There are a variety of home cures or treatments you can use for your senior horse companion if he is having a lot of discomfort and inflammation with his metastatic inflammation. And a few of them can be done at the same time. The thing to bear in mind is that your horse is an individual and may not take too kindly to some treatments, and be just fine with others. Treat them accordingly and go along with the flow.
If his joints are truly swollen and distressing and the Vet has suggested he be confined for a 24 hour or longer period, either employ a box stall with lots of cushy hay or a little turn out pen with masses of soft grass underfoot. If your horse is herd sour and pitches a fit when out of the way of its buddy, put the mate somewhere close. The last thing you want is your sore horse to be fretting and pacing more attempting to find his mate.
You can try using a flexible ice pack or even a bag of frozen peas tucked in a towel on the swollen joint for 5 minutes. Remove for 15 minutes, repeat 3 times in a row. If you can wrap the joint, then try a standing bandage to help cut back swelling and inflammation. You can try Neo-Ice Equine bandages or an ice gel that provides deep penetrating action to help reduce edema and inflammation.
Since he'll just get as stiff as all get out if left standing in a stall, take him out twice per day and hand walk him. Remove his bandage first then walk for approximately 15 minutes to get limber. When you take him back to his stall or pen, rewrap the bandage. Every day gradually increase his exercise. You will need to do this about 4 times per day as he moves on and then also reduce the length of time he's to be confined to about half of the original period of time.
You'll be doing controlled exercises like hand-walking, ponying at a walk or slow trot or riding at a walk or slow run. These all rely on what condition your senior is in, so use your discretion. If the swelling returns, you need to slow down.
If there is no swelling an hour after the exercise session (s) you should be able to turn your senior back out into this regular pasture and then slowly get into a straightforward exercise programme. If however there's swelling, you are going to need to call your Veterinarian to re-evaluate the situation.
If his joints are truly swollen and distressing and the Vet has suggested he be confined for a 24 hour or longer period, either employ a box stall with lots of cushy hay or a little turn out pen with masses of soft grass underfoot. If your horse is herd sour and pitches a fit when out of the way of its buddy, put the mate somewhere close. The last thing you want is your sore horse to be fretting and pacing more attempting to find his mate.
You can try using a flexible ice pack or even a bag of frozen peas tucked in a towel on the swollen joint for 5 minutes. Remove for 15 minutes, repeat 3 times in a row. If you can wrap the joint, then try a standing bandage to help cut back swelling and inflammation. You can try Neo-Ice Equine bandages or an ice gel that provides deep penetrating action to help reduce edema and inflammation.
Since he'll just get as stiff as all get out if left standing in a stall, take him out twice per day and hand walk him. Remove his bandage first then walk for approximately 15 minutes to get limber. When you take him back to his stall or pen, rewrap the bandage. Every day gradually increase his exercise. You will need to do this about 4 times per day as he moves on and then also reduce the length of time he's to be confined to about half of the original period of time.
You'll be doing controlled exercises like hand-walking, ponying at a walk or slow trot or riding at a walk or slow run. These all rely on what condition your senior is in, so use your discretion. If the swelling returns, you need to slow down.
If there is no swelling an hour after the exercise session (s) you should be able to turn your senior back out into this regular pasture and then slowly get into a straightforward exercise programme. If however there's swelling, you are going to need to call your Veterinarian to re-evaluate the situation.
About the Author:
Harriet Harman is a horse fan and newshound on horse betting systems, including popular manuals and software such as Follower Shadow.
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