Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Wind Puff?

I head out to the ranch today to check on my Roxy horse, and to teach my favorite lesson. I do stalls, turn out my mustang- whom is in so much trouble right now, and then I go to look at Roxy. She's still lame, in her stifle, and the lump is still there on her cannon. So my trainer/BO says that Roxy's lump is probably a wind puff. I am so sad for my sweet Roxy horse (notice how she's 'sweet' only when she's hurt?). I don't know much about wind puffs, so I did some googling and some asking around. The internet pretty much just told me that a wind puff is fluid in the fetlock joint causing it to be squishy and puffy- not what Roxy has. She has a hard lump on her cannon bone, from an injury with my mustang.
The lump in question.

I think that there must be other types of wind puffs though- because my BO is so good. If she says that's what it is I'm guessing there is a 80% chance that is what it is. The vet is already coming on the 8th to give shots, and do checks. Roxy has lumps in her back again from her condition, but they aren't bad. I would try to snap a picture, but they wouldn't show up. In fact- no one except for me can even see them, you can feel them much easier. Back to the lump!

I am just so sad that this happened to her. My boyfriend tried to go with the perspective that it's a 'battle scar' but it's my Roxy, and I hurt her! As much as I would never again want another Roxy, I love this one. She's just 10 years old, and if it's a wind puff it will never go away. My BO says that it won't affect her soundness, but it'll be there forever. I guess I just have to wait for the vet and see what he says.

Oh did I mention Dolly is also lame? Her club foot is so bad that she needs shoes. Ughhh I like my horses barefoot.

I am sad for my little herd! Dolly needs shoes, and is so lame I can't even turn her out, or hand walk her. Roxy has a wind puff, and is lame in her stifle (I even gave her bute today). And Gideon is in the dog house for all of the ruckus that he has caused.

Not to mention I'm getting burnt out from work. I think I need a vacation stat! Maybe I'll talky my mom into an overnight horsecamp- that would be loads of fun, and it is much overdue for us both.

Please guys! What do you know about wind puffs? I need to gather up as much knowledge as humanly possible.

1 comment:

  1. I have never seen a wind puff on a cannon bone. You can feel wind puffs as soft swellings at the back the fetlocks. They can shrink, but may be permanent in horses that frequently gallop or work very hard (running, jumping, hills). Fluid is trapped in the tendon sheath, which enlarges the space making it possible for the puffs to reappear or remain during intense conditioning. As far as I know, they are only a blemish and do not cause lameness.

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