Help - Injuries from a bad stumble?

[Yann]

We had an accident this evening, as it was getting on I unwisely let Rio trot down a slope on the way home and she stumbled and almost went down. In fact I have no idea how she managed to recover as I was sure we were going over, but she did, putting a knee through the reins in the process. We were in the bitless bridle so she got a graze from the browband rather than a damaged mouth. She seemed OK so I led her for a while and then remounted, but she wasn't going forward with the normal enthusiasm so I got off again and walked her home.

There was no sign of any heat or swelling in any of her limbs, and I had a good feel along her back with no reaction. She's not right though, almost sound going uphill and well off going down, in the back end as far as I could tell. I'll hopefully be able to trot her up and have some experienced eyes look at her tommorow evening, I was last off the yard tonight. Does anybody know what injuries she's likely to have suffered from this sort of incident?

Poor little horse, I feel terrible about it:(

[Lgd]

Most likely wrenched a few muscles. Probably worth getting your equine physio out to work on her

[martini55]

I think she has probably either given herself a knock or pulled a muscle as she stumbled. If it were me I would get someone with an experienced eye to check her over and see what there opinion is. If this isn't possible I would give her a couple of days and if she isn't any better ring the vet.

[galadriel]

Among other things, the vet told me that Fantasy had almost certainly damaged a nerve in her leg, when she wrenched it. (This was from being tangled in the neighbor's barbed wire and pulling down a fence and two fenceposts--the day they gave her to me.) She said often a leg injury of that kind will stretch or pull the long nerve that runs down through the leg. She also said that Fantasy ought to recover easily, with just a little time.

Fantasy was certainly off, a lot more than could be accounted for from some lacerations just below her shoulder. And she recovered soundness at a very different rate from anuy of the healing lacerations or the areas that did get swollen.

I found this a very interesting tidbit of information...that perhaps when a horse gets wrenched and is off, there might not be anything muscular involved. If you can't find any areas of tenderness at all, perhaps that's it. It's still probably worth getting someone out to look at her :) You care about her quite a lot, and I'm sure you'd be happiest to know if everything else checks out.

[Jakes Mum]

Yann, don't really have any advise on the injury diagnosis, but just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear of Rios stumble and that she isn't 'right'.

If it was me, then I would stable her and get the vet out to have a look at her, but then again, I am overcautious about anything now after Jakes incident.

Fingers crossed it's nothing that a little rest won't cure, keep us informed, and don't feel bad about it, we all know that you love Rio to bits and wouldn't have done anything intentional to harm her in anyway, unfortunately, these things do happen.

[galadriel]

How is she today? Hoping for better news :)

[Yann]

Thankyou very much for your kind words and interest:)

She was definitely improved tonight, though stiff, and tight in her back end. Touch wood a few days rest is all that will be needed to sort her out.

Not used to having a poorly horse, we've had next to no problems at all with her since we've had her.

[Wally]

Remember Pants' "furry skidmarks", poor boy fell in harness on the road. I thought he'd really hurt himself, he was shaking as I got out of the cart to console him.

In the end it was just fright, he just gave himself a shock and was very subdued. I thought I'd find him lame as hell next day.

He was fine, cut nosey, as he fell on that too, poor boy.

I really do think they get a real shock to the system froma near fall and need 24 hours to get over it. Maybe no physical injuries but it does scare them I'm certain of it.

It's more pride and confidence that get's knocked.

[FRED]

Hope your both feeling much better Yann, its a horrible guilt feeling when things go wrong and horse go's down on knees.
Last year I seen a horse and rider trip over in trot, the horse was so clever, he knew the riders leg was trapped and he stayed calm and gentle till she was free. Then he got up and after a few days rest was absolutely fine, I guess its times like that which make us realize just how special these creatures are.

Do you remember when we trotted down all those hills on the wet roads, its really amazing that we all were ok to tell the tale.
Its forbiden where I ride and I often think about that day.
Hope everything is ok:)

[Yann]

I have it on good authority that all those horses are fine and still hard at it, just goes to show...

Rio is now fine too and back working, though she seemed a bit stiff in our last lesson, which may or may not have been anything to do with it. No harm done in the end thank goodness, and a lesson learnt by me:o