How do I know if my horse is sprained?

Symptoms of Strains and Sprains in Horses

1. Decreased level of performance.
2. Pain upon palpation of injured area.
3. Heat and swelling.
4. Discomfort.
5. Lameness in the first 1 to 2 days of injury.
6. Limping.
7. Tender areas.
8. Muscle stiffness.

Can you ride a horse with a sprained ankle?

When the motion in the healing ankle is within five degrees of the other ankle, then activities like horseback riding may be allowed. You may want to think about buying some breakaway or safety stirrups. If your horse falls, spooks, or throws you, the stirrups drop off the saddle.

How do you treat a fetlock sprain?

Treatment for this condition involves rest, in combination with joint injections. Low dose corticosteroids in combination with hyaluronic acid (a joint ‘lubricant’) are very effective in controlling the inflammation within the joint and alleviating lameness.

Do sprained ankles heal on their own?

Sprains are common and usually heal on their own. However, severe sprains that completely sever the ligament may require months of healing and possibly surgery. Do not ignore the pain of an ankle sprain or assume that there is nothing a doctor can do.

How do you treat a horse sprain?

Treatment usually includes these steps: Cool down. Your vet may prescribe cold therapy (icing or cold-hosing several times a day) and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as phenylbutazone or Banamine (flunixin meglumine), to reduce inflammation. Stall rest to give the ligament time to heal.

What to do if a horse is limping?

If the injury is further up in the leg it is also possible to see swelling of the leg. “If you notice that your horse is limping or its leg is swollen the first thing you want to do is stop exercising them. If you are knowledgeable you can also apply a pressure wrap around the leg,” advises Carter.

What to do if your horse has a swollen ankle?

The area should be bandaged overnight to provide counter pressure against further tissue swelling or internal bleeding. You can apply a relieving gel such as RAPIGEL® to minor leg swellings twice daily for the first few days after an injury to soothe the legs and help reduce the tissue swelling.

What will happen if an ankle sprain is not treated?

A sprained ankle can turn into a serious chronic instability if left untreated. When you leave torn ligaments to heal on their own, they can fuse together haphazardly and form weak, inflexible scar tissue. Your range of motion can suffer tremendously, resulting in difficulty walking for the long term.

How long does it take for a horse ligament to heal?

Ligaments heal slowly. A mild strain may take six to eight weeks, but a tear can take eight to 12 months. High hind suspensory injuries can be especially frustrating because your horse’s anatomy makes it hard to follow healing there and harder to know when your horse is ready to return to work.

What are the signs of navicular in horses?

Clinical signs of navicular disease include a short, choppy stride with lameness that worsens when the horse is worked in a circle, as when longeing. Frequent stumbling may occur at all gaits, even the walk, or when horses are asked to step over short obstacles such as ground poles.

What is a sprained ankle in a horse?

The definition of a sprained ankle is when the ligaments in the ankle of a human being are irritated or torn. A horse doesn’t have an ankle, he has a fetlock. And between the fetlock and the knee or the fetlock and the hock (in the back leg) there are plenty of ligaments and tendons that can become irritated or torn.

Why does my horse keep getting sprains and strains?

Causes of sprains and strains in horses can affect the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joint structures in your horse, and can include: Direct injury to muscles and associated tissues. Accidents causing damage. Overworked muscles and surrounding tissues and joints. Repetitive or strenuous exercise or movement.

How do you treat a sprained leg on a horse?

In many instances, the water from your hydrant is cool enough (preferably below 55 degrees) for cold hosing of a lower leg, or you might stand the horse in a stream, or in water at the beach, or stand him with the affected leg in a bucket of ice-water. This has been the traditional treatment for strains and sprains.

What are the most common injuries when riding a horse?

Many strains and sprains occur in the legs, groin or adductor muscles. Strain can even occur in back muscles due to issues with the saddle or riding techniques.