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  Discussion on Racehorse with Warm Legs
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Member:
Julesfav

Posted on Sunday, Jun 8, 2003 - 6:46 am:

I bought 3 year old TB last september. He'd had a few races at 2 yr., lightly raced at 3 yr. Could tell by lighter hair front of front legs that he has been blistered as 2 yr. Legs when we bought him were at all times very cold & dry.We mostly tried to build him up, gave him 2 more races last year & 4 so far this year. During januari very bad colic which set him back a bit. He is on good quality feed supplemented with minerals / vitamines/ glucosamine/chonDrOitin mix & blue chip. Every 6 months shot if adequan.For the last 2 months his legs are warmer than normal. Not very warm, if his legs hadn't allways been so very cold I wouldn't worry about it. There's also sometimes some filling in joints, not a lot and it's gone after exercise. He never gives the impression that he is in any discomfort. He is very fresh and allways willing to go. Lovely thin & shiny coat. So far his muscles, although they have develloped since last september, have not come out as much as I expected. I've seen plenty of arthritis in racehorses, but I don't think that's the case with him. Could he just be growing & develloping more bone? At the moment I'm working from that assumption and taking care not to work & race him very hard.
Els
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jun 8, 2003 - 8:57 am:

What part of the legs are getting warm Els? Many acute and even catastrophic racehorse breakdowns are caused by accumulated small injuries.
DrO
Member:
Julesfav

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 2:08 pm:

From the front-knees down, the cannonbone & fetlock are warm. Not very, in any other horse I would probably consider it normal, but in this one they used to be ice-cold. Fetlocks both front & back are sometimes filled, not much, and not after fast work or race. Sometimes small warm spot on outside front-fetlocks, sometimes one, not allways same, sometimes both. As you can imagine, I feel them very regularly, he never gives any signs of pain. Also never any kind of irregularity when walking or training, doesn't favour left or right when working.
Member:
Julesfav

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 2:11 pm:

in addition to last message: knees are never filles or warm.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 12, 2003 - 7:04 am:

See the article on Bucked Shins (» Equine Diseases » Lameness » Diseases of the Lower Limb » Bucked Shins in Horses) on assessing this problem.
DrO
Member:
Julesfav

Posted on Thursday, Jun 12, 2003 - 7:49 am:

Thanks for your very quick reactions. Read article & forum on bucked shins. I don't think this has anything to do with it, however. After over 30 years with racehorses I'm well acquainted with this phenomenon. Completely agree with what I read both on prevention & treatment, and on the opinions on pinfiring. This horse certainly suffered from bucked shins as 2 yr. and was pinfired. It was the first thing I noticed when I looked him over before buying him, last september. Naturally I checked shins, completely cold, no bumps, absolutely no sign of pain, even when you rub them quite hard. Only way to tell he has been fired is discolouration of hairs.Shins have never been sensitive since & no heat in cannonbone, neither front nor back, ever. It is just evenly warmer all around than it used to be untill about 2 months ago.
He is not ridden out every day, some days just lounged & walked. Ridden out in the dunes several days, walking, trotting & slow canter. Once or twice weekly fast galop on training track. First warming up walking & trotting, then building up canter about 1 mile, than fast about 1/2 to 3/4 mile. Besides this out in paddock with pony about 2 - 3 times a week.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 12, 2003 - 10:35 pm:

I am confused Els, you say in the last post there is no heat in the cannon bone which contradicts your earlier statement on June 11th.
DrO
Member:
Julesfav

Posted on Friday, Jun 13, 2003 - 2:35 am:

Sorry about the confusion. Front legs, cannon bone & fetlocks, are warm. But: not really hot, what I mean is, they are an even temperature, and a temperature which in many horses would be completely normal and wouldn't concern me at all. In this horse however, it is a change from the way they were before. This horse used to have unusually cold & very dry cannons & fetlocks. I mean, if your own feet were that cold, you'd probably be uncomfortable and put on some warm socks.
Plus: sometimes the fetlocks are filled and there is a warmer spot on the outside of the joint. But not all the time, sometimes on one side - not allways same - sometimes on both sides. He may have some filling & warmth before work or race, and then afterwards it's gone.
All this is the reason I was wondering if it could be something to do with growing, developement. I think he might be in the proces of growing, he is already a good size & "bulk", but he looks to me like a horse that will eventually become quite a bit heavier. TB's are supposed to be "precocious", but in my experience they grow & develope untill 5 or 6 yrs., just like other breeds.
I think he didn't get very good training at former owner, and perhabs he is soort of catching up nwo?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jun 13, 2003 - 6:18 am:

Maybe the cold was the abnormal and now this is normal (?), but keep in mind although he has already bucked once, the long lay off at the beginning of the year, makes him prone to a second episode. Other than skin disease there is little other reason for the cannon bones to warm up on the front of the legs.
DrO
Member:
Julesfav

Posted on Friday, Jun 13, 2003 - 8:46 am:

Thanks, and if I find out anything more about this I'll be in touch.
Els
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