Nose bleeds after riding

[_Rach_]

Hi

i rode mills last night and she was fine her normal self, we had a slightly out of control 'canter' ( with a happy mouth snaffle opps) and when i got back to the yard she was rubbing her leg quite hard, and she picked her head up, her nose was running form on nostril, it was like white snot, but was a little bit pink!!, i washed it and did her stable and by the time i had done that it had stopped, she ate her tea as normall, and didnt seem at all bothered, i told my mum when i got home, she didnt seem bothered by it, i personally think its from rubbing her leg to hard. but i would just like your opinions, has it happened to anybody else?

Thanks
Rx

 

[RachelB]

If it's only a little bit from one nostril, don't panic she's probably fine. It's big bleeders and/or those who bleed out of both nostrils that are usually the ones in worse trouble (both nostrils indicates bleeding from the lungs, one indicates bleeding from the upper airways).
My horse used to bleed a little from random things - sometimes work, sometimes she'd bang her head, sometimes she'd cough too hard, sometimes there'd be no reason for it at all. She bled from one nostril first, and then after a few months it switched to the other one. I had her endoscoped down both nostrils and nothing was found. In the end the vet advised me to treat her like she had RAO (dampened hay, feeding from the ground, lots of ventilation in the stable, lots of turnout) and it seemed to curb the bleeding. She's not been in hard work since then though so I can't tell if it would have stopped completely!
If I were you I would keep a close eye on her. Check outside her stable door every time you are up there in case there are spots of blood. It's likely that she's just burst a minor blood vessel and it will clear up. I was advised to do light work for a week or two after every bleeding episode as well, which let the blood vessel heal over enough to withstand cantering and jumping again.
Keep a record of it all and if you are in any doubt, give your vet a call!

 

[_Rach_]

thanks, shes on wet hay etc, so hopefully she will be k :d
x