Riding on antibiotics

U

UKa

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 September 2004
Messages
958
Location
Herts
community.webshots.com
Does anyone ride their horse while they are on a course of antibiotics? My mare and I took a tumble last week causing her to graze her "knee" and when the joint started swelling up I called the vet out who prescribed antibiotics. We are confident that the joint is not affected and she has not been lame on the affected leg but it was swollen, but swelling is now gone. I have given her a few days off while she is on antibiotics. The course ends tomorrow, I will see how the leg and wound progress to decide when I get back on. Vet was pleased that she was still living out as said it is better for her to keep moving around so wondered if riding (gently) would have been ok, but preferred to wait.
Just out of interest, should you always not exercise when they take antibiotics or is there opinions on this? Thanks.
 
I think it depends on why they are on antibiotics, if for an infection to a wound, especially near a joint I would rest just in case, the same if it was for an abscess somewhere they are painful and I would leave the horse to recover but if it was something like mud fever whilst that may be painful they may need turnout restricted and light exercise would help reduce swelling in the limbs and speed up recovery.
Each situation is different and the best guide, other than the vet, is your horse, although frequently antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily for very minor injuries when just simple first aid would suffice.
 
It also depends on what type of anti-biotics. Certain types you probably wouldn't want to work up a sweat whilst on them, but others, for example Norodine, are competition legal.

As 'be positive' says above, it would also depend on the reason behind the anti-biotics. I've had a horse with a big leg, but completely sound - he was diagnosed with something similar to celulitis. The horse was prescribed anti-biotics and advised to keep him as active as possible so he was worked as normal.
 
Hi, thanks for the replies. Well, I waited for the course of antibiotics to be done with and have started riding again today with no apparent problem. A few days didn't really matter. Perhaps I was extra careful but then the weather hadn't been very inviting either. Looks like we are back to normal now though :-)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top