Should I be worried?

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Tilda

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I have noticed over the past few days that my mare's rear legs are a little swollen around the fetlock area when I bring her out of the stable in the morning. They are not hot or bothering her and as soon as she is exercised or out in the field during the day they go down.

I know that it is not uncommon for horses legs to swell when they are standing for a while particularly after being out 24/7 for say the summer so I have just assumed this is nothing to worry about but just wanted some reassurance.

So am I right not to worry?
 
My horse has this and it's 'normal for him.' He is 19, though fully fit, and over the last few years his legs will get slightly puffy if he is stabled.

You know your horse best; if it is happy in it's work and the swelling goes down when ridden or turned out then I wouldn't worry too much. You could always put stable wraps or bandages on when the horse is in - works really well with mine.
 
I think it is fairly common for horses to get swollen in this area after stabling, I have seen it alot in other peoples horses over the years. I would not think it is something to worry about too much, perhaps you could speak to the vet on the phone just to talk it over
 
Some horses are more prone than others to filled legs when standing overnight. If she isn't bothered then it isn't a problem. But you might need to be aware of it if you ever had to travel her a distance or if she was on box rest.

You could try stable bandages - but do be sure you know how to put them on correctly as you can do real damage with too tight or uneven bandages.
 
I wouldn't worry at all if it goes down immediately when she is exercised, it just sounds as if a little fluid is accumulating because she is standing in. I'd only worry if the swelling didn't disperse when she walked out, or if she was lame from it.
 
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