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T O P I C R E V I E W
wgs
Posted - 18 Apr 2011 : 7:22:38 PM I have a 6yo pure bred gelding who about 3 weeks ago I had a lesson on (on a fab surface which he is used to) which we had to travel to in his normal trailer (he travels very quietly and always has done). The lesson went as normal, we boxed him up and set off home, on the way home on the first left hand turned something happened in the trailer and he started to panic, I stopped to check him and he was visibly upset but nothing wrong with/in trailer so continued on cautiously. On the next 2 left handers, same thing happened, turned right, no probs at all.....got home unboxed him and looked like his left hock was swollen so cold hosed it for a while but not really lame. Brought him in that evening and all was ok, he didn't appear lame but hock and lower down his hind leg was a little puffy but nothing major.
Went to him in the morning to find left hind very swollen all the way down, cold hosed etc but not lame, just a little stiff. Had a week off from work as the inside of pastern/fetlock joint still a little swollen but no heat and not lame. Rode lightly for 30 mins and felt fine, no lameness. Day after, massive leg again when stabled.
For the past week I have left him out at night so as to prevent the swelling when he is stabled, there is no heat, he is in no way lame or troubled by it but he still has a large, hard swelling all the way down the inside of his fetlock into the top of the hoof. There isnt swelling in the morning when he has been left out overnight.
Question is should I be getting the vet out now, even though he will happily tank around the field and seems unfazed by it, its me that it bothers!! I haven't ridden him again but it has been suggested this may help (just walking) to move the joint around but am very reluctant to.
Also the whole trailer thing is very strange, he still panics on left hand turns, I have travelled my other boy in it who was fine and also just had it serviced in case the brakes were binding - no probs found.
Am starting to wonder if its all connected, maybe he injured himself in the trailer, or did he do it in the lesson??
Any suggestions as to what may be the problem would be highly appreciated, not matter how strange they may be!!
8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Zan
Posted - 19 Apr 2011 : 6:10:59 PM I agree with Jess--I would at least be talking to the vet, but would probably want one out to have a look.
If his left hind is sore he certainly wouldn't like left turns, so whether or not he injured himself in the trailer he isn't going to like travelling till he is better.
Jess.And.Tiger
Posted - 19 Apr 2011 : 10:29:05 AM I would personally ring the vet and ask them, and then they might suggest they need to come out!!!
I would be inclined to bandage it also to see if that helps, maybe with an ice pack/heat pack
hope he feels better soon
xxx
wgs
Posted - 19 Apr 2011 : 08:37:55 AM Thanks guys, will try a few options with the trailer...but what do you think about the hard swelling on his fetlock, will this just be bruising??
arabesque
Posted - 18 Apr 2011 : 10:06:05 PM Have you checked the floor of the trailer?
My friend had this problem and the floor had a weak spot, just where the the one hoof was taking the strain around bends in one direction. although she was asssured the floor was safe the horse could sense the weakness and was naturally trying to avoid this spot.
Callisto
Posted - 18 Apr 2011 : 9:02:02 PM One of the two Horses I referred to in my previous post always loaded happily, but more than once she managed to knock the partition over (which led to travelling issues for her squashed companion), finally came to a head when she went down in the trailer when travelling on her own, with her head caught over the breast bar and her legs slid under the partition, very traumatic for her and us, and a hell of a job to get her out. Someone suggested taking the partition out and Eureka! All the poor girl had needed was more space. Must admit the scrabbling around got worse the more we travelled her - i.e. to start off she wasn't too bad.
wgs
Posted - 18 Apr 2011 : 8:54:59 PM I agree that I would have felt something if he injured himself during the lesson which is why it must have been done in the trailer, its very strange though as he travels so well, always has done and still does....just apart from left hand turns where he still panics, he still trots walks into the trailer with the rope over his neck and doesn't bat an eyelid.
The swelling is very hard, almost like bone all the way down, is this likely to just be bruising??
Thanks for the responses so far......
Callisto
Posted - 18 Apr 2011 : 8:23:22 PM Another option is to take the partition out completely and have a single breast bar made, I have had two that had problems staying upright in the trailer with the partition in, but travelled fine when they had more space.
A pair of magnetic boots could well help with the swelling, which is more likely to have happened in the trailer when he was banging around - I would have thought you would have noticed it when it happened if it had been during the lesson.
pintoarabian
Posted - 18 Apr 2011 : 7:37:36 PM It might just be bruising caused by banging himself in the trailer. Some horses travel badly facing forwards and this can suddenly happen to a horse that has travelled fine for years. I have had four that can't travel in the trailer unless I swing and secure the back of the partition to the side so they can spread their back legs and stand slightly to the side. I have one mare who goes down if she travels on the left side of the partition but no problems if she travels on the right side. It's worth trying out different options to see if you can resolve the problem. His confidence will have been dented because of his experience and this can cause him to panic in anticipation. I have travelled in the trailer with a horse to observe what happens and they literally lean over and try to climb the side. It is very scary, not just for the horse.
