splints

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scrappy

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can anyone help cos i am very frustrated and confused! my 4 yr old developed a small splint just below his knee inside fore.
gave bute,box rest and used splintex silver twice and it went down and after two weeks had gone cold and shrunk.he has neva been lame and vet said it was no longer active.i sedated him and turned him out for two hours.its blown again and is warm and a bit bigger!everyone giving diff advice.some say longer rest and others say just turn him out.he is a show horse so want it down if poss but v stressed stood in and legs filling buckind round box etc and i dont know what to do 4 best.please help !
 
Basically regardless of what you do with the horse it will eventually settle. The point is, to try and get the heat and swelling out of it quickly and try and keep it as small as possible the only answer is box rest, cold hosing etc. Probably not the answer you wanted to hear but the only one, sorry. Good luck!!
 
Hi, I wouldn't worry too much, although disapointing and a pain, so long as they aren't too near the tendon the pose little future problem.

I would STRONGLY dispute the statement of box rest! a) its not a major 'injury' but CRUCIALLY, the only thing that is going to make the splint form and settle to become dead is work. I don't mean this in a harsh or cruel way, and don't continue the same workload, but certainly do not stop riding completely. Otherwise the splint won't settle, and so will only flare up when ridden again. I would advise schooling on a surface and walking on hacks - avoiding roads - to encourage the splint to settle. All vets concur with this view, I believe!
 
It sounds like the vet is happy that it is a true splint as opposed to a fracture of the cannon bone.

Splints are very common in youngsters. Only time will cure or reduce them.

As far as showing goes, it depends upon the individual judge as to whether they regard a splint as a reason to mark a horse down.

The winter is on your side, soft going will help it heal.

I don't box rest a horse who has thrown a splint unless it is lame. No matter what you do, the splint will probably reduce in size as time goes by.

Once the splint is hardend off it can be opperated on and the excess bone removed. Showing people do this.

Or try Splintex Gold on the inactive splint. With this product you don't need to lay off training or rest the horse.

Make sure the horses foot balance is correct as this can be a cause of splints.
 
Cold hosing as much as possible. Mine threw one as a 3/4yr old in the field, i carried on as norml with him (very light ridden work 2/3times a week) and cold hosed it twice a day for about 2 wks. It has now completely disappeared. he threw a large one behind a couple of months ago, which he went lame with. He had 2 weeks on bute and boxed, wearing magno boots in the day, and the went out booted up and started work again. He has stayed sound since, and I kept up with the cold therapy with either a cold boot or hosing an a few sessions of Hydrotherapy (it was huge!) and it is now half the size and decreasing about 10weeks after throwing it. I strongly believe cold therapy is the best treatment.
 
wow some conflicting views ! have rested him over weekend and its cooled off and looks less swollen.dont fancy using splintex silver again cos instructions 4 use r not very comprehensive but will use gold in the future.think i will speak to my vet and if he agrees start light exercise on a surface rather than turning out. his welfare more important than a blemish but dont want to kick it off again.thanks all.
 
Thanks
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Keeping working them lightly as previously said is the best route, but if it keeps on swelling or going lame, bute up and keep in.
 
thanks everyone for taking time to reply.have spoken to physio and she said to box rest till heat and swelling gone then gentle exercise but no turnout till after xmas. lots of cold hosing. the gentle exercise bit will b challenging to say the least. am leading him to begin with till he gets the idea.well at least i have a plan. hope springs eternal.
 
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