Shin soreness

Odd Socks

Odd Socks

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Just after a bit of advice really...

I have an opportunity to buy a really lovely ex racer pretty much straight off the track but was retired from racing due to shin soreness. I really don't know anything about this. Is it likely to reoccur or cause any other long term problems. She's 5yrs and I'm looking to bring on to event.
 
We had one at the point to pointyard with it. It is a bit of pain until it is healed as working on hard groun can make it re-occur until it has had a chance to rest. The horse at the point yard had a few months off then returned to racing, (was a bit useless), so retired and is now doing very well showing.
Rubbing arnica/witch hazel on the legs helps, and a couple of months rest and it should come right. Its not that serious but if you kept working/racing the horse on firm ground it will take longer to heal.
I would say you should not have a problem if you get the horse and turn it away for a moth of two.
 
Agree with db turning away for rest usually heals sore shins. Wrapping in cabbage leaves under bandages can give them excellent relief. It is certainly not something that would put me off a horse
 
I would def get vet to check out, sadly for us we didn't when we bought ours direct from trainer and learnt the hard way! He had sore shins when in training but did go on to race but only 8 times! He has since had collateral ligament damage on both fores and a year later psd in same legs, could just be a coincidence but don't think I would touch one who had had leg problems again :-(
 
Thanks for the advice :) I've had a number of leg problems before so I think I'll just give the vet a call just to be on the safe side.

Ill ask the trainer what they've done about it so far as I think she's already been turned out since she came out of racing and trotted up sound yesterday.

In theory, once it's healed is that it or would the stress of eventing mean there would be reoccurring problems?
 
As long as you are meticulous about only asking for the work she is fit for then you shouldn't have any problems at all. By that I mean not asking for trot when she's only had a week of walking; build up gradually as you would for getting hunters fit.
 
How old was she when she was retired from racing?

Suggest that you have the legs Xrayed to check the level of damage - sore shins can be tiny fractures of the cannon bone as a result of inflamation within the periostium that covers the bone.

One horse I worked with suffered from sore shins and despite plenty of rest eventually the cannon bone broke from the after effects.

Legs that have thickened over the front have had additional bone deposited, this can affect the movement of tendons over the surface.
 
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