Swelling on hind leg - what to do?

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gummybear

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Got to my horse last night and he has a swelling about half way up on the outside of his hind leg. Had a new horse turned out with his group Sunday night, so I booted him up to be cautious. YO text me yesterday morning to say that he had lost a front shoe but all else was fine. But when I got there last night I saw this swelling. It is hot and firm, so I cold hosed it last night, bandaged & kept him in. Went up there this morning, swelling not gone down, so kept him in again and have slapped loads of witch hazel & arnica on it. Farrier is up this morning putting new shoe on. He is slightly lame on it - shall I keep him in tonight to rest it or turn him out and see if that helps? Im in a dilemma!!
 
does it go down if you walk him in hand if it does i would put him out in small paddock and i would have given him some bute if not gone down in four days vet would be out and cold hosing twice aday for twenty mins
 
I would turn him out.. swelling = pain.

movement = circulation = distribution of fluid = less pain..

Turn him out.. I would say hes had a kick of one of the horses in the field (no necessarily the new horse might i add) and its bruised up a bit.

Lou x
 
Definitely keep him turned out - the more you keep him in and he's not moving about the more fluid retention will make the swelling even worse!
frown.gif

I'm in the same boat today as my horse has been cast - Vet has said to keep her out to keep her moving
Kate x
 
I did keep him in last night, but mainly because he had lost a front show as well and was so sore on it - and knowing how clumsy he is, he probably would have done something to that foot! Am going to take him a for a walk tonight and see how he looks. It must have been one hell of a kick though - as he had boots on. Now debating whether to turn him out with boots on again or not, or whether his legs will overheat!! AARRRGGGHHH!!
 
can you not put him in apaddock for a while until it goes down so when he goes out again he can hold his own if he still a bit sore it might make him a target and when its time to put him with the others i would boot him up like you said one hell of a kick might have been a lot worse without them
 
Mine is the same tonight - he is out all night and in during the day as he is a big wuss and hates flys. He was fine this morning when i brought him in ~(although I did notice a little cut but nothing too bad so cleaned and put antiseptic on) When i got to yard at 4.30 tonight I find both his hinds from hock down were swollen and warm, so cold hosed and turned him out. Just been back to yard and fetched him in (7pm) and his legs have gone down a little so i have cold hosed again and given him a bute. He is back out now and i will do the same tomorrow and if he is no better by Thur pm i will call the vets. Some horses do swell up a lot more than others so it is not always as bad as it looks
 
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