Thoroughpins - has anyone any experience of these?

[Starsy]

My 2 year old has thrown a huge thoroughpin, and the vet wants to scan it, which means a long trailer ride. I am unsure and wonder if it would be best left alone, but he says as it goes down her hock will go stiff. Has anyone had a horse with a thoroughpin and how did you deal with it? Thanks for reading.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Mine got a small one (after doing too much roadwork), I cold hosed and bandaged his hock. It got a bit bigger then stabilise dand went down. Whilst it was forming I kept him in gentle work to keep the circulation good in his legs to help prevent excessive fluid build up. It never made him lame and he was soon back in full work with no further problems (though I am alot more careful with regards to roadwork/work on hard ground now). But as yours is a youngster I'd imagine it's caused by other factors. I would definately cold hose it and I think scanning would be a good idea.

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Spring has a thoroughpin and it doesn't seem to bother her. IMO it is just a blemish and as long as there is no heat in it or lameness then I would leave well alone!

 

[Starsy]

Thanks guys, there is a bit of heat on the larger half of it, which is on the inside of her hock. I am worried about the long trailer ride, which will be unfamiliar to her, and being knocked out to be scanned, and then a long ride back home.

How big are the thoroughpins in your horses' legs? This one is golf ball sized on one side, but the size of a large orange on the other? She has never been at all lame with it. She does have hocks that are on the straight side.

 

[herbert]

Had mine drained by the vet. Never again. What a mess and the damned thing came back again.

 

[keeperscottage]

I'm the EXPERT here (??) having had no less than three thoroughpin experiences over the last four years......(1) daughter's now outgrown 14.1hh Section D. Brilliant competiion pony, won just about everything and hunted all day.....thoroughpins on both hocks. Vet drained them, plus injected them with something (?) warning me that that they would almost certainly return.....they did! Pony now 14 and doing much lighter work but thoroughpins have never been a pronlem, even though they are apparent. (2) 15.3hh ID/TB 9 year old gelding currently on loan to a friend. This was my daughter's upwards transition from the aforementioned 14.1hh Section D. He developed a massive thoroughpin whilst being treated (successfully) for a spavin as a 6 year old. Again, vet injected it with "something".....three years later, no sign of it! (And he's sound following surgery for spavin!) (3) Finally, our GORGEOUS 7 year old TB ex-point-to-pointer (Keeper's Cottage). He has an enormous thoroughpin on one hock but he's completely sound and I'm happy to let it sit there without interferring with it. In my opnion, they are merely blemishes and not particulary pleasing to the eye, but so what if they're sound! If it's not causing a problem, leave it alone!

 

[Starsy]

Thank you for all the replies, it has really helped.

Keeperscottage, you really are the expert, three different outcomes!!

After reading the replies, the leave it alone option is looking like the best bet, thanks everyone.

 

[teabiscuit]

my tb has throughpins in both hind legs, and they've gone down over the years, and have never bothered him soundness wise

regarding draining them, i've been told that its not a good idea as there is a component of the joint oil(synovial fluid) that the horse can't replace in the oil it manufactures to replace the drained oil


how true that is i don't know but as the through pins always seem to come back after draining it seems best not to?