Can a Thoroughbred horse recover from a small fracture in their ankle?

Question

just recued a 3 year old thoroubred from a slauter farm. he fractured his ankle in a race on april 4/08. hes pretty weak (skinny) but getting stronger although his ankle is still swolen and limps. after pulling his lip id i found his bloodlines r linked to seattle slew, pulpit, my charmer,a.p. indy. i love this horse and just want him to be ridable for me. will he ever be sound? can anyone help me out?? i dont want him to be in pain!!!

Answer 1

It's very important to seek immediate care from a vet.  Anything is possible with proper care. It's important to ease his pain as soon as possible.  Call now..!

Here's wishing you and your horse the best of luck regarding a full recovery.

Answer 2

Please tell me you have contacted a vet.  This horse needs to be seen immediately, no one here can safely answer your question unless they are a vet and then only if they have seen the horse and the radiographs of it's ankle.  Your vet will be able to answer this question, seek their advice and listen to what they have to say.

Answer 3

With proper attention, a horse can recover from many injuries.  Even if your horse recovers and is sound, you should never do too much with him.  He's not going to be able to do high performance stuff like show jumping and heavy galloping.  You should always be careful with him.

The fact that the injury was 4 months ago worries me.  Did no one work on his leg to heal it?  If the horse had a broken ankle for 4 months and no one has had the vet look at it, it can be healing wrong and the horse may never be sound if the ankle heals improperly.  Furthermore, if this horse has been hobbling around on 3 legs for 4 months, he very well could have some problems in his other 3 legs by now.  You should get the vet out immediately to xray his broken ankle and to take whatever action he suggests for healing it.  While he's there, have him check over the rest of the legs to make sure that the horse hasn't developed any problem in those legs like laminitis or something like that.

Only a vet who has examined the horse can tell you if it will be sound or not.

Answer 4

VET< VET< VET. You need to contact a VET. Yes many fractures can be healed but proper attention must be used. Call a VET.

http://www.saferhorseracing.com/gpage5.h...

http://www.saferhorseracing.com/gpage17....

Answer 5

So , you where able to talk to the owner ?

So you know for a fact thats when he fractured his ankle ? And you believe them ?

So Before I go any farther with this, I would like you to get x rays A.S.A.P.

Keep him in small space ,

DO NOT give any meds. until the vet gets there,or unless you talk to him first , some X rays will not come out clear if to much swelling is around, , Pay for a emerancey call to him, , Give good hay No grain,

9 no grain is because you want him to be very quite, Not to injure the leg any worse, I could tell you to get a "gel set bandage, But from hearing what I do from you , You will not know how to put it on right.    

Now when The vet gets there, you will find out everything you need to know

See we really can not say much ,because this is all hear say ,

He might have broke a sesimoid bone, and If he was really any good ,even as a gelding They could have waited a simple Yr for him to heal ,

I think your in a lot deeper then you think,

Not any one I know at Auctions are going to tell you the truth,

Any way By the time it took you to write this You could have already found the answer from your Vet,,

Good luck Babe

  

Answer 6

Horses can recover from some small fractures.  Unfortunately, if he was going to recover on his own, he'd probably be further along by now.  Surgery is an option, but best done right away, not 4 months later.

He should be getting bute for the pain, inflammation, and swelling.

He should be seen by a vet right away.  He may have something else wrong with that ankle that can be fixed, or it's possible with support and rest it can be helped, or it's possible surgery can help.  You'll never know until you have it xrayed and checked.

Leaving it as it is without seeing a vet is neglect, and I know you don't want that!!  If you rescued the horse from slaughter, you obviously care.  So get a vet out.