Bare with me, this might be a tad lengthy. Alright so I have a 4 year old mare that has been having some issues with splints. First one popped after she got tangled with the hay ring back in January. I gave her a month off. Splint was hard and cold. Second one popped on the opposite leg about 2 weeks after I put her back to work. Keep in mind, this is a young horse who was only in light work at the time. There was a bit of lameness associated with this one so I decided to take her to the vet school to get X-rays done of both legs to be sure everything looked normal. Both splints looked fine to the vets but they were injected with steroids just to be sure the stayed hard. Vets determined that said horse was thin soled and that could be why she was showing lameness and maybe popping these splints. Gave her some time off, had shoes put on with pads and went back to work. No problems during first shoe cycle. Farrier comes back out, says she grew lots of sole and removed the pad. Kept the shoes. So this week I decide to ask her for a little more effort on the barrel pattern. Just high loping. Nothing crazy. I wrap all four legs when working her. I’ve worked her 3 times this week. I go to feed this morning and she has a small bump (looks like another sprint forming) on the lower part of her cannon. No lameness.
I’m really confused about what is causing these splints to pop. I understand that splints are fairly harmless once healed, but this is ridiculous. This mare is 4, not being worked hard and is popping these splints left and right. I dont plan on this but her legs are going to look like poop if I ever want to sell her, and also every time this happens, it’s a setback. Has anyone ever had a horse pop multiple splints? What could be the problem here? Are there supplements that can improve her bone density or strength?
Posted 2018-06-22 8:56 AM Subject: RE: Popping splints?!?
Expert
Posts: 1343 Location: Oklahoma
Over the years I have had a couple of horses pop more than 1 splint. The reasons I was given were: Working too hard on too hard ground or improper shoeing angles. I believe these were correct reasons for my horses. You might want to think about your ground and your shoer!
Posted 2018-06-22 9:19 AM Subject: RE: Popping splints?!?
A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354 Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas
So popping splints all 4 legs? Or are you saying more then one splint per leg? Pictures might help. I have had a horse or 2 pop a splint on both front legs. But it was something they did while playing out in pasture some horses just do this with out any real reason. And this happen during the time I was not riding at all.
Posted 2018-06-22 9:39 AM Subject: RE: Popping splints?!?
Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK
Splints usually develop because of two reasons, either direct trauma or a conformation fault. Horses with offset knees and ones with turned out front feet are prone to splints.
I would also check how her feet are trimmed/shod. Feet out of balance could be causing her to hit herself.
Posted 2018-06-22 10:47 AM Subject: RE: Popping splints?!?
Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338 Location: Georgia
Thank you guys for the replies. The splints are only happening on the front legs. My farrier was leaving a little too much toe on this filly originally, but we have discussed it and the last two times he has shod her and pulled back her toe as much as possible. She is on a 5 week cycle for this purpose. So, I feel like her feet are balanced. But we may have to reassess that. I will say that the ground has been hard and the flies have been terrible so there has been a lot of stomping. I just purchased some shoo fly leggings for her so they should be coming in any day. I’m just wondering if this is a horse that I should only work on soft ground until this splint issue subsides, which hopefully it will. As far as confo, I feel like she has very straight legs. I’ll get a picture this afternoon and show you guys the splits, her feet and her leg conformation. Maybe y’all can help me get to the bottom of this.
Popping splints?!?
