Possibly complications from this injury?? photo included

[18hhOlls&Me]

I have been asked to ride a novice friends horse in an XC ride; I know the horse fairly well and he is generally fit and well. I had planned to drive up to school him over jumps today but last night received a message and photo from the owner saying he had received an injury in the field but that he is perfectly sound and well to ride. She said the skin isn't broken and it's just hair scraped off- I asked her if she could feel any heat or swelling but she said no....I also asked her if she had cleaned it and she said she had with an iodine salve: she was very confident he is absolutely fine to ride today so I told her to see how he was in the morning after a night in his box. My concern is it's the lower leg where although it isn't deep there are so many tendons involved it seems risky. If he were mine I'd want to wait it out a couple of days keeping it clean and on box rest with some hand grazing just in case. But I'm possibly over cautious...to me it looks as if there could be a little swelling above although it could be the angle of the photo, again hard to say without seeing it in real life and palpating the surrounding areas. I haven't heard from her yet this morning but would be interested in what others think...here is the photo

 

[ihatework]

The scape down the cannon is superficial and wouldn’t bother me at all, other than not putting boots over it.

Difficult to tell from the photo, but I’d want a feel of the front of the hock, which looks filled.

 

[Carrottom]

If he is sound and there is no broken skin I would have no problem riding. I would try to keep the skin well moisturized to encourage hair regrowth. I probably wouldn't jump for a few days as hitting a pole might be very painful for the horse and put him off jumping.

 

[meleeka]

My guess is at the very least there’s some bruising so I wouldn’t ride today if he only did it yesterday.

 

[MissTyc]

I had one do a complete deglove slipping under a metal fence while being a prat - it was significantly more swollen than your picture and we were very concerned about tendons, etc, but amazingly it healed 100% without any complication (well, the vet did have to cut off a bit of proud flesh, but this was a full degloving) ... We used Manuka honey and some other compresses. Horse was fully sound within a few days, although not ridden for a few months in his case, but in your case I'd give it a few days just to be sure then ride.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

I wouldn’t be riding, that has to be very painful indeed. My memory fails me but there is something about the skin layers being removed that explains why a scrape can hurt so much more than a deeper cut at times. I’ve explained that really poorly but someone with a better memory than me will know I’m sure.

id be concentrating on making sure it didn’t get infected and getting it healed, giving a few days off to make sure there’s nothing else happening (swelling etc).

 

[cauda equina]

I'd cold hose a couple of times a day as sometimes heat and swelling don't appear immediately, and see how he goes

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I wouldn't jump but the horse would need to at least walk for a bit to keep the swelling down. It does just look like it's all superficial scrapes and should be absolutely fine in a day or two. The swelling will be from the initial blow/damage.

 

[Rowreach]

I wouldn't jump but the horse would need to at least walk for a bit to keep the swelling down. It does just look like it's all superficial scrapes and should be absolutely fine in a day or two. The swelling will be from the initial blow/damage.

Absolutely, needs to keep moving, not be sat in a stable. But not jumping.

 

[ycbm]

An organised ride? I wouldn't go. If the horse is genuinely sound and that is only as skin deep as it looks, I would ride, but not out on an organised ride where I couldn't stop any time I wanted to.
.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

No, I wouldn’t be comfortable taking it on a xc ride.

Poor boy, it doesn’t look serious but I doubt he’s comfortable after doing whatever he did. I’d be worried about him hitting it again or any kind of brush jumps. Mine would be hacked at home and turned out 24/7 to keep moving.

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

If he is sound and there is no broken skin I would have no problem riding. I would try to keep the skin well moisturized to encourage hair regrowth. I probably wouldn't jump for a few days as hitting a pole might be very painful for the horse and put him off jumping.

That's what I was thinking- jumping in the school for the next few days might be a bit pre emptive...thanks for reassuring that I'm not being a drama queen! The owner says she is still riding him but cleaning it each day. Personally field rest for a few days if he was mine, but he isn't!!

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

No, I wouldn’t be comfortable taking it on a xc ride.

Poor boy, it doesn’t look serious but I doubt he’s comfortable after doing whatever he did. I’d be worried about him hitting it again or any kind of brush jumps. Mine would be hacked at home and turned out 24/7 to keep moving.

I agree; the owner is now miffed off with me but I just don't feel comfortable. Even a superficial injury could be exacerbated by riding XC, protective boots or not x

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

An organised ride? I wouldn't go. If the horse is genuinely sound and that is only as soon deep as it looks, I would ride, but not out on an organised ride where I couldn't stop any time I wanted to.
.

Thanks guys- my instincts said the same but the owner was so dismissive and got quite cross when I said I wouldn't be comfortable taking him out across country.

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

I'd cold hose a couple of times a day as sometimes heat and swelling don't appear immediately, and see how he goes

I suggested cold hosing to prevent swelling but apparently he 'doesn't like the hose' (there are ways to get them used to cold hosing especially a sane horse like him) but again not my horse so can only make suggestions unfortunately x

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

I wouldn’t be riding, that has to be very painful indeed. My memory fails me but there is something about the skin layers being removed that explains why a scrape can hurt so much more than a deeper cut at times. I’ve explained that really poorly but someone with a better memory than me will know I’m sure.

id be concentrating on making sure it didn’t get infected and getting it healed, giving a few days off to make sure there’s nothing else happening (swelling etc).

I'm going to pass all this on to the owner to show it's not just me being over cautious! Thanks to all x

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

Thanks to all- consensus seems to be at least 48 hours off jumping and maintain cleaning the wound and cold hosing if the owner will persist with it. All I can do is advise her but I just don't feel comfortable taking him out on an XC ride where even if he doesn't knock it etc it could still have a negative impact on healing ....