# swollen fetlock



## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

Hi, 

my pony has a swollen fetlock on her front leg. It is mostly swollen on the back of the fetlock and she is limping badly. There is no heat in the swelling. SHe was let out to pasture with the other horses to get her out of the mudd in her pen and it got worse. Am I right in thinking that letting her have stall rest will fix it? It went back to what it was before the pasture yesterday. anything I can do to make it heal faster?


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## mamahen (May 11, 2002)

My vet recommends stall rest & bute for a few days (if no heat or obvious injury).

Is she still perky? Eating & drinking?


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Stall rest- yes no matter what but the swelling you mentioned is in a place where tendon or ligament damage can occur. But I have had swelling on the back of the pastern and fetlock with a hoof abscess too.
You can do some checking by picking up the leg and flexing the fetlock gently. You can also use your thumb to put some pressure on it to figure out more specifically where the problem is. If she flinches, you've found something.

I always run cold water from the hose for 20 minutes twice a day for swellings unless I suspect an infection. It can help bring swellings down and make them more comfortable.
But if it is a tendon or ligament, you're looking at a longer rest than you might think. It is easy to re-injury those.
Sometimes a support bandage is good but you have to be careful with that because, if it is not done well, it cause cause more problems.


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

She is perky and VERY hungry (is convinced that I'm starving her and yells for her breakfast). 

I checked her hoof and no abscess that I could see and she doesn't mind me tapping and prodding it. I've hadded problem in the past with her pain tollerence. She just takes it and keeps going so I have no idea how bad it is. 

Would an ice pack work as well? I don't have a place to run water, especially for 20 minutes, without creating a mud hole right now. 

Bah I was hoping that it would clear right up. THe first nice weather we've had in months and both my horses are injured.........


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I have ice boots but I think that if you put a polo or track bandage on first then ice packs then a bandage to hold it in place it would be OK. Just not ice directly on the skin. And not longer than twenty minutes. 
I hope she gets better fast- I know the pain of watching my friends all take off on a trail ride while I'm tending to my lame horse -again.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

That happens to my horses every spring. They are cooped up and they go tear around the field way to hard and pull something! My gelding particularly will get that back of the fetlock swelling you're talking about - usually nothing to worry about. I separate the horse (or in your case pony) so they rest it, make sure they contenue eating and drinking their usual ammount and just keep an eye on them. You have done the right thing by checking the hoof and checking for heat. I would also do some gentle stretches to make sure his/her leg isn't injured somewhere higher up.


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

well I stretched, poked and prodded and the only injury is on the fetlock. The swelling is going down and she is remaining calm even when the others are let out for a run so I am hopeful that it will heal quickly.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

That's great.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

happychick said:


> That happens to my horses every spring. They are cooped up and they go tear around the field way to hard and pull something! My gelding particularly will get that back of the fetlock swelling you're talking about - usually nothing to worry about. I separate the horse (or in your case pony) so they rest it, make sure they contenue eating and drinking their usual ammount and just keep an eye on them. You have done the right thing by checking the hoof and checking for heat. I would also do some gentle stretches to make sure his/her leg isn't injured somewhere higher up.


Do you stall them in the winter? If so, why? We kept ours in a dry lot for a couple winters. Never again! Our horses, when bored, cause trouble. I have a friend whose horse will choose to come into his stall, especially when it's hot out, but ours would never do so.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Joshie said:


> Do you stall them in the winter? If so, why? We kept ours in a dry lot for a couple winters. Never again! Our horses, when bored, cause trouble. I have a friend whose horse will choose to come into his stall, especially when it's hot out, but ours would never do so.


I stall mine at night in the winter because my pasture isn't set up for a run in and there are no natural windblocks. If it's just cold that's fine but if you add in wet and wind there can be a problem. Not everyone has a set up that allows a horse to be out 24/7. I'll also bring them in in the morning on very hot humid days, especially if the heat index is over 65 degrees.


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

mine get stalled (with seperate outdoor runs) in the winter because they tear up the pasture and eat it so short that it would make a golf course jellous. They get out to run the back in before they do too much damage. It works fine excipt for in the spring when the start acting silly.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Mine are not exactly stalled but they get locked up in a run in with paddock each night, mostly to allow each to eat in peace. There is nowhere near enough pasture that don't need supplimental feed. 
I used to feed out but found that the boss mare got skinny because she ate so slow and, after she first hunger was sated, would let everyone else eat from her pile after they ate up their own.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Irish Pixie said:


> I stall mine at night in the winter because my pasture isn't set up for a run in and there are no natural windblocks. If it's just cold that's fine but if you add in wet and wind there can be a problem. Not everyone has a set up that allows a horse to be out 24/7. I'll also bring them in in the morning on very hot humid days, especially if the heat index is over 65 degrees.


Just wondered. I do wish that it was easier to bring our Joshua in but he doesn't like it at all. We've kept the boys in two different pastures this winter. One has no trees and the other has a creek and a lot of trees. Neither has a run in. We don't bring them in in the summer either. The goofy boys stand out in the sun even given the opportunity to stand in the shade under a tree.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Joshie said:


> Just wondered. I do wish that it was easier to bring our Joshua in but he doesn't like it at all. We've kept the boys in two different pastures this winter. One has no trees and the other has a creek and a lot of trees. Neither has a run in. We don't bring them in in the summer either. The goofy boys stand out in the sun even given the opportunity to stand in the shade under a tree.


A heat index over 65 degrees can easily cause heat stress or heat stroke in horses. Sometimes you just have to do what is best for the horse even if they "don't like" it.


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