ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: [endurance] Splints? -- update

Re: [endurance] Splints? -- update

Kathy Myers (Kathy.MYERS@syntex.com)
Thu, 05 Oct 1995 15:34:26 -0800 (PST)

>I was hoping that one of the vets would chime in about splints. There
>was an excellent article in Equus a few years back that outlined the many
>different kind of splints. Some are severe; some aren't. I could try
>to find it for you if you haven't found it already. I pulled it out
>this spring when my 6-year old popped a splint (high and on the
>outside). I ignored it because back in the years when Thorn was
>popping splints, they never bothered him a bit. My 6-year old was
>different. He came up lame and had to be laid off for part of the
>summer, but I'm still not sure if the lameness was related to the
>splint or not.

Hi Karen, et al!

[I've moved and was off e-mail for the
first part of this week... thus I'm just
getting back to everyone. :) ]

Thanks for the note(s). Actually, I decided
to call the vet. I just spoke to him over
the phone and he indicated I should lay
Magnum off for about 6 weeks while it
calcifies over. Magnum is splint-lame.
We are treating it with Ice and cortizone
for the swelling. He indicated it *WAS*
a result of the 50 mile ride. (From now
on I will hose,ice,and wrap his legs just
because... and not wait for "a reason")
No vet call up to now, just a perscription.

Here comes the rest of the story. The
vet told me to "keep him quiet". This
ment taking him off the pasture and
away from his buddies. The next day
he had an ugly but small cut on his
shoulder. I moved him Saturday. By
Monday he was back in the pasture
because he would not settle down.
He paced and sweated and would
not sleep. He was quieter in the
pasture. By Tuesday his shoulder
was infected! Vet call, Drain, meds.
The wound was (is?) deep -- to the
bone. I think we've got it under
control, but now the splint is my
secondary treatment.

$300+ dollars and a lot of horse
pain later, I wish I had never tried
to move him. I guess we live and
learn. He was VERY depressed,
but this morning he's back to being
a b*tthead. It's a good thing to see!

I'll look for the Equus article.

:) - kat
Still... kathy.myers@syntex.com
ps Thanks everybody for your kind
words of support!