Horses are great in racing, but sometimes they get injured. Some of the common setbacks in horses around the world are bone bruises, suspensory ligaments, joint inflammation, and sire muscles.
A bowed tendon can be a result of chronic stress or injury. In horses, this injury can take between 8 and 11 months to heal fully. Treating your horse will not only make it healthy but also able to race again.
Horse owners are responsible for the horse wellbeing and should be able to identify telltale signs of ill health. Any changes in horse behavior signify that all is not well with your horse health and immediate action should be taken. So, how do you treat horse injuries?
Joint Inflammation
Inflammation is among the most common injuries in sport horses. It usually occurs in the hock and ankles. Changes in work intensity, motion, and work level are the leading causes of joint inflammation. If your horse is suffering from inflammation, it will appear stiff and sore. The best treatment for inflammation is allowing your horse to rest between seven and ten days. You should also get horse hock boots to prevent injuries in the future.
If the inflammation is recurring, you can give it a joint injection. The veterinary may also recommend cold therapy. Often, your horses require rest for proper healing. When your horse resumes sports or work after joint inflammation, you should increase its workload gradually. A therapeutic mattress pad provides a soft surface that can reduce inflammation. Additionally, therapeutic mattress pad reduces microbial levels in the stall suitable for healthier horses.
Suspensory Ligament
Suspensory ligament injuries occur when you put too much weight on your horse. You must give the horse a rest after recognizing this problem. Continuous stress will exacerbate the injury and prolong the healing process.
The injury is often barely noticeable, thus making it hard to spot. Worse still, the leg will become delicate and inflamed if there is a tear. The most effective way to diagnose suspensory ligament injury is an examination by a vet. To treat the injury, the vet may recommend administering cold hosing or icing several times day.
Horse wrap around the injured leg also helps during the rehabilitation period. More importantly, the ligaments require time to heal. You can enhance the healing process by taking your horse for a 10 minutes hand walk. Increase hand walk time and other exercises over time. Ultrasound comes in handy in monitoring the ligament during the rehab process.
Bruises
A lot of force is exerted on the horse’s ankle and foot during the day to day activities. Impacts from working in hard places or landing from a jump causes bone bruises. Note that bone bruise will not show on an x-ray because it is not a fracture. Depending on the bruise severity, the injury may take up to four months to heal. You can prevent this injury by investing in good equine horse boots or horse hock wrap. Similarly, a therapeutic mattress pad will provide a supportive surface ideal for healing.
Sore Muscles
Sore muscles are a common occurrence if your horse is working daily. Similarly, a saddle that is not correctly fitted can also cause muscle soreness. You can easily detect sore muscles by moving your finger s on the muscles as you groom. If your horse has a sore muscle, it will pick ears back, flinch or wring the tail when you exert pressure on the area. It may also have swelling and tender skin.
You can use medication and diet to treat muscle soreness. Also, the horse will need some days off for proper healing. Massage and currying are also helpful in treating sore muscles. Besides, horses require a good environment to heal and recover. A therapeutic mattress pad is an incredible choice. Caps for horses come in handy for stiffness in head.
Conclusion
Treating injuries requires ample time, following veterinary guidance, and suitable equipment. Some injuries, such as suspensory ligaments, will take a relatively long time to heal. You can enhance the healing process and prevent future injuries by investing in equipment such as horse wraps, horse hock boots, and therapeutic mattress pad.
