Popped a splint!

cblover

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My darling horse has gone and got a splint on the inside on her near fore around her fetlock. Well I think it's a splint.....she was let out this afternoon after being in her stable fir 4 hours this morning and was feeling good with herself so started playing and hooning around a bit.

One slip too many and I have a limpy, rather subdued horse with a 'mam look after me' look on her face. Running my hand down both front legs to compare with each other, I've found a hard large pea size lump near her fetlock. She's moving around and eating but isn't sound. I've pressed the lump with no reaction from her. I'll be ringing the vet on Monday, but do you think it's a splint from what I've said?

Think I'll need advice on best splint boots too.
 
Sounds pretty low for a splint?

Agreed. Is the lump hard or soft? How old is she?

It would be unusual to get a splint the field, although mine has a small Hind splint from the field but that was caused by a kick from the donkey. He was never lame.

Why splint boots? Brushing boots are fine :)
 
Doesn't sound like a splint to me,
Splints don't normally occur that low, they are also normally hot to touch when they first pop up and not massively hard.
My lad threw a juvenile splint when first broken in but time and some cold hoseing made it go away.
 
Too low down for a splint. Splint bones end around halfway down the cannon bone, the bumps are caused by damage to the ligaments that hold them. They usually start out hot and softish, then harden up and cool down. Once they've 'set', the horse normally comes sound.

Sounds almost like a foreign body. Any sign of a cut in the area?
 
Thanks for that. She's 3 years old and the lump is hard.

I'll see how she is this morning and get the vet if I need to.
 
I thought my mare had splints, same area as you describe but vet said they are splint buttons - just normal anatomy, just more pronounced in some horses.
 
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