Swelling/heat in the lower hind leg...

[_MizElz_]

I posted on Sunday about us having had to abandon our fun ride on Sunday, after Ellie came off the trailer with a big leg

I'm baffled as to what it could be. The swelling is in her near-hind, which, although the hock was injured during our collision a fortnight ago, came off far the better of the two - it's her off hind that is taking time to heal and will unfortunately be capped. On Sunday, she was swollen from mid-tendon downwards, all around the back of the leg and predominantly on the inside, right down to her pastern. My initial reaction was that it was wind galls, although she's never suffered from these in all the years I have had her. However, both Mum and my aunt thought there was too much swelling around the tendon for it to be wind galls.

Yesterday, after full day turned out, the swelling had gone down significantly so that the tendon could once more be easily defined, and in my opinion and that of two other knowledgeable liveries at the yard, I'm pretty sure the swelling is confined to the wind gall area. Interestingly she also came in from the field yesterday with a slight amount of puffiness in the other hind leg too....

I have already booked the vet to come out tomorrow; I did this yesterday in case there is something going on that we cant detect, and in case it is linked to her hock injury (in which case I will also have to inform the insurance company, solicitors and police....argh!)

I just wanted to know whether anyone has any ideas - stab in the dark I know - as to what may have caused it. Can a trauma to the hock result in swelling/fluid later tracking down the leg and manifesting itself in a different injury? Is the ground hard enough for her wind galls to swell up just through being turned out? In terms of riding, she has only been out walking since the accident (Vet's advice for a week; I played safe and did it for two!) so I cannot pinpoint anything that may have caused the swelling when ridden. I can only assume that this issue is linked to the lorry incident, because we've never had hind leg trouble before...

Any ideas? The only thing I will say is that she is still not particularly settled when turned out, she paces a hell of a lot - although again, this is only in walk.

Any replies gratefully received!

 

[AmyMay]

Was there any indication of a problem when the vet looked at her after the collision?

I must say I'm really suprised that you took her out again so soon, as she clearly (by your description of her) took one hell of a bang - and much of the bruising and aches and pains will only just be going.

Hope she's ok.

 

[_MizElz_]

Was there any indication of a problem when the vet looked at her after the collision?

I must say I'm really suprised that you took her out again so soon, as she clearly (by your description of her) took one hell of a bang - and much of the bruising and aches and pains will only just be going.

Hope she's ok.

There was no trace of any other problems - and obviously I have been ultra-vigilant in checking her over.

I spoke at length to my vet and he was actually the one who said that because she wasnt lame, the best thing for her was consistent, gentle exercise, as this would minimise the swelling and prevent stiffness from setting in around the joints. He advised me to keep off her back for the first four/five days, just while her hocks were still sore, but that as soon as she was happy enough for me to touch them without flinching away, I'd be ok to start hacking her. I have done NOTHING other than plod around the fields for the past week - one day I took her up a the lane for about 200 metres, because in my own head I needed to take her back on the road before I turned it into an even bigger issue.

I promise you, I am not the sort of person who gets back on after an injury because they just cant be arsed to wait for their horse to recover. When my boy Mickey did his check ligament, the vets advised six months off work - we planned to give him nine, just to be safe. When Elz threw a splint last year, the vet and farrier both said to keep riding as long as she wasnt lame - but I gave her a full month off, because I wasnt happy about riding her when the splints were still hot. And when she was kicked last year, we were told that she could be ridden as soon as she came sound - but to be safe, we gave her the best part of three months off.
In this instance, there is no way I would be riding if I felt I was in any way causing her pain or soreness, I promise. Her hocks are now the least of my troubles; they're actually healing brilliantly, we've even got hair growing back now which is great. She was very, very lucky in the accident, I keep reminding myself of that whenever I'm with her

 

[Puppy]

After the ordeal that she's been through, I wouldn't be waiting till tomorrow for the vet, but getting them out asap! Hope she's ok.

 

[_MizElz_]

After the ordeal that she's been through, I wouldn't be waiting till tomorrow for the vet, but getting them out asap! Hope she's ok.

I dont think there is any panic - the swelling appeared on Sunday and has considerably gone down since then, although it is still detectable. He's coming first thing tomorrow - this was the earliest I could get him (I wanted this guy in particular as he knows Elz very well).

Everyone at the yard thinks I'm nuts for getting the vet out anyway as they're certain its just windgalls....and it certainly isnt worthy of an emergency call out! She's not lame, and not even tender to touch.

 

[AmyMay]

Everyone at the yard thinks I'm nuts for getting the vet out anyway

Never pay any attention to people who tell you not to get the vet - they're usually wrong.......

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

 

[_MizElz_]

Never pay any attention to people who tell you not to get the vet - they're usually wrong.......
.

Wouldnt dream of it! I love her to bits and if it IS windgalls, then yes, the vet may not be able to do anything, but at least I will have peace of mind and know I did the right thing by getting him to check her. If it turns out to be something more, I'd feel very silly if I'd not got the vet out and had to find out the hard way!

I dont want to give anyone the impression that I'm not doing what is best for my girlie

 

[siennamum]

You know it could be windgalls. Ground is like rock at the moment.
All you can do is wait and see really. Depressingly if it is in both back legs then it's difficult to tell just from watching her move, how lame she is actually is.
I might be tempted to restrict her turnout a bit though, the last thing you want is her haring around.

 

[EnduroRider]

My mare went lame at an endurance ride and the next day had a hot swelling just like you describe.

Vet duly called and diagnosed inflammation of the tendon sheath, 10 days box rest and scan the tendon to chack no damage at 10 days. Took her to the vet and no need to scan as all back to normal already.

Fingers crossed that yours is something that sorts itself out just as quickly!