Legs swelling

Tara123

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Hi everyone, I have reverently moved yard whrre from January-march the horses must be kept in 24 hours with 2 hours each day out in turnout area or on horse walker! You can choose, problem I have is my horses legs swell terribly( vet has said it's just his legs ect nothing going on) he's bedded on thick rubber matting and deep bed of wood pellets... he will prob have an hour out at 6am whilst I muck out and an hour out at 5pm when I go back up problem is the in between and the nights... is it possible to put boots on them for long periods of time ? I've never bothered because within half hour of being out his legs are back down to normal. Any advice greatly appreciated- I don't want to encourage box walking(he's good at that anyway) he has a salt lick and a floor lick( sugar contect to high in lickits) will be hanging a sweed up in stable and things like that so not worried about him being bored just his legs ! Xx
 

SpringArising

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That's way too long to be cooped up especially if he's prone to swelling. Also, two hours on the walker? Poor horse sounds like he's going to be bored senseless the coming months!
 

Tara123

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Of course I ride him but as I work full time and have a house to run sometimes I haven't got the time to ride... I manage to ride about 3-4 times a week and that's the most I can do! If I didn't have to work I'd ride everyday for hours 😂
 

Tara123

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No. 2 hours a day turn out and you get one slot on the walker a day as there are so many horses using it and obviously his racehorses have priority
 

Sugar_and_Spice

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Poor horse ? It's far from poor horse he's well looked after ��

That's a matter of opinion, if you're not riding daily lots would say he's not well looked after. If you can only manage 3-4 rides per week a different yard that allows more turnout would be better. It's no good saying you're doing all you can, if your best isn't good enough to meet the horses needs.
 

helenchat

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We have a 22 year old who has swelling in his hind legs. In the winter he is out from 8.30-4.30, and ridden 4/5 times a week (1hr hacking or 40 mins schooling, competing once a week elementary dressage/ 90 sj ).
Tried feeding a no-fill supplement but didn't really make much difference. Found turnout and regular exercise to be most effective, combined with bandaging his legs with gamgee every night. Is there anyway you can get anymore turnout ?
 

AmyMay

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Your horses legs are swelling because he's not getting adequate exercise (be it turn out or ridden). If you're not able to turn him out you need to ride him. If you can't do that you need to move to a yard which provides at least four hours turn out a day.

He may be well looked after, but his body is saying otherwise (and his mind will too, shortly).
 
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MDB

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Sorry Tara123. I have to agree with the general consensus. Your horse is not getting enough movement. Personally I could never find it acceptable to stable a horse for 22 hours a day. I wouldn't tie up or confine my dog for that long. Or my cats. If the yard was unable to offer more turnout I would see no option but to move yards. I feel really quite sorry to think of horses stabled for that long each day. :(
 

Tara123

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I can not moveyards.. it is impossible for me to ride more than I am,I wish I could but with a baby and a military hub life is very hard.. i was only asking people for oppinions on bandages ect...many horses are kept in, I wish he had access to turn out all year, that is what I'm used to, I've spoken to owner he has said... 1 hour in morning, 3x15 mins on walker(that he will sort out as he understands my situation) 1 hour in afternoon... I have no baby sitter and Hub often works a weekend(not every weekend by some) and he gets home about 6pm... so I have to ride in school at 6pm as it's flood lit
 

MDB

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Sounds like you have many balls in the air right now. Maybe trying to meet your horse's needs is juggling one too many things for you right now. I hope you manage to find a solution. Best of luck
 

Tara123

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Because I do not have a car( he takes it to work so walk up in the morning before work) -'d then wait till he comes home until I go up... can't do nothing right in the horse world... god I miss my home town !
 

pinkypug1

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I'm in a similar situation with 2 young kids, full time work and 2 horses. One is out 24/7 as she is semi retired and one is stabled end Nov-march. She gets 4 days per week 4 hours turnout & 3 days 2 hours. I ride after work/weekends 4 days and she gets walker or loose schooled/lunged the other evenings. She is settled when stabled and luckily doesn't get filled legs. I have the option to keep her out but it suits me to have her in to ride/compete as if she was out she wouldn't be ridden as winter fields are a long dark walk away. Winter is tough and moving yards isn't always an option for most so just enjoy your horse make him as comfortable and keep him as simulated as possible and make the most of the gloomy winter months... spring will be here soon :)
 

Goldenstar

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All those giving OP a hard time would do to remember this horse is getting on a walker and in a pen twice a day and exercise .
It's much better off than many who are in DIY yards and never leaving their stables during the week .
There is simply not enough land in equine buisness use for there to be enough livery with year round turnout .
In OP's case I would be looking for a freelance to hack the horse out three days a week on top of its normal work .
 

Tara123

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Could you get a sharer to ride a couple more times a week?
I would love to as it would help everyone out however I've only lived here for 5 months and I haven't exactly made any friends only my yard owner who is offering to put him on the walker for me, no one else on the yard is that worried ... I've never been in the situation where I can't turn him out and the comments I have been reviving are so harsh, I've had my horse for 10 years, I ty my best with him and the situation and the horse world still thrives of slating people... thank you to those who have offered advice, means a lot thanks 🙏
 

Firefly9410

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Most people get a sharer through advertising for one. Usually people already on the yard will not be looking for a horse to share. You could try Preloved website for a sharer or local Facebook groups.
 

fishy

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My mares legs used to swell in winter. We have very restricted winter turnout too. I used stable bandages at night and magnetic boots during the day. In an ideal world more turnout would be fantastic but it's not an ideal world. It's also not always possible to get someone else to ride for you (and to be honest I wouldn't want someone else riding mine). There are some supplements that I believe you can add to their feed (I haven't tried them) as I believe the swelling is something to do with the lymphatic system and these help support it. Keep going it will soon be spring xx
 

Goldenstar

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My mares legs used to swell in winter. We have very restricted winter turnout too. I used stable bandages at night and magnetic boots during the day. In an ideal world more turnout would be fantastic but it's not an ideal world. It's also not always possible to get someone else to ride for you (and to be honest I wouldn't want someone else riding mine). There are some supplements that I believe you can add to their feed (I haven't tried them) as I believe the swelling is something to do with the lymphatic system and these help support it. Keep going it will soon be spring xx

Unless my horse was dangerous I would choose sufficient exercise over my dislike of having strangers ride my horse .
If I was in OP's shoes I would pay a professional rather than have a sharer .
 

Micropony

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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
 
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