Splints - ugh!

[Boomer]

At some point this year my gelding popped a splint on each front leg. He has never been lame, and was at a trainer's for some of the year, so when I brought him home I noticed them. He has remained sound. A vet palpated them and said as long as he's sound, he should be ok to keep working...

So we have been working (with splint boots) and he's been totally fine.

Saturday I brought him in to ride and one of the splints had a little knick on it and a little blood. The splint was swollen but not sore. He wasn't lame when I rode him.

I gave him today off and he was out in the field galloping around like it was the Kentucky Derby!

I have two lessons coming up this Friday/Saturday and a little dressage schooling show Sunday. Do I scratch?

[jetsmom]

If it's cold, and he's not off, I wouldn't scratch a dressage show.

I would look into how balanced his feet/shoeing is. Sometimes improper trims/shoeing can stress the leg structures and cause splints.

[purplnurpl]

heck no.

by the time you can actually see a splint the damage was actually done a while back
usually 30 or so days to finally see the calcification.

If they are big and he nicks them just wrap them with something like polos. Splint boots may rub.

Take the polos off just before you have to show.

hit that sucker up every day with DMSO.

[Boomer]

Thought about DMSO, but he's senstive to preparations - I put Swat around his eyes and all his hair fell out! He looked pretty funny for a while with bald circles around his eyes! :lol:

On the DMSO - do I just put a little on the splint, or do I do the whole leg?

[goeslikestink]

Thought about DMSO, but he's senstive to preparations - I put Swat around his eyes and all his hair fell out! He looked pretty funny for a while with bald circles around his eyes! :lol:

On the DMSO - do I just put a little on the splint, or do I do the whole leg?

shouldnt put anything near or in the eyes unless spoken with a vet

sounds like he forges and kick himself from hind leg to front leg check your shoes
and wear boots for the job in hand -as there are various types

also if the horse was lame dont ride him until you know the cuase of the issue something could be very simple turned into something bad just by riding

[Boomer]

shouldnt put anything near or in the eyes unless spoken with a vet

sounds like he forges and kick himself from hind leg to front leg check your shoes
and wear boots for the job in hand -as there are various types

also if the horse was lame dont ride him until you know the cuase of the issue something could be very simple turned into something bad just by riding


SWAT is ok for wounds and sensitive areas like ears/face.

I use boots on him when I ride, but he lives outside full time so I can't keep boots on him 24/7.

When I brought him home from training and had his feet done in June, my farrier said the shoes that were on him were the same ones he had on when I brought him there in January! Their farrier apparently recycled the shoes from January - May. I know shoes can usually be reset so you don't need new steel each time, but it seemed a bit strange.

[Horsezee]

Thought about DMSO, but he's senstive to preparations - I put Swat around his eyes and all his hair fell out! He looked pretty funny for a while with bald circles around his eyes! :lol:

On the DMSO - do I just put a little on the splint, or do I do the whole leg?

Just on the splint. Make sure the area is clean first. DMSO is a carrier and will carry in topical preparations such as fly spray or liniment. :)

[goeslikestink]

[QUOTE=Boomer;4265309]SWAT is ok for wounds and sensitive areas like ears/face.

but not eyes anything near the eyes actually goes into the eye didnt you know that

also did it occur to that your horse might have a deficency as with hair falling out around the eyes
did you invested this further or assume it was the swat
as alack of say copper or zinc etc can cause that did you check with a vet

[FoxChaser]

Just on the splint. Make sure the area is clean first. DMSO is a carrier and will carry in topical preparations such as fly spray or liniment.

... And be prepared for him to kick like holy heck if he is sensitive. I painted (good to use a paint brush with the DMSO since you really, really don't want to get any on you) some on one of my horses for the first time the other day for splints (3 in a week on 3 different legs- can you say clutz?!) and he kicked & threw a fit. Greys can be more sensitive...

[Gideon]

How long do splints take to heal?
My horse popped a splint two weeks ago, he's sound but the splint is ouchy when touched.:cool:

[Gideon]

Thanks for the info, you've been very helpful.:D