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 Regular
Posts: 63
Location: At A Barrel Race! | Hello! I seem to be in a pickle. I had a big horse show June 3rd-5th. My horse ran perfect the 3rd and the 4th, and on the 5th he did NOT want to enter the gate. It did not click in my mind that it was pain related. (Stupid of me I know.) I gave him a break that Monday, which would have been the 6th. Tuesday I went out to ride and everything was good, until I went to start loping him. He would not pick up his right lead! At all. I took him to the round pen, got off and lunged him. Sure enough he looked lame in his back right leg. I noticed a bump on his back left leg, and decided to take him to the vet the next day. Of course once we got to the vet, he wasn't lame at all, but the vet said he had popped a splint. (It's pretty small)
I had him on stall rest, and he swelled up really bad on his right hind leg that next day. I figured it was him stocking up, so I put him in a very small paddock to see if the swelling would go down and sure enough it has. Along with the bump, it isn't hot anymore and he isn't sensitive to me pinching it or poking it.
My question is; when should he go back to work? Would a splint make him lame on the opposite leg? Now being Sunday (my guess it being a week since it originally happened) it just seems odd that the splint would "set" this early. I don't want to rush him back into anything as I don't want to make it worse. He's 4 by the way!
Sorry for the long rant, I'm just pretty confused and all my vet said was give him a week rest, but everywhere else I've looked said 30 days +. TIA! |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
 
Location: SE Louisiana | I'm not sure... I guess it depends.... I remember a day when we moved a 5 day old filly and her mom outside.... The filly saw all that open space and took off on a wild tangent and popped splints on both front feet.... She never took a lame step after that, but you could see those bumps...  |
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Regular
Posts: 63
Location: At A Barrel Race! | Yeah, I expect the bump to stay, it's really small and not that noticeable anyway. I just don't know much about splints, and don't want to push my guy more than I should, even if he seems to be fine. |
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 Crazy Doggy Mommy
Posts: 1419
Location: Where Governor's make the liscense plates | When my guy popped one the vet said as long as there's no more heat in it he should be fine. So I cold hosed his leg after every ride for a few weeks-That was well over a year ago. He does get puffy in both rear legs when stalled up so I use BOT quick wraps for weekend long shows and it keeps his legs looking and feeling good.
If your guy isn't showing any lameness signs try to leg him back up and see how he does. Check his leg and make sure there's no heat, you know him the best so go with your gut on how he's acting and feeling 
Edited by FirstFirewater 2016-06-12 5:35 PM
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Did you have X-rays done?
Is it high or low?
A popped splint means either the splint bone is bruised or fractured. Sometimes it takes 14 days post injury for the fracture to show on X-rays.
if treated correctly the bump will disappear |
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Veteran
Posts: 285
| My made has popped both her front. Its been so long ago though I couldn't tell you when, but never remember her being sore. She has always had those little hard bumps but never gets sore. I would just watch him and make sure there's no swelling. I would wait a few days then lunge him. If he acts sore, then more rest.
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Curve Ball
Posts: 2258
Location: Pelham, TN | Probably get bashed for this but SPLINTEX (Silver for Fresh splints& Gold for Old Splints) It works wonders! I tried everything on my mare Magnets, Wrapping, Cold water, Soaking after a month of battling Splintex was a life saver. Healed it in a month & the bump is nearly gone! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | my mare popped a splint on both front legs at the same time but she never limped. I poulticed it for a few days and just let it be. about 9 months to a year later and they are completely gone. |
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