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I just noticed today or rather felt under his hairy leg a splint on right front leg of my pony. This guy gets hairy like a yak in the winter months so I do not know how long ago he popped this bump. I do not feel heat (my hands are not good heat detectors) but he has appeared sound with recent lunging and riding. We had a lovely ride today after heavy rains yesterday - lots of walk trot due to moist footing. I am cautious about slipping on possible slick ground on trails. I managed to clip off more hair with scissors around bump and applied some Sore No More liniment. Nerdy pony will not allow me to use clippers below knees or hocks and I will not force risking a pull back on cross-ties. They all have a quirk and I can live with using scissors below. Anyway - should I simply ignore this splint assuming it is old and set? I actually have no experience with splints as have lucky been in this one department so far. Feedback welcome. If I recall close to the knee may be an issue and this bump is just above mid-way up the leg. Not too close to the knee imo.

If there's no active swelling, soreness or lameness then I wouldn't worry about it too much. For minor splints (as your sounds) I've very often (more often than not, in fact) seen them just go away on their own over time.

MM popped a splint at one point years ago. I can't tell you how long it took to disappear, but I can say for sure that there is no trace of it now.

If you're going to do anything, I would do a poultice.

Thanks Blob - sounds like a good idea to me. I'll try to remove a bit more hair as he has some thick hair feathers.

LIke what Blob said. I can't remember who got a splint now, but I remember trying to poultice and ice etc, but in the end it just went away on it's own. If there is no soreness/heat etc there's not much you can do to it. I've heard of horses needing surgery, but they must have been decent fractures?

My WBx has a couple of old set splints. I have no idea when he popped them, but I suspect it was when he was 4-5 and playing in the pasture (which he did repeatedly & vigorously!). They never caused lameness, and I never did anything about them. I can still find remnants of them - they didn't go away - but they are just a blemish and never have posed any issues for him.

If they are cold and unchanging, I would just go on as others have said.

If it at all warm or sensitive, I would image it and see what is going on (having had a horse with a splint fracture on a hind that was sound the whole time...but truly needed time to rest and heal that non-displaced fracture).

I really do appreciate all your feedback. My memory finally kicked in and I recalled he had a small bump / splint maybe 2 years ago. It was small but I accepted it because splints are so common. He can be a yahoo running across the paddock to meet me at the barn. I actually had DH pad the large corner paddock post with rubber padding in case he knocked into it with his knees. So imo this injury was his crazy gallop and sliding stops in that corner of his turnout - not my laid back pleasure riding the trails and basic wtc in the ring.

I'm rambling here - but now I wish I had paid more attention to the initial splint or maybe he re-injured with his antics. At this time, I'm unsure how long it has been this large hiding under all that hair. He had the winter months off due to weather. I clearly missed it when I clean his hooves. I've been riding and lunging him since mid-March when the weather improved and he has been completely sound and fun to ride. I've been so clueless that this splint was there and restarted our riding fitness this spring. This finding has me VERY upset and concerned that I may be aggravating this injury. I did apply poultice and wraps plus left message with my vet. Maybe pursue x-rays?

I am just so stressed and upset for this pony because I had to euthanize my older PT/QH 4 weeks ago for colic. Horrible frigid cold day and vet worked on him for several hours - I knew it was bad and made the decision to PTS. So this pony is my buddy and has been getting lots of attention being the solo horse on the property now. He seems content listening to country western music in the barn (free access to 1 acre turnout) - but he REALLY likes the attention going on our trail rides. Gray lady and gray pony wandering the woods and content to keep doing it as long as we are able.

Vet confirmed some heat in splint so I'll be applying the Surpass cream twice daily. Anyone ever use Cold Lazer for splints? She said location too high for surgery - so I need to get it managed to prevent progression.

I have not done cold lazer for splints, but have used cold therapy support wraps and limited turn out for 2 weeks until it sets. If it's far from tendons once set it should be ok.

Thanks for that suggestion - I'll GOOGLE those cold therapy wraps!

I have 2 kinds. Splint boots that have pockets to hold moldable ice gel that you put in the freezer, and gel like wraps that you freeze and put on like polos. I would have to Google to find them

My filly Joplin was run into the fence by her pasture mates at the time. She had some swelling in her knee and then popped a splint lower down. Never lame but splint got worse instead of better (second one popped up under original one) so I had the vet radiograph it there was not a problem. He did have me put DMSO on it and not work her for a couple of weeks but still was TO. I have not looked at it lately so don't know if it has gone away but it definitely has not gotten worse.

My experience is that as long as the splint is from an injury or bump like Joplin's was they do eventually go away, but if they are because of conformational issues (bench kneed or splay footed where they will interfere) there is continual trauma that causes the splints.

It seems it is different for every horse. I've had only two horses get splits.

The first was a TB. She did have bench knees. She was quite lame on it. This was about 30 years ago, so treatment has changed. I used dmso per vet advice and continued to turn out. In a couple weeks (forget how many) she was sound and the splint became small and to the point it wasn't obvious. She was young at the time (4). I think that they say this is something that is more common with young horses.

The second was my old guy. He got two splints at age around 15 on the same leg, one positioned just above the other. The bigger one was huge! I don't recall if there was heat or not. He was not at all lame and I kept working him. I forget, but I think I used Surpass. The splints went away and you'd have to really feel to find them. He also has a conformation fault of being quite over at the knee.

One thing I want to say about splints. My good friend's horse had a big, hot one and the vet injected it with steroids. The horse foundered (sinker) on all 4 and had to be pts at age 8. I am so against using steroids. It would have to be a life or death situation before I go that route.

Thank you - this feedback is all very helpful. IMO this was a pasture injury where he probably knocked himself doing his head stand bucks and gallops with sliding stops. Now on hind site I should have put turnout boots on him but the damage is done.

When I purchased him after an extensive PPE with numerous x-rays - the vet said he was one of the cleanest legged horses he examined. He is pure Connemara but has more the look of a very large Welsh pony with the refined head and reaching trot movement. Very solid 14.2 hands with straight legs which were previously very clean. He really is a handsome pony with lovely movement. So popping this splint in his mid-teens I feel is a pasture injury and not conformation.

I did order a cold therapy wrap but also purchased one at the local pharmacy yesterday. It is a large size that I applied under a leg wrap for 30 minutes. It stayed in place while he was stalled and he was good with it. I am applying the surpass cream twice daily too. I'm still frustrated that I missed this bump under all the winter hair. I'm just hoping that when I ride him again that the heat does not return. That is why I'm wondering if my restarting his spring fitness and riding regimen in mid-March - triggered this injury with the heat inflammation. so far, he was not lame.

Yes - I am totally fearful of using steroids on horses with metabolic issues - exactly what MC described. My TB mildly foundered post-dental surgery and I'm sure the stress and drugs used triggered the founder.

Chisamba wrote:I have 2 kinds. Splint boots that have pockets to hold moldable ice gel that you put in the freezer, and gel like wraps that you freeze and put on like polos. I would have to Google to find them

Just curious which of the two kinds you prefer...

blob wrote:

Chisamba wrote:I have 2 kinds. Splint boots that have pockets to hold moldable ice gel that you put in the freezer, and gel like wraps that you freeze and put on like polos. I would have to Google to find them

Just curious which of the two kinds you prefer...

I prefer the splint boots with the sleeves for the gel packs. I bought extra packs so I can switch them out more easily. They offer a firmer support and are more durable

Chisamba - your suggestion for the cool gel flexible wrap is brilliant. I'm still using the human version from the drug store under a leg wrap - but it is so convenient versus applying ice.

https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Elastic ... 8-103&th=1

I have the vet-chiro appointment this afternoon to discuss / maybe attempt cold lazer therapy. My guy can be spooky and may not cooperate but we shall see. At least these cool gel wraps are an excellent alternative and well tolerated by a nervous horse. Thanks!

I kind of like that human one!

How’s he doing?

My horse popped a high splint on the outside of the leg this summer (she’s 16). It sort of appeared one day with no heat/swelling. Vet did not think it was anything to be concerned out.

I had rested my guy for about 3 weeks and started back slowly in between getting cold lazar treatments by the vet-chiro. The splint actually reduced about 25% and heat / inflammation is gone and he is sound. I've continued to keep a 6 week schedule for any chiro adjustments and to continue cold lazer for his hocks, ankles and this old splint. He seems very comfortable afterwards and I've noticed the difference in our rides. I decided to cold lazer his hocks because I noticed he sometimes rested one side or the other on cross ties. He never did this before - so why not if it adds some comfort.

For what it's worth, my vet chiro says she has had very good response to cold lazer treatments of splints even more so than muscle injuries. Bone injuries seem to respond very well.