How To Treat A Popped Splint On A Horse

Introduction

A splint is a bone structure that forms on the inside of the lower leg between the cannon bone and the splint bone. When a horse’s leg is injured, such as through being kicked or scraping against something, it can lead to inflammation of the splint. This causes pain and can also cause permanent damage if left untreated. Here are some tips for treating your horse’s popped splint:

The main treatment for a splint injury is rest.

The main treatment for a splint injury is rest. The splint is a ligament that connects the cannon bone to the third metacarpal bone, so this is an important ligament that is vital to the horse’s ability to run and jump. If you are not sure whether your horse has injured their splint, it’s best to contact your veterinarian immediately.

You will need to help your horse rest its leg as much as possible.

You will need to help your horse rest its leg as much as possible.
Try to keep the horse in a stall or small paddock, if possible. You can also use a large pen with high fences and/or gates that lock shut. This will give you more control over where the horse goes while they heal up, but they should still be able to move around without too much trouble.

Give your horse plenty of time to recover.

The most important thing to remember is to give your horse plenty of time for healing. The splint on its leg has been damaged and needs time to heal, so you should not try to rush the recovery process. If you do, you can cause further damage and may end up with a worse injury than before.

In particular, you should avoid riding your horse until the splint has completely healed and the area around it has reshaped itself into an acceptable shape again.

Likewise, don’t let your horse use that leg too soon after getting hurt; this can also cause further damage or make things worse in terms of how long it takes for healing to occur naturally (as well as increasing risk). Instead, keep them calm and relaxed by keeping them in their stable or corral where they’re comfortable–but don’t go overboard by overfeeding or forcing exercise on them either!

Keep the area clean and free of debris with regular warm compresses.

Once you’ve removed the splint and cleaned the area, keep it clean and free of debris with regular warm compresses. This will help prevent infection. Use warm water and a mild soap to clean the area, then cover it with a cotton bandage or elastic bandage. Keep this over the area for at least 3 to 4 days after removing any splints that may be left in place on their own (not attached). If you have an open wound, don’t wrap your horse’s leg too tightly; but don’t leave it loose either so that there is room for swelling to occur beneath it without causing discomfort or pain to your animal

It may be beneficial to have your vet flush out the area to remove any debris that may be causing inflammation before wrapping the leg.

It may be beneficial to have your vet flush out the area to remove any debris that may be causing inflammation before wrapping the leg. This step can be done at home by using a saline solution, or with your veterinarian’s help.

Apply a horse poultice to soothe the area and draw out inflammation.

To soothe the area and draw out inflammation, you can make a poultice. This is a pack of herbs or other ingredients that’s applied directly to the horse’s skin to reduce pain and swelling. Poultices can be made from mud, clay, Epsom salt, linseed meal (flaxseed), comfrey leaves, aloe vera gel or even honey! You can apply them with a bandage or cotton wrap.

An Epsom salt soak can also help draw out inflammation and speed up recovery.

Epsom salts are a mineral compound derived from magnesium, sulphur and oxygen. They have been used since the time of Hippocrates to treat inflammation and rheumatism.

Epsom salts can be purchased at most grocery stores or drug stores in the form of solid beads or crystals. If you’re soaking for a horse, it’s best to find a granular form that dissolves easily in water without creating a chemical reaction (which can burn your horse’s skin). You will also need some sort of plastic container large enough to soak both legs at once, such as an empty laundry detergent jug or 5-gallon bucket (you’ll see why later).

To make sure your soak is effective, use warm water that feels comfortable on your hand but isn’t hot enough to burn your horse’s skin—ideally around 115 degrees F/46 C—and use only enough Epsom salts so that they float freely throughout all areas being treated at once rather than sinking down into any pockets where they might not be able to reach deeper tissue layers during soaking time.

Soak in Epsom salt once a day, cleaning with warm water and a mild soap prior to soaking again.

The purpose of the Epsom salt is to keep the area soft and pliable so that it does not form any calluses or hard tissue around it. Soaking for 20-30 minutes will do the trick.

After soaking you’ll want to dry the affected area thoroughly before rewrapping with an elastic bandage or cotton wrap.

After soaking you’ll want to dry the affected area thoroughly before rewrapping with an elastic bandage or cotton wrap. Use a clean towel to gently pat the leg, but don’t rub or press too hard on it—this can cause more pain and further damage! Be sure that all surfaces of the splint are completely dry before wrapping again, as wetness will lead to increased swelling and discomfort for your horse.

Next, use an elastic bandage or cotton wrap to wrap the area securely enough that no movement occurs within it without causing pain (you can adjust this as needed based on how much swelling there is). Make sure you don’t wrap too tightly around any part of your horse’s leg; if necessary, remove some wraps until they’re comfortable but still secure enough not to move around during normal activities such as walking or running in pasture/loose box/etc…

Treating a popped splint on a horse is all about rest, cleaning, wrapping and flushing.

Clean the area thoroughly, removing any debris or dirt that may be present.
Apply a horse poultice to soothe the area and promote healing.
Rest is the most important part of treatment—a popped splint can take up to six weeks to heal fully. The horse should be kept on stall rest for at least three weeks, with no walking or exercise until then; if you’re able for home rehabilitation, he might need a month or more of stall rest before being allowed out in a small paddock with limited turnout time (no more than two hours a day).
Dry the area thoroughly before rewrapping it each day.

Conclusion

We hope this article has given you a better understanding of how to treat a popped splint on your horse. Although treatment can be difficult, the prognosis for a full recovery is good if you follow these steps and do not rush the healing process. If at any point during the healing process you notice swelling or pain in other areas of your horse’s leg then seek professional advice from an equine vet immediately. It’s also important to never over-exercise young horses in their early stages of development, as this will cause excessive stress on their growing bones which may lead to splints or other serious conditions later on down the line.