Splints - aaah!!!

[MarthaRodman1]

Hi there! Not been on here for a while, so sorry!
Would be grateful for any advice or past experiences anyone has had with splints!!!

Jack has been back in full work since 1st Feb after being given the all clear on his tendon injury (long story, box rest for 9 months and surgery). Anyway, he's had a tiny splint about the size of a pea on the inside of his offside fore leg (been there couple years), but over the last few weeks it's doubled in size and is now kind of an oval shape. He managed to loose 2 shoes in our boggy fields 2 weeks ago, so had to be box rested for a couple of days as was foot sore. Although, now I'm not so sure he was foot sore - I think his splint is having a 'growth spurt'. It's got heat in it, and during my flatwork lesson last week my instructor said he looked a bit footy at the beginning of lesson, but then half way through was fine. Hacked out last night and started off a bit pottery in front and was then full of life once he had warmed up - he's always a bit stiff once he gets going!

Anyway, spoke to vet this am and she wants me to put him on the lunge tonight in the school to see what he looks like, also on the lunge on a hard surface - with the splint leg on the outside of the circle as she say's this will show it up. When I asked her what the procedure is for splints, she said sometimes they fine and don't cause any lameness and othertimes they can need up to 6 months off!! AAAHHHH I can't possibly give him any more box rest, the poor little mite was in for the best part of last year and he's just got his personallity back, he's out and socialising again!

Anyway, any past experiences? lotions and potions I can buy? do they have to be rested or can you still ride them?

Thanks all, sorry it's long winded!

 

[PapaFrita]

splintex is said to work wonders. Several people on the forum swear by it. I'm sure they'll explain how it works; I think you have to rest new splints, but can carry on riding with old splints.
some vets suggest DMSO, but it's not very nice stuff.
6mths sounds rather a long time!!!

 

[MarthaRodman1]

Great thanks! Will prob invest in some of that. It's certainly not a new splint, it just seems to have grown a bit over the last few weeks, so perhaps he gave it a wack in the fields or something. Thanks v much! Phew.... will try not to panic to much!

 

[PapaFrita]

Splintex Gold then, for a not-new splint. you'll probably find that the splint will get much smaller over the next year or so all by itself. My vet called it 'reorganising'

One of my mares came in with a huge hard bump on her leg but it went down quite quickly; clearly a knock.

 

[lucy245]

6 months off is not uncommon for splints - i have had 2 in the last year that needed that long off work - they were not very lame, but just not quite right for that length.

 

[MarthaRodman1]

Oh blimey! OK. Did you box rest them? or just them keep turnin them out and stabled at night? Great! poor Jack... he's already done 9 months last year!

 

[Artois]

my youngster had a splint which has completely gone now - i used splintex and bandaged it and gave him 4 weeks off

 

[Butterbean]

Our horse Marco managed to get 2 splints on same leg in the same year. He was off work (well, just hacking in walk) for 6 weeks the first time, 9 weeks the second.
Think vet originally suggested box rest but actually it was better for him to be turned out and exercised. Am a big believer in exercising where possible to keep the blood flowing and stop them getting stiff.

 

[juliebrewer]

did the splints disapear.

 

[Butterbean]

They still show as lumps on his leg but aren't too huge. Think instructor said they would gradually disappear over the years. Caused him no problems after the initial period of lameness - he's got lots more lameness issues since then!

 

[Caritas]

Hi there, my horse has two of the biggest splints in the world and he threw one of them on box rest. Sometimes they are caused through concussion but I think if they are going to get them they will. With his second splint he was slightly lame but I didnt want to put him on box rest due to the fact he had already had so much time off and I think that he would have made it worse. I just kept him in light work, on a soft surface and he was sound within no time. Obviously if your horde is in a lot of pain and very lame then it wouldnt be fair to work him but mine wasnt. I have used splintex on both of mine with no real result so I think buying that stuff you would just be waisting your money. I also tried magnetice boots and they didnt help either. O must admit in time they do reform but mine will never go flat, they are wopping big things but cause no problems now, touch wood. Best of luck and any questions do pm me.