness' recently as they're a little hungry because there's not much grass and the fields are slippy so either is a possibility.
I did have a quick chat with my vet and we're going with no meds as she's almost 5 months pregnant so we're not going to use anything like bute unless she's obviously in pain and at the moment I would go with uncomfortable more than anything else.
My plan is to keep her in with only an hour or two out in the little paddock on her own tomorrow and if she copes with that a little more on sunday. If turnout makes her worse or there is no improvement by sunday evening then I'll talk to the vets again and probably have them out to her - does this sound reasonably? Any advice on helping her recover?
To walk she is stiff but not limping lame, she's slightly limpy in trot but more very stiff more than anything else.
She was obvioulsy uncomfortable when stood as she was reluctant to put weight throught it - this is the first I noticed because she wouldn't let me lift her other leg to pick out her feet.
Her hind leg was on the swollen side on her second thigh. The first day I kept her in with just a little walk out and she improved, being more comfortable standing on that leg.
She went out in a small paddock on her own the next day but was worse that evening so have kept her in again today (3rd day) and she seems a little better again. The general swelling has gone down although both hind legs are pretty filled from being stood in but around the muscle on her second thigh is still swollen up. I had a feel and she flinched away from the middle of the muscle.
I'm thinking she has either been an idiot in the field and torn the muscle or she's been kicked. There's no outer mark on her leg but no-one else in that field has shoes on. There has been a lot of 'grumpiness' recently as they're a little hungry because there's not much grass and the fields are slippy so either is a possibility.
I did have a quick chat with my vet and we're going with no meds as she's almost 5 months pregnant so we're not going to use anything like bute unless she's obviously in pain and at the moment I would go with uncomfortable more than anything else.
My plan is to keep her in with only an hour or two out in the little paddock on her own tomorrow and if she copes with that a little more on sunday. If turnout makes her worse or there is no improvement by sunday evening then I'll talk to the vets again and probably have them out to her - does this sound reasonably? Any advice on helping her recover?
