Proud flesh

[AutumnBoy]

Hello everyone,
I’m new to the forum and horse ownership, although I’ve ridden for many more years than I’d admit to?.
I’ve jumped in at the deep end and now have an 8 year old thoroughbred 16.2 ex racer since the end of June.
Unfortunately he suffered an unknown-cause accident in the field 10 days ago resulting in a nasty carpal wound with associated lacerations. He’s spent just over a week in clinic and has been home on box rest since 5th Nov.
I’ve changed his dressings twice and today noticed proud flesh has formed. I sent relevant photos to the vet today (a follow up visit is booked anyway next week), but because his back legs had filled up, I’ve walked him round the yard for a strictly timed 5 minutes twice a day. It’s sorted out the back legs - BUT - now I’m going through horrible worries that I might have caused the proud flesh by my actions!
Thank you all for your patience in wading through the above saga but at the moment I’m mortified…

 

[Red-1]

A walk round won't have caused it, proud flesh just sometimes happens.

I wouldn't worry, the vet will be able to resolve the issue as far as soundness and comfort goes. It will likely leave a scar, but hopefully he wasn't a pure show horse?

 

[AutumnBoy]

Hello Red-1,
Thank you so much for your reassurance. My lad retired from racing in 2020, and I’ve got a good amount of background on him and his racing career though he had been pin fired (???) around the age of 5 or 6! Honestly, I thought that practice had been stopped in the Victorian age! So no, in that sense he isn’t a ‘show horse’. He’s just a lovely kind ‘people’ horse and I’m very lucky to have found him.

 

[[139672]]

Had proud flesh develop on an ex-racer’s hind leg , front of the cannon bone. I think it was just bad luck where the cut was, a strip of skin had been ripped off. The vet had to slice the granular tissue off with a scalpel and then bandaged for about a week I think. No scar but was surprised. He was a chestnut and we were expecting the hair to grow but white or partly white

 

[ycbm]

The vet will sort it, don't worry, it's extremely common.
.

 

[AdorableAlice]

The vet will sort it, don't worry, it's extremely common.
.

Remember using copper sulfate years ago ?

 

[ycbm]

Remember using copper sulfate years ago ?

What do you mean years ago? ?

Experienced owners still use copper sulphate and sort it for themselves.
.

 

[[153312]]

Can't Manuka honey be used on proud flesh, or am I thinking of something else?

 

[HashRouge]

Don't worry OP, you won't have caused it and the vet can remove the proud flesh easily. My mare had a horrendous knee injury years back that resulted in a lot of proud flesh, and the vet would periodically come out and slice it all off and I had a blue cream to put on, which I assume was some sort of copper sulphate thing. It did scar, but not as badly as you'd expect given the size of the original injury and the amount of proud flesh.

 

[AdorableAlice]

What do you mean years ago? ?

Experienced owners still use copper sulphate and sort it for themselves.
.

I haven't used it for years, but then again and touch wood, I've not had an injury either. Mains electric stops the pratting around over fencing at one another. The last injury it was used on was back in 2004 following an hind leg arguing with a piece of tin. It worked a treat, just a tiny mark left and the horse went to HOY's with a bit of brown felt tip pen pencilled over the mark.

 

[AutumnBoy]

All your experiences are most useful, and put my worries in perspective. Many thanks to you all.

 

[ester]

Can't Manuka honey be used on proud flesh, or am I thinking of something else?

kind of the other way round, manuka encourages granulation tissue but if it is then used too long it can generate a proud flesh problem

 

[Barbie89]

Can you give honey to horses? I know honey is a natural product and is rich in vitamins and minerals, so it can be beneficial for horses. I give my dog honey from Amazon and she is been loving it.