Injury at the Trainers

[backinthesaddle8290]

I noticed a major injury on my horse’s face today. It looks like there was some trauma above the eye. When going back through photos and history, it has become clear that It happened while he was at my trainers at least 2 weeks ago. I noticed it when I had him home for a few days for a break this week. I see him twice a week while he is in training and did not notice it until he was home. My trainer also did not notice it while he was in her care. He seems to be acting normal but I am concerned that a major injury happened and it was not noticed. I have an appointment for the vet asap.

How would you deal with this situation if you noticed a potential serious injury that was missed while your horse was in your trainer’s care?

[SuzieQNutter]

That is a hard one seeing as you saw him at the trainers and did not notice it either.

[Foxglove]

We have had a horses injured while at the trainers’. In most cases, the trainer delt with the initial injury, then called us and we either brought the horse home (if he could not continue at the trainers’) or went in person to the trainers’ and talked with the vet --unless it was minor. The three that come to mind is our 3-Day horse received a rather large cut (superficial, but 3" or so) above his knee. Nothing was said to us --but we certainly saw it when the kid went for a lesson --it was noticeable although a week old. The trainer said, “oh, I didn’t see it!” Possible, except the horse was WHITE and this clearly had bled profusely. It was on the off side, but that she had not “walked around” the horse in a week’s time was concerning. Horse was not lame and cut was, as I said, superficial. Kid and I discussed and we brought the horse home. Trainer had been unsatisfactory in other ways, so easy decision (she had used a pix of DD on her website and implied it was she taking a huge CC fence when it was my daughter up --stuff like that). Second time same horse, different trainer, bowed for no reason at the trainers --but horse had a previous bowed tendon in a separate leg --and ultimately bowed in all four legs in the 20 years we had him --we brought horse home, cared for him, and took him back to the same trainer the next year. Third time my granddaughter’s horse went lame at the trainer’s (different trainer --she rode western). Trainer called immediately then treated for a week with little improvement, suggested we take the horse home. Horse was arthritic --we knew that–and we did what we could for him to keep him going the 10 years he was in 4-H. Trainer applied unused $$ to lessons —we got the horse sound and he finished 4-H with grand daughter.

[S1969]

@backinthesaddle8290

I noticed a major injury on my horse’s face today. It looks like there was some trauma above the eye. When going back through photos and history, it has become clear that It happened while he was at my trainers at least 2 weeks ago

We must define “major injury” differently.

I would describe that as an injury that required immediate vet attention.

If you have to look back at photos to figure out when it happened, it can’t be that “major” - what is it?

[Feathered_Feet]

Agreed - if neither the trainer nor the owner noticed it, can’t be all that major!

[RhythmNCruise]

I’m confused.
Pictures?

[fivestrideline]

If I’m reading this correctly, it sounds like you OP were at the trainer’s to see the horse before bringing him home and didn’t notice the injury. That means there’s nothing to be done besides just caring for it normally. Especially due to the location on the face, I’d have to say this must not be a “major” injury - a “major” injury is a “call the vet right now” injury IMO. Pictures might help clarify this for us internet strangers though.

To answer the last question of WWYD, I’ve definitely had barn owners/staff not notice major injuries - twisted shoes, punctures I could fit a finger through, 4/5 limps, massive swelling/bleeding/etc. People get into a groove, are exhausted or distracted or plain uneducated. In such a situation, I’ve moved my horse, or made it a point to go out daily and check on him. If I find a “major injury” not noticed by the trainer/BO/what have you, and it is clear it didn’t just happen when no one was around to see it, I move the horse. I don’t really think there is anything else one CAN do, unless it’s rock solid abuse/neglect and would hold up in court.

[trubandloki]

@backinthesaddle8290

I noticed a major injury on my horse’s face today. It looks like there was some trauma above the eye. When going back through photos and history, it has become clear that It happened while he was at my trainers at least 2 weeks ago. I noticed it when I had him home for a few days for a break this week. I see him twice a week while he is in training and did not notice it until he was home. My trainer also did not notice it while he was in her care. He seems to be acting normal but I am concerned that a major injury happened and it was not noticed. I have an appointment for the vet asap.

How would you deal with this situation if you noticed a potential serious injury that was missed while your horse was in your trainer’s care?

In the case of what you describe, it sounds like it was not noticeable, since you picked up the horse and you did not see the injury until the horse had been home for a few days.
So, I would not be upset with the trainer, because it clearly was either not there then, or was not visible to anyone.

It also sounds like your trainer was very willing to talk with you about whatever it is that you found.

Generally speaking I consider horse injuries as a standard horse thing. Horses get up every day trying to find a way to kill themselves. They seem to find ways to get injuries in the safest location.

[atr]

I think the vast majority of horse owners have a had a ding of some kind on a horse that hasn’t become obvious until it “ripened” a bit. Heck, I’m dealing with a stupid minor puncture wound on a fetlock that neither I nor his meticulous groom or trainer noticed when it must have happened, but a day or so later popped out in ugliness.

If it’ is a laceration of some sort, sometimes they do take a couple of days to become apparent. Bear in mind he could have done it on the trailer, too.

The good thing about facial cuts is that they usually heal really fast and really tidily.