Recovery time for splints anyone?

Birker2020

Birker2020

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Hi. My horse has a splint on his n/s fore half way up his leg. The vet palpated it and he nearly shot through the roof. He has advised me to ice it twice a day and apply exercise bandages before riding him. The vet came on Friday, I took him for a quiet hack in walk on Saturday and again yesterday and have been icing it with ice cups as much as possible. I told the vet I had entered a dressage comp next weekend and asked if I'd have to withdraw and he didn' t seem to think this was necessary. I also told him about a mini one day event 2ft 6 max that I'd entered the following weekend and he said next weekends dressage would be a good indication if he was ok to do the one day event. To be honest I will be trotting round the xc mostly as I am trying to build up my confidence so its not as if we will be blasting around and jumping huge fences. He is not lame on the leg whatsoever, he just caught his opposite leg with his opposite hoof in the field, nicked his leg and of course banged the splint bone causing the splint. What are your experiences of recovery times for splints? I am suprised I will be able to compete him as I was expecting him to be laid off for a couple of weeks but I will obviously see how he is the day before and make a decision then.
 
How long is a piece of string?!? It depends on the horse. But the longer you let them rest and settle down the less likely they are to cause trouble in the future. If his reaction is that strong "shot through the roof", the splint is obviously very active and you really do need to wait until it is cold and unreactive before you start working the horse hard again. If it was mine, it would not be doing either competition - sorry.
 
*Halfstep should learn from Vicki how to say it like it is.....
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No thats fine, don't be sorry. I am happy to leave the horse to rest the leg but the vet advised to exercise as it helps to remodel the bone. As I said the vet advised that I would more than likely be fine doing the dressage & ODE but to be guided by the horse, and he felt lame to rest him, but after a trot up by the vet on friday the horse wasn't lame. I will continue the walking and icing as he advised me to do and see what he is like on Friday on a surface in other paces before making a decision. If he is not sound on Friday then I obviously will withdraw from the dressage and the ODE the following week. As for the 3 months quoted by the other poster, I think that is reffering to a splint fracture and not a splint, but thanks anyway.
 
Ok, so I am confused, why did my vet say exercise with bandaging is the best for splint to remodel bone and ice?
If I was to chuck out in field this would obviously not happen.
 
one of mine has a splint it is already formed and hard and we have been using Splintex Gold and had great results !!

I also think you can get Splintex Silver for ones forming at the time x
 
That's not true actually. I said to the vet I was in no rush but the vet seems to think the splint is small and of no great worry and to just see how the horse is, and be guided by him. I specifically asked about the dressage and ODE and he said not to withdraw from the dressage but see how the horse responded at the competition. But thanks for your comments anyway. x
 
some horses are totally sound on splints and seem happy to work with them but even in this case i would give 1 month off.

there is a school of thought that by gently working the horse you can make the splint harden up more quickly but it also has the affect of making it harden up when it is at its biggest so you end up with a bigger blemish.

some vets even advise to bute the horse and work it so it hardens even more quickly but i personally wouldn't risk it- especially with the ground so hard at the moment.

if you can get your hands on some DMSO it is the best stuff to apply to splints.
 
Yes I have some DMSO which I have left over from last year when my horse got a bone chip from a kick. I was thinking of applying that but wasn't sure if it was suitable. Many thanks for your help.
 
A friend's horse at our yard was diagnosed with a splint recently. She had two weeks box rest and then two weeks of in hand walking. She has just begun slow ridden work. Vet has advised she is not to be ridden on hard ground for two months and work load should be gradually increased over the next six weeks or so. I wouldn't be competing my horse I'm afraid.
 
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