Well, I’m starting to suspect that Peanut has a crush on our vet. Now that her colic problem has been resolved with water (yes, good old H20, or lack thereof seemed to have caused most of her colic), she decided she is missing the vet too much, and has started to limp. The instructor / yard manager from next door came over last night to give us some advice, and she reckons it might be either a suspensory ligament or the tendon that has an injury. She doesn't think its a splint but its possible that it just hasn't shown up. The vet will probably come take a look but until then, we've put stable bandages on both front legs with foam underneath (instructor showed us how to wrap it right).
We've put her in the small 10m arena to limit her movement and will put her in the stable during the hottest part of the day as the arena does not have shade, and if the weather turns bad. The stables are open - no doors - so the horses usually come and go as they please, but we'll use electric tape to keep her in. Plenty of room inside for 5-6 horses with a partition halfway, pine shavings on the floor and shadecloth on 3 sides makes for a very nice stable that they only use during the hottest part of the day for a snooze, or if there is a really bad storm, but I’ve peeked out and even during heavy storms they will only take cover for a short while, and only if there is plenty of hay!. We've taken Peanut off concentrates while she is at rest, and giving ad lib watered hay and water. We are rotating the other horses with her to keep her company in her exile. We estimate that the rest period will be between 4 - 6 weeks, depending on what the vet says but I think the instructor is spot on with her initial diagnoses and a good period of rest is what Peanut now needs. She has shown some initial talent in jumping, but if flatwork is all her leg can stand, then that is all she’ll do. I’d rather have a healthy happy paddock ornament than an on-again off-again lame horse in pain.
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