Warrant a guess?

[lisae]

Hi, I am attaching a pic of a foreleg and I'm guessing that this is a splint?

5 year old Morgan-Percheron mare, came out of the Amish community, drives single and double, shod on all four, the lump is only slightly warm (same temp as leg), horse moves as though sound. Hard in the middle, soft on top, not particular annoying to the horse to push at it although she does pull foot away after a bit.

[newforest]

.

"Splints" are the direct result of an injury to the periostium (tissue covering the bone) or an injury to the interosseous ligament (tissue tying the splint bone to the cannon bone). These injuries to the horse may be the result of direct trauma, such as a kick or a concussion type trauma resulting from jumping, running or working. As the horse matures, the interosseous ligament slowly calcifies, fusing the splint bones to the cannon bone, allowing it to better withstand the concussion type trauma of working and the horse is therefore less likely to develop "splints". Most often, the forelimbs are affected; rarely do "splints" occur in the hindlimbs.

The majority of splint problems occur in the medial side (inside) of the forelimbs. The medial splint bone is the one usually affected, because it has a flat surface next to the knee. The lateral (outer) splint bone has a more slanted surface. When the weight is transmitted to these bones, the medial splint bone probably bears more weight than the lateral splint bone; therefore, the ligament between the medial splint bone and the cannon bone is subjected to more stress than the outer ligament.
Lameness due to "splints" is most common in two-year-old horses undergoing training. The lameness is most obvious while the horse is trotting, working or soon thereafter. Lameness may come and go or be present continuously for as lone as a year.

If one palpates the leg along the side of the cannon bone and splint bone, the horse will exhibit a pain response when pressure is applied to an inflamed area. This might be a large swelling where ossification (calcium deposition) is already taking place or a very small swelling where ossification is just starting. It is important to note that there may be more than one splint forming on a horse at the same time. After the inflammation has totally subsided and the ossification is completed, the soreness usually disappears.

[Mehitabel]

certainly looks splinty to me, and she is the right kind of age.

[lisae]

Thank you! Probably ossification is complete on this as she does seem pain free. I have two weeks within which to return her to the dealer (actually a reputable one as these things go) and a second gent gave me his number as he wants to buy her as well.

I am persona non grata on the board for taking a filly to the auction in March, now I have bought this one at the May auction.

I have my trainer coming to assess her for riding training/general assessment this week. I have found a real good one in this woman as she has finished Mara the 6 yr old Haffie with great result. We had our first trail ride yesterday and Mara was a champ, marching out ahead and spook free. Meanwhile the trainer had to get off her mare and walk as the aged QH had a complete strop and refused to go forward! :)