potty TB has a splint, could do with some advice please.

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

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Pretty much as above. Silly boy has been clowning around in the field with a youngster and has gone and formed a splint on his fromt leg! YO and I have watched him on the lunge on both reins and he's deffo not lame but there is a little heat. YO is very experienced and quite old school and she thinks that with cold hosing and just riding him at walk for a bit he should be fine. Apparently when her horse developed a splint she just ignored it and carried on as normal. I've given him 2 days off work and just turned him out with a quieter friend and also been cold hosing 25 mins 2 X a day. I was going to ride him out for a short quiet hack tomorrow just to stop him from becomming too fed up but I'm really interested in other peoples experiences with splints to get an idea that I'm doing the right things.
 
As long as he is not lame you can continue to give him light work and cold hosing until the splint settles and goes cold and hard (new bone has formed), you will never get rid of the lump that forms but it shouldn't cause anymore problems as long as your horse is not still a developing youngster.
They usually form due to either, a direct blow e.g. kick, concussion from riding on firm/uneven ground or over-working e.g. tired or unfit horses hunting for too long.
It sounds like if you follow your YO advice your horse should be fine in a couple of weeks.
 
I've been of the opinion that until the splint has finished forming, the horse should not be exercised as it may increase the size of the splint and prolong its formation. May be a good idea to phone the vet and get advice over the phone which won't cost you anything
 
Thanks for your input, I'm kind of stuck half way between both of your replies. Boy in question is never ridden fast on hard ground since being with me, we only ever walk and trot out on hacks and he's schooled never more than once or twice a week. That said though I can't stop a six year old TB hooning around in his field if he feels like it! I'm going to carry on as I am I think till after the weekend when I have the Farrier coming out and I think I'll ask his advice and then maybe call the vet If it's no cooler by then.
 
mine had a splint at same time as diagnosed with bone spavins so as i was riding her in walk to help bones fuse in hocks - she was on bute and i was told to carry on riding and not worry about splint - you wouldnt tell now she had ever had one
 
Forget about cold hosing. Buy some polystyrene cups (the white kind) and fill with water and freeze. When frozen apply the open end of the cup to the injury ensuring you move it around the injury to prevent freezeburn. As the ice melts peel the cup away from the frozen water. Apply for 15/20 minutes. This is 100 times better than water and most people cold hose incorrectly anyway and blast a jet of water on the injury. It shoudl be a very slow trickle and unless the water is ice cold it really does very little to help compared to an ice cup.
 
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