Legs swelling

[Tara123]

Hey, in an ideal world we'd all have our horses out in nice stable herds for hours and hours a day in lovely fields with perfect post and rail fencing, impeccable drainage and we'd have total control of how the fields were managed so they would be rotated, rested and so forth. Unfortunately I don't know any yards like that round me, no matter how much you're prepared to pay!

You are clearly trying to do the best you can, and if I understand you correctly your horse is getting 2 hours' daily turnout in a pen plus your YO has agreed to put him on the walker for several short spells throughout the rest of the day? And he's being ridden 3-4 times a week? That's better than very many horses manage, and I think some of the comments on here have been a bit, shall I say, blunt?

If he's still getting filled legs with the extra time on the walker, I would agree with Goldenstar about seeing if you can pay someone to hack him out for you two or three days a week on the days you can't ride.

I am on the outskirts of London where there are lots of horses and not much land, so winter for us is about making the best of what turnout we can manage when the fields aren't dangerous, trying to ride as much as possible and although I am not the biggest fan of the horse walker, they are certainly incredibly useful in these circumstances. It's not ideal, and it can be really hard work making sure your horse's needs are met in the depths of the winter, but the worst months don't last forever.

Hope you are able to find a solution that works for you and your horse x

Hi yes he will be allowed 2 hours a day out in a small paddock approx 60x80.. I was going to split it so he has a change of scene twice a day. I've never used one so I'm optimistic but at least it's some time to stretch his legs when I'm at work yes I agree some people either have to much time on their hands or have the perfect yard my yards meets all needs bar the turn out, and it's not like he won't get out what so ever, some women on the yard keeps her show hunter in all winter from October until march with only 1 hour ride a day, :9 I thought 2 hours plus 3 slots on the walker would be more than enoug xx

 

[alainax]

are you in the uk op?

 

[only_me]

If owner has racehorses I imagine they hack out or he has stable girls to ride them out - could you ask one of them to hack your horse a couple of times a week? could he even go out on their hacks as a ride & lead?

theres not much else you can do, what about if you lunge for 20mins if you can't ride or ask the grooms to lunge?
Is there a small sectioned off area in the yard (like a mini yard) that he could go out into during the day for a walk around?

 

[GirlFriday]

Or you could sell to someone with the time/funds for the flipping expensive pet a horse is.

Honestly OP, I have family and a job and /don't/ own a horse becasue I'm simply not in the financial circs to support one happily.

Your circs have changed (congrats!). You don't have the time/funds/location to exercise your horse even enough to support basic health any more. Time to move on?

 

[Lulup]

Jeez there are some flipping judgemental little Hitler's on here!! My horses live in all winter and I rent my own yard but the ground conditions (heavy clay) do not allow all year turnout - end of. Many, many yards are the same and shock horror lots of horses survive (thrive even) without standing knee deep in mud for hours everyday which is what some of you choose to do with yours. Mine are worked most days and get turned out in the manège the opposite end of the day when fields are unusable - they are healthy/happy. I cringe when I see miserable looking horses standing at their gates in knee deep mud begging to be brought in - everyone has different standards, facilities, and of course horses - my welsh mountain ponies will happily stay out whatever the weather - my TB and sport horses absolutely will not tolerate it. My TB lived out for a few weeks in September and even got rainscald on her eyelids for goodness sake! We have to manage things accordingly. Live and let live!!

OP - Any professional or decent level instructor you speak to is likely to confirm that what you are doing is sufficient and more than some. A lot of horses live in all winter with an hour of exercise once a day so yours is already better off than that. Banadage hind legs at night - utilise the turnout pen + walker and ride as often as you can. Don't feel guilty just because you are not able to keep people happy on here - there is a very strong leaning towards all day turnout on here and some unrealistic ideals. Many numpties in big crappy DIY yards leave their horses in for weeks on end without a thought - you are thoughtful and considerate of your horses welfare and are doing your best x

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

My horses also live in in winter, but their legs aren't swelling because of it. That's the difference . It's not about comparing the management of OP's horse to other peoples management of theirs. It's the fact her horse isn't coping, in terms of it's health, with the best regime she is able to provide. It's not a personal attack or judgemental to state the facts, which are that the OP is not currently in a position to look after this horse properly.

OP on the days you have the baby with you could you lunge the horse to get it some more exercise that way? Even 10min might make a difference to the swelling depending on how bad it is.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Or you could sell to someone with the time/funds for the flipping expensive pet a horse is.

Honestly OP, I have family and a job and /don't/ own a horse becasue I'm simply not in the financial circs to support one happily.

Your circs have changed (congrats!). You don't have the time/funds/location to exercise your horse even enough to support basic health any more. Time to move on?

No where does the op suggest she doesn't have the money.

OP your horse will be fine, especially if he's getting on the walker a few times a day too. If you can get someone to hack him out with the other horses in the yard, fabulous! If not, don't stress! Horses don't care if they are ridden or not for the most part.

Personally I would put stable bandages on just before you leave in the evening once his legs are down from his evening play Time and take them off again first thing in the morning when you are up. It will keep the worst oftl the swelling away.

I'd look into his diet as some horses react to things in their feeds. One of mine can't have biotin as his back legs blow up like balloons in 24hours - it took me 3 days to figure out exactly what the cause was and took another 4 days for the legs to return to normal after I took him off of it!

If only we could all have the perfect yard life would be bliss! Alas that is not possible and your horses getting out multiple times a day is far better than not getting out at all!

 

[Lulup]

My horses also live in in winter, but their legs aren't swelling because of it. That's the difference . It's not about comparing the management of OP's horse to other peoples management of theirs. It's the fact her horse isn't coping, in terms of it's health, with the best regime she is able to provide. It's not a personal attack or judgemental to state the facts, which are that the OP is not currently in a position to look after this horse properly.

OP on the days you have the baby with you could you lunge the horse to get it some more exercise that way? Even 10min might make a difference to the swelling depending on how bad it is.

There are one or two comments which are very much personal attacks - one suggesting that OP should sell because she is not providing adequate care. Filled legs is very common in horses living in, especially the more mature variety. The filling is not harmful in itself - just fluid not being effectively dispersed - usually resolved with bandaging or magnetic boots etc x

 

[TandD]

I would love to know where you all are that can provide a long days turnout in winter!?! Round here we are all happy with 1/2 a day max! How harsh of some of you to suggest selling due to the fact the horse gets less turnout for 2 months of the year! Due to circumstances beyond my control I've had horses in for 22/23 hours a day for months over winter. Was not what I wanted but I did the best with the circumstances I had. Make and do!

To the op: feed low protein feed, I've found protein can make legs swell.
Feed hay, haylage can also cause swelling
Bandaged are ok, possible for day wear. I've found building up magnetic boots for 12 hour use work well over night.
And use all the exercise/turnout you can. A quick 10min spin on the lunge in a headcollar will help bring down the swelling on the nights you can't ride.

 

[huskydamage]

I have this issue with my horse so I simply never shut her in. I only go to yards that offer all year round 24/7 turnout. I do have to compromise on other things to get this, but I am more than happy to do it so my horse isnt shut in a stable for hours, with swollen legs.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

A random thought - if your horse is quiet, bombproof and ignores horses messing about around him you could offer his services as a lead round the roads for the racehorses?!? Or as a lead to breakers?! At the least it would get him out and about at the most you may get a discount on livery if he is helping them out?!

 

[GirlFriday]

Circumstances for the horse need to be /in/ your control to provide a good home.

Re: money - OP has a young child and a job even though she has an OH in the forces and doesn't seem to be in a position to pay for a yard with turnout/someone to exercise. She clearly cares for the horse so I assumed that was lack of funds rather than 'don't give a stuff'ness.

 

[GirlFriday]

Filled legs is very common in horses living in, especially the more mature variety. The filling is not harmful in itself - just fluid not being effectively dispersed - usually resolved with bandaging or magnetic boots etc x

Or resolved by turning out a social grazing animal that is designed to live in fields/plains not a 14' square box.

It isn't personal to the OP who I don't know from Adam. It is a simple fact that her horse is not suited to the care she is able to provide in her circumstances.

 

[Lulup]

Circumstances for the horse need to be /in/ your control to provide a good home.

Re: money - OP has a young child and a job even though she has an OH in the forces and doesn't seem to be in a position to pay for a yard with turnout/someone to exercise. She clearly cares for the horse so I assumed that was lack of funds rather than 'don't give a stuff'ness.

Turnout pen everyday plus walker plus ridden 4 times a week is really not a welfare concern.

 

[GirlFriday]

There are many competition horses (for example) who are clearly not "welfare concerns" in the legal sense but who lead pretty miserable lives.

Prisoners fare better...

 

[Goldenstar]

There are many competition horses (for example) who are clearly not "welfare concerns" in the legal sense but who lead pretty miserable lives.

Prisoners fare better...

You are expressing an opinion not a fact .

 

[Goldenstar]

Turnout pen everyday plus walker plus ridden 4 times a week is really not a welfare concern.

It really really is not a welfare issue .
The issue is short term in a jiffy it will be spring .
I have just had a horse for five weeks in a eight feet by six feet space it never left it except to go to the stable next door for ten minutes a day .
It coped fine ( it was in plaster) and that was a horse that was never stabled .
Of course if would be best if the turnout was open all year but it's not and that's that however I would be paying someone to ride on the days I could not if the horse was mine .

 

[AmyMay]

I would love to know where you all are that can provide a long days turnout in winter!?!

Well for me, it's West Wales, and prior to that South Wales.

I have, however, never been on a yard where horses are knee deep in mud, thankfully.

 

[TandD]

Circumstances for the horse need to be /in/ your control to provide a good home.

You manage to provide textbook care for your horse 100% of the time?
Those of us who love and care do our very best with what we have. Sometimes circumstances can not be in our control e.g. a very wet winter or living in an area where it gets very wet (perhaps an area so big there's no chance of moving out of it) I don't know why the op is being slated for trying to care the best she can for her horse.

My horses get 6/7 hours turnout in a small dry area with hay, plus an hours hack/school 5/6 days a week. Do you suggest I sell as I cant provide the 'ideal' life style.

 

[indie1282]

Well for me, it's West Wales, and prior to that South Wales.

I have, however, never been on a yard where horses are knee deep in mud, thankfully.

Cornwall. Can turn out 24/7 all year if we want although to save the field turn out from 7 - 7 in winter. Every day.

 

[jumping.jack_flash]

I just read this thread . . I do feel sorry for people that are in this situation over the winter months. On my last DIY yard, we were on 'lock down' for 13 weeks with all that wet bad weather. I thought I was going to go mad! . . I got up even earlier than normal (4.30am) just so I could turn out in the indoor school . . I and others employed a 'lunch times groom to turn the horses out in groups of 2 into the indoor school, while the stables were poop picked, this allowed those that were in the 'field herd' to touch each other and groom if they wanted. In the evenings after work . .tried to ride, lunge it free school. 35 horses on the diy, and yet it was us owners that were wound up . . The horses resigned themselves to it . .but . . . We worried about the horses legs filling, getting stiff standing in their boxes . . But it was a case of 'waiting' it out. However, I must admit, if I was on a yard with lock down from x month to x month, I would move! . . . So where was I going . . Oh yes! . . Could some of you hire a groom to help? And turn the horses out in the school in pairs at lunchtime? . . . . I do wish you good luck though!

 

[googol]

Thank goodness for some reality checks on here
I'm another who can't provide turnout for my horse at the minute. I feel so so guilty about it, but in no way do I think he would be better off sold, and he is certainly not miserable. It's not ok to make someone who cares enough about her horse to come on asking for help, feel guilty about the care she is providing, she clearly knows that horses "ideally" would have more turnout, which is what she's trying to achieve already

 

[Equi]

Op you've coped well with some of the notorious hho day dreamers who clearly have perfect horses and perfect yards and perfect lives.

I hope your horses legs cope a bit better with the bandages and extra walker time. I always gripe about my winter yard which is a small turnout paddock he gets bullied in but we just have to cope until spring don't we. Not everyone can have 24/7 fields of lush grass

 

[emmad96]

Come to New Zealand... In winter it's not uncommon to get a good three solid weeks of rain, and yet my horse has never been in mud deeper than above her hoof, and I honestly do not know anyone who keeps their horses in for longer than maybe overnight. You gotta do what you gotta do, but I am very glad that I live here!

 

[chestnut cob]

I'm another who also doesn't think it's a welfare issue, although it certainly isn't ideal. At my yard most of the horses have been in 24/7 for the last couple of weeks or so, although they're each going out for a leg stretch in the one paddock the YO has sacrificed (which is now a mud bath) and a run around in the arena, plus they are all in full work. Mine is little and quiet, so YO has thankfully been happy for him to go out 8am to 2pm, then worked in the evening.

We all do the best we can at this time of year. I've been on yards with morning-only TO in the worst of the winter. At my last yard, they were out all day on huge paddocks (14+ acres for 4 horses), grass up to their knees even in January, yet when they weather was bad they created hell wanting to come in by lunch time, even with haylage out in the field too. I've also been on a yard which stopped all TO between Sept and April, so didn't stay there long! My current yard is on sandy soil which tends to be v dry but even that is wet, soggy and muddy now so I dread to think what yards with clay soil are like now.

OP - can you pay the racehorse people to hack out/ ride & lead your horse from theirs when they hack? Or advertise for a sharer? When mine was stuck in, I had a uni student hack him out 2-3x a week in the afternoons to get him out of his stable and I could only ride at weekends for a time. She didn't pay me because she was doing me a massive favour by exercising him.

 

[ohmissbrittany]

If someone kept a dog in a crate big enough to turn around in for 22 hours a day... would you call them a good pet owner?

 

[Goldenstar]

No ones saying it's ideal it's short term and the horse is out the stable daily .
There simply is no choice for lots of people although I would not stay in this situation without the horse being ridden daily .
What would those of you saying this is unacceptable do if your horse was injured ?

 

[007Equestrian]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned, didn't have time to read all replies. However not every horse gets turnout, I know plenty that are stabled 24/7 apart from being exercised daily. It's not what I would prefer but if top competition riders are doing it for their horses all year is it the worst for 3 months or however long this situation will continue for? Like I said, I prefer mine out all day and in at night but that's not always possible.

Regarding swelling, I know some people who swear by the magnetic 'bracelets' you can get to put around horses' fetlocks.