Stocking up for no apparent reason?

[BigMama1]

Anyone have this before? My horse has been noticeably stocked up in the hind legs this week. No heat, no cuts, no temp, seems sound and happy and the swelling goes down with work. Tonight my BO just texted to say he’s stocked up in all 4. Again ninfever, eating and drinking normally and seems alert and happy. Only thing she can see is a bit of thrush in one of his hind feet, which we’ve been battling off and on during a very wet summer.

Only other change is that it’s been unusually hot here the past 2 days, temps in the 90s plus very humid. Could that cause some stocking up?

[Angela_Freda]

Definitely could be the heat

[BigMama1]

@Angela Freda

Definitely could be the heat

Thanks, that makes me feel better. With no fever I’m inclined not to panic, but at the same time it worries me. All four legs is unusual for him but oddly reassuring - he had a bout of lymphangitis a few years ago so I’m always uneasy if he looks stocky in one leg.

[JB]

@BigMama1

Only other change is that it’s been unusually hot here the past 2 days, temps in the 90s plus very humid. Could that cause some stocking up?

Yes, this can absolutely cause it for some horses. Even just a sudden spike in humidity can cause it. Combine it with heat, which often means less movement, and this time of year, often more stomping, and yep.

FWIW, a sudden sloppy mud can bring it on too, as some horses will be a lot more sedentary rather than slogging through it.

[RedHorses]

It’s probably not directly the heat, but the heat could be making him move around much less than he normally would.

My QH played Fat Leg Roulette with me one fall. His hind legs stocked up and would randomly go down for a day. I tried various treatments that would seem to work one day, but not another. I had the vet out, blood work done and in the end she suggested it was an allergic reaction to something and I gave him the maximum antihistamine dose every day for a week. His legs went down to normal and that was the end of Fat Leg Roulette.

[BigMama1]

Swelling up is his go-to reaction to most things so I haven’t been overly concerned about the hind legs being full lately. A quick look on older COTH threads tells me this isn’t uncommon in heat, especially in chestnuts. One leg is apparently swollen up above the hock now though, which is concerning, but temp is still normal.

Woild you give a dose of bute just to keep the swelling under control for the night?

[JB]

If he’s stalled at night, I’d wrap before using bute. If it’s just normal stocking up, more or less, I wouldn’t bute. If it’s getting to be dramatic, I might.

[alterhorse]

The first thing I do is look to see if the sheath (or teats) has (have) any edema in it, or in the ventral midline (the area down the middle of the horse’s belly), as that can be a sign of something that may require a vet’s attention.

Otherwise I agree with the heat and allergy theories that others have posted.

If the horse is not allergic to iodine, and this were my horse, I’d put him in the wash stall and wash both his hind legs down with iodine scrub, let it sit for a minute, and rinse, then dry well. Iodine scrub can neutralize allergens that the horse may have gotten on his legs. It can also help fend off any skin infections that may be in the beginning stages.

Some horses will stock up at the beginning stage of a scratches infection, scratches will usually start in only one leg, but it can start in both.

Also be on the watch for celulitus.

But I think the bilateral nature of having it in both legs makes it more likely to be plain ol stocking up (so long as there’s no associated ventral edema).

As long as it continues to go away with exercize, it’s probably nothing to be overly concerned about.

[Angela_Freda]

I think horses who have had cellulitis/lymphangitis are candidates for being sensitive to almost all the things that might make their legs swell, including heat [and the lack of movement due to the temp] going forwards.

Honestly I would be proactive about standing wraps when I knew that he would be in [ie turnout was restricted], it was going to be hot and humid under the ‘why not’ category. I would probably also cold hose cause it also ‘can’t hurt’.

[BigMama1]

Thanks everyone. Temp normal this morning, front legs stocky, rear legs enormous. Put him in round pen to free lunge for 20 mins - bucking, farting and galloping LOL. Sound and clearly feeling fine. Legs down marginally after that but not a lot. Tacked up and rode at the walk for another 30 mins, legs almost normal after that. Phew! Definitely chalking it up to the heat. He will get turned out for a couple of hours today and I’m going back to walk him again tonight.

to wrap or not to wrap? I see a lot of different opinions on the topic, all from credible sources.

[beau159]

If the horse is stalled at night, I would wrap.

If it is possible to leave the horse on turn out, the extra movement will help.

I would not give the horse bute.

[impressive-92]

Something strange that I’ve noticed with my very old senior is that he stocks up more than usual about a week before he is due to have his feet done. My farrier and I think it’s because since his toes are a bit longer, it’s just slightly changing how hes standing and causing more fluid build up. The boy I’m talking about is 25, so it may just be a weird phenomenon with him, who knows lol!

[goodhors]

If horse is eating more salt than normal, he might be retaining extra water, which shows as being stocked up. Mine are like beavers, going thru white salt blocks, 4# size in stalls very quickly right now. None are stocking up, but all are turned out at least 12 hours at night right now. Salt consumption here seems to go in cycles, from almost none, to heavy chewing on their blocks. This is in addition to each getting a tablespoon of granulated salt in their grain daily. Just an idea for you.

Mine are all bay horses, only two short socks behind, in the whole bunch. Never any trouble with those white feet and legs.

[BigMama1]

@goodhors

If horse is eating more salt than normal, he might be retaining extra water, which shows as being stocked up. Mine are like beavers, going thru white salt blocks, 4# size in stalls very quickly right now. None are stocking up, but all are turned out at least 12 hours at night right now. Salt consumption here seems to go in cycles, from almost none, to heavy chewing on their blocks. This is in addition to each getting a tablespoon of granulated salt in their grain daily. Just an idea for you.

Mine are all bay horses, only two short socks behind, in the whole bunch. Never any trouble with those white feet and legs.

BO has been adding extra salt to the feed in this heat so that is a possibility. My horse doesn’t get salt blocks anymore - he goes through one in about 3 days. It’s like an obsession for him!

[Angela_Freda]

@BigMama1

Thanks everyone. Temp normal this morning, front legs stocky, rear legs enormous. Put him in round pen to free lunge for 20 mins - bucking, farting and galloping LOL. Sound and clearly feeling fine. Legs down marginally after that but not a lot. Tacked up and rode at the walk for another 30 mins, legs almost normal after that. Phew! Definitely chalking it up to the heat. He will get turned out for a couple of hours today and I’m going back to walk him again tonight.

to wrap or not to wrap? I see a lot of different opinions on the topic, all from credible sources.

Yo used to stall walk in the a.m.to go out, so he was usually first to go out.
When he had the cellulitis/lymphangitis, I asked the workers to take him out last… that leg would already be down by the time he went out from the stall walking.

[candyappy]

@BigMama1

Thanks everyone. Temp normal this morning, front legs stocky, rear legs enormous. Put him in round pen to free lunge for 20 mins - bucking, farting and galloping LOL. Sound and clearly feeling fine. Legs down marginally after that but not a lot. Tacked up and rode at the walk for another 30 mins, legs almost normal after that. Phew! Definitely chalking it up to the heat. He will get turned out for a couple of hours today and I’m going back to walk him again tonight.

to wrap or not to wrap? I see a lot of different opinions on the topic, all from credible sources.

Maybe he needs a change of living conditions? 24/7 out with a shelter?

[allons-y]

2 big flakes of alfalfa, instead of one, stocks up my OTTB. I’ve learned to add a different mix, grass plus alfalfa flake to one alfalfa flake.

[sisu27]

My horse that stocks up appears to have stopped completely now that he is getting MSM. It is a cheap experiment.

I would be hosing and moving and turning out as much as possible.

[BigMama1]

24/7 turnout is not possible where he’s at, but he’s been getting double turnout shifts. Plus being ridden and handwalked daily. The heatwave broke yesterday and his legs were already almost back to normal by mid afternoon.

I think it’s something to do with it being so unusually hot in late September, because we certainly have this kind of heat and humidity during July and August and it doesn’t seem to be a problem. Temps for the next two weeks are now back to 60s and 70s instead of 90s, so I think we’re all good

[thebp]

Someone mentioned to check the sheath for swelling as that could be a cause for concern…can anyone expand on that as to why in relation to their legs being stocked up, their sheath would also swell? I have recently noticed this in my older horse and while a call to the vet didn’t sound so alarming, curious if anyone has experience and what the outcome was.