Reducing swelling?

[BroadfordQueen]

This is going to seem like a very amateur question, but truth is I've never had an injured horse before (and yes, I've had about 10 horses/ponies-lucky me!!)!
However my accident prone 3 year old thinks she should be aimed at 2012 olympics And jumped out over the post and rail fence yesterday (all 5ft of it!). However, she gave it a mighty good clonk with her back fetlock. Totally sound (even after she then proceeded to hoon around like an idiot in the field!), but it has swollen. I have been cold hosing it for about 15 minutes a time every couple of hours, followed by arnica gel, and then turned out into the big field so she can keep moving on it. It isn't bothering her at all, but swelling is quite prominant.
So few questions- since she is 100% sound, should I call the vet out, or will it just be bruising that will go down in its own time?
How long will the swelling take to go down?
Am I doing the right thing in treating her? Anything else you would recommend? We don't have any "Like Ice" etc as we don't use it (only time we ever did use it, it gave my horse a rash!).

Thank you

 

[LauraElise]

No advice I'm afraid but will await answers with interest as my horse also has large swelling on fetlock/bottom of tendon that came up Saturday. Again, no lameness at all and have treated it same as you. Intend to give him until tomorrow and then decide if vet is necessary.

 

[StorminNormin]

Cold hosing definitely, and then treat from the inside - I'm a big fan of a herbal company called Equinatural (www.equinatural.co.uk) who do all natural herbal blends and have saved my day many a time with my two show cobs. They do a natural blend called Equi ReliefPlus which I got for my boy when he had a tendon injury with swelling. I don't like feeding bute as one of my horses has a compromised liver so I try to keep chemical treatments to an absolute minimum.

 

[paulineh]

Continue to hose the leg 2-3 times a day.

Use something internally as you are doing.

Also look at something like cool boots, apart from being useful now they are also useful after exercise or competing.

http://www.equinefitness.co.uk/stay-cold-boots-c22.html

I have had 2 pairs for many years and they have been so useful.