However careful you are, horses will be horses and do the unexpected.
This is the message from the owner of a pony who had a 7mm blackthorn embedded deep in his leg for a year while showing no signs of wounding or discomfort.
Nariece Acworth noticed a small, non-painful lump on New Forest Trenley Tamarillo’s hind fetlock last May, but the thorn was not found for another year.
Vet Kirsten Broadley, from Seadown Veterinary Hospital, explained that “Fergus” was on restricted pen turnout as he recovered from a soft tissue injury in his right hindleg.
“Between assessments, the lump appeared at the back of his left hind fetlock; there was no wound, discharge or pain associated with it,” she said. “We scanned the leg and were surprised to see the level of soft tissue disruption because he was so comfortable. There was no sign at this point of a foreign body or tract from the skin.
“We discussed the possibility of a thorn or piece of wound causing the damage but agreed it was highly unlikely, as Fergus did not have any access to brambles or blackthorn.”
Nariece Acworth noticed a small, non-painful lump on New Forest Trenley Tamarillo’s hind fetlock last May, but the thorn was not found for another year.
Vet Kirsten Broadley, from Seadown Veterinary Hospital, explained that “Fergus” was on restricted pen turnout as he recovered from a soft tissue injury in his right hindleg.
“Between assessments, the lump appeared at the back of his left hind fetlock; there was no wound, discharge or pain associated with it,” she said. “We scanned the leg and were surprised to see the level of soft tissue disruption because he was so comfortable. There was no sign at this point of a foreign body or tract from the skin.
“We discussed the possibility of a thorn or piece of wound causing the damage but agreed it was highly unlikely, as Fergus did not have any access to brambles or blackthorn.”
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