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Discussion on Stocking Up - is it safe to ride?
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Member:
anmacri
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 6, 2009 - 4:07 pm:
Hi all,
We took the horses camping this weekend. Prior to the ride we were to take them on, I noticed my QH had a hind leg stocked up. They had been on a picket line all night. We decided to cancel the ride and return home, because I didn't know if riding him with a stocked-up lower leg would hurt him, and his well-being is more important than my ride.
After being turned out at home a few hours later, the swelling had reduced significantly and completely gone the next day.
Is it safe to ride if stocked up? I didn't want to chance hurting him, and also the horses wear the easyboot bares and I was reluctant to put pressure on the area that attaching the gaiters requires. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I read some of the other posts suggesting exercise and turnout - but don't know if exercise would include 4-5 hours of trail riding, some of it challenging. I just thought it wise to ask first and know for sure for the next time.
Thanks in advance!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Sep 7, 2009 - 5:52 am:
Hello audrey,
Whether it is safe to ride or not will depend on why the leg is swollen. If your horse's leg really fit the definition we have in the article on Stocking Up, it would have been safe to ride. However if the swelling is due to injury or infection riding would be discouraged to completely contraindicated, again it would be a matter of degree.
After reading the article on Stocking Up check out Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Swellings / Localized Infection / Abscesses » Diagnosing and Assessing Swellings in Horses. By understanding the principles to differentiate inflammatory and non-inflammatory swellings you can begin to make these judgements in the field.
DrO
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