Splint fractures

[Speedy]

Has anyone had a horse with a fractured splint?

My gelding was kicked in the field five weeks ago. The resulting flesh wound has almost healed but is still weeping and my vet thinks there's a chance he has a bone chip in there or a splint fracture. He will need an x-ray obviously, and then possibly surgery.

My only experience of a splint fracture was not a positive one and the horse was off work for a very long time and never came properly sound. Has anyone had a different (or similar) experience?

 

[Halfstep]

Yes, my horse fractured his left front medial splint bone nearly two years ago now. He had the surgery in July 2007 and was back in work by the end of September of that year, and touch wood it has never bothered him since.

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PM me if you want any more details.

 

[UKa]

My mare had a fracture in her hind leg - we were lucky it was a very clear break and so no surgery needed. She was on box rest for something like 10 weeks and then got very slowly back into work it all healed exceptionally well. it has not been an issue for her since.

 

[millitiger]

unfortunately my story is not so great- i had a mare who broke her splint bone after being kicked in the field and despite having months off work she never quite came sound enough for work and went off to be a broodmare.

we didn't go down the surgery route though as the mare had had other lameness issues in the past and we didn't think it was worth the risk for that particular horse

 

[Speedy]

Thanks everyone.

Millitiger - that is my fear. This horse is a bad healer anyway, always injured with something or other. Is on permanent bute for bone spavin. I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle

He's been in work a total of about 4 months in the last two and a half years. As soon as I bring him into work he goes wrong somewhere else. I'm beginning to feel as though I'm fighting a losing battle. I fear that, as he never heals well, he will be one of the unlucky ones

 

[Ludi-doodi]

[ QUOTE ]
My mare had a fracture in her hind leg - we were lucky it was a very clear break and so no surgery needed. She was on box rest for something like 10 weeks and then got very slowly back into work it all healed exceptionally well. it has not been an issue for her since.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know of another mare who had exactly the same injury and outcome!

 

[tikino]

my mare fractured her splint bone in july 2008. it was a hind leg and was so badly damaged that they had to remove the whole splint bone. this resulted in 2 months box result the field rest. this horse is now out showjumping and as sound as a pound with mimimal scarring. can send pictures post surgery if you wish

 

[millitiger]

[ QUOTE ]
Millitiger - that is my fear. This horse is a bad healer anyway, always injured with something or other. Is on permanent bute for bone spavin. I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle

He's been in work a total of about 4 months in the last two and a half years. As soon as I bring him into work he goes wrong somewhere else. I'm beginning to feel as though I'm fighting a losing battle. I fear that, as he never heals well, he will be one of the unlucky ones

[/ QUOTE ]

sounds just like my big mare! i owned her for 5 years and i think i got about 18 months of work out of her and only about 2 months at a time before something else went wrong!

she had huge problems in her feet, back, ligaments, got kicked a lot and just couldn't stay in work for over 8 weeks.

it drove me mad and broke my heart as she was a gorgeous mare who tried her heart out and was the easiest ride.

we came to the decision she was never going to make it as a competition horse (mainly as we could never maintain fitness or actually have the time to progress in our schooling!)