Should I worry?

[adelmo95]

I have a two year old warmblood who has always had exceptionally clean legs. The past few days one leg has stocked up a bit, not around a joint and it is not huge but it is thicker than the other one. I have poked and prodded it and there is no heat (however it is freezing where he is living…) there isn’t any noticeable scrape, he is not sensitive and is 100% sound on the leg. Just to be sure he was sound I lightly lunged him for 5 min on a big trot circle and he was definitely sound, and some of the filling went down with movement.

Should I be worried since it is just the one leg stocked up? Or should I just trust that it is likely due to the fact that it has been freezing (down to -49 with windchill some days) so he hasn’t likely moved much other than to walk from his shelter to the round bale and back to the shelter when he is done eating… I think I would be less worried if it was both hind legs but it is driving me crazy that it is just the one.

I would appreciate those with lots of young horse experience weighing in on when they would worry about one of their youngsters.

Thanks

[xsalute]

Is it a front or back leg? No advice just curious

[rodawn]

More to the point, if YOU are concerned, then peace of mind could come from a vet having a look-see.

[Halt_Near_X]

Horses can stock up in one leg, so that may be all that is happening here.

However, if this is the first time it happened and you aren’t 100% sure that is all that is going on, at least call your vet and get a phone consult for peace of mind.

[adelmo95]

Thanks for the replies it is a hind leg. If it doesn’t start to improve in the next couple of days I will likely call the vet for the piece of mind. However I was curious to hear other’s experience in the matter. This is my first youngster so I was hoping to not see any puffy legs. I got used to my old hanoverian’s leg balooning with every little knick and scratch but was really hoping this guy would be tougher (and I can’t find any marks on the leg…)

[RuBee]

I own a 2 yo warmblood. Last fall, she stocked up in one hind. Similar to yours, there was no heat or lameness. Since she was sound, we did not call vet right away. It subsided on it’s own in a few days and no problems since. I don’t have much young horse experience, but thought I’d share anyway.

[rosebudranch]

My yearling stocks up when it gets real muddy,sometimes just hind legs, sometimes just one, sometimes all four… never heat never off… I assume it is from the bacteria and her grey legs, so I keep her legs clipped and try to keep her as mud free as possible… considering she lives outside 24/7 in VA… its a feat.

[Irish_Love]

don’t laugh…but my first thought was abscess perhaps? Not sure about in youngsters, but one leg, no heat, odd weather- just a thought. My old man just had one pop out presumably because of our 10 days of straight rain :concern: Good luck!

[RedmondDressage]

[QUOTE=Irish_Love;7317449]
don’t laugh…but my first thought was abscess perhaps? Not sure about in youngsters, but one leg, no heat, odd weather- just a thought. My old man just had one pop out presumably because of our 10 days of straight rain :concern: Good luck![/QUOTE]

I thought the same thing. Last spring I came out to find my 2 year old with a very stocked up hind leg. Just one, no heat, and no lameness. Unlike yours his leg was significantly swollen so of course I had a mini-freak out. Vet came out first thing the next morning and dug a big ol’ abscess out - it was in there good and deep. I’ve also had them abscess with no swelling and just a little swelling, so it could be a possibility.

If nothing happens and he is sound I’d say he probably just slipped or tweaked something on the ice.

[adelmo95]

Hi everyone thank you for the replies, they helped keep my stress levels in check. When I went out to see him yesterday his leg was back to normal, so although I still do not know the exact cause of the stocking up it has now disappeared and he seems none the worse for wear.