Because horses can not stay off their feet for long periods, broken bones do not have a chance to heal, and so often sadly the kindest way to help a horse with a broken limb is to put it down.
Horses do not handle surgery well, as they tend to be disoriented when coming out of anesthesia, and they may fight casts or slings, possibly causing further injury. Many are euthanized in order to save the owners further veterinary fees and other expenses for horses who will never race again.
The horse is usually placed under general anesthesia to perform the adjustment, and specialized equipment might be required to pull large bones into position. Once the bone fragments are properly aligned, they're fixed in position with casts, pins, screws or plates until the fracture heals.
"If there was a fracture there, there's all the tendons, the nerves and the blood vessels that a sharp edge of bone could cut. So, down the rest of the leg, there's no blood supply to it, so the tissue may die, let alone having enough blood supply to heal."
With all the advancements in modern veterinary medicine, fractures are no longer death sentences for horses. Veterinarians can repair and rehab many limb fractures, and the horse might even be able to return to work.
Horses have recovered from fractures such as these, but they are usually too injured to return to racing and often become breeding animals. This type of injury holds a 10-20% survival rate. Infection can develop with a closed fracture as well.
Equine leg amputation can be done successfully.
Most people don't realize that a horse can survive on three legs with a prosthetic limb but Dr. Grant does. One of his first amputees was Boitron, a TB who had a hauling accident that required a hind limb to be amputated.
Breaking a horse is cruel when the trainer or rider is using methods that cause the horse great pain or severe anxiety. Breaking a horse is not cruel when the trainer uses methods of pressure and release instead of pain and pushing the horse out of their comfort zone but not causing severe anxiety.
From a physiologic perspective, horses are enormous animals. Their bodies simply can't tolerate the pressure exerted when laying down for more extended periods. The pressure cuts off blood flow to tissue, muscle, and organs, which leads to severe damage.
At its worst, lameness can even lead to death, with more than 7% of equine deaths linked to becoming lame. Associated health issues and pain may result in horses having to be euthanized for humane reasons.
Mechanically, thinner legs are more efficient which means that, relative to their size, horses have thin legs and therefore fragile ones too. If you combine this with the fact that they are extremely flighty (their first instinct is to run away) then you have a perfect recipe for broken legs.
Treatment options for complete tibial fractures in adult horses are limited, but with careful case selection, successful outcomes have been reported after open reduction and internal fixation.
Fractures of the third trochanter have a good prognosis with time and rest. For full fractures of the femur, the prognosis is poor for return to athletic soundness. Generally, the larger the horse, the poorer the prospects for repair.
Before lethal injection, many veterinarians will sedate the horse, while others may lay the horse down using general anesthesia. This method of euthanasia is fast, pain-free and usually less emotionally traumatic to the owner than other methods.
Horse slaughter is the way by which irresponsible people get rid of their unwanted horses quickly and for a profit. Every year, tens of thousands of equines from the United States are slaughtered for human consumption to satisfy the taste for horse meat in Europe and Japan where it is considered a delicacy.
They grieve and, "As far as we can tell at this point, they come to some realization of death," Crowell-Davis says. But any time a horse dies, it is recommended that other horses that may have been close to the deceased horse be allowed to spend time near it.
Most horses seem to enjoy companionship and attention from their riders, but some may find being ridden uncomfortable and even scary. It is up to the individual horse to decide whether they like it. There are things you can do as a rider to help your horse feel more comfortable while being ridden.
Regardless of the reason, a horse that can't get on its feet presents a serious situation. Horses that lie down for extended periods—many hours or a few days—are at increased risk for complications such as pressure sores, colic, and pneumonia.
Horses are polyphasic sleepers which means they have multiple periods of sleep throughout the day, with the majority occurring at night. Sleep patterns are based on the horse's environment, social hierarchy, age, feeding, and familiarity with surroundings.
Horses forgive, but do not forget. They especially remember bad situations! Horses can also hold negative memories of a person when they've experienced abuse or trauma. These experiences can be very challenging to overcome.
Never approach a horse until he is standing with his head toward you. As you approach a stall, speak to the horse, so the horse knows that a person is near and is not startled. A startled horse will want to flee and run away as this is their natural instinct.
One of the primary challenges of equine prosthetics is the sheer weight of the animal for which the prosthetic must hold. The average adult horse weighs 1,000 pounds. Due to weight distribution during movement, this would require a prosthetic to be able to bear up to 4,000 pounds.
The saddle, bridle and reins will likely not require any adaptations for leg amputees. If stability and balance are a concern, especially when first starting out, rolled leather hand holds can be attached to the front of the saddle. Riding with an artificial limb helps with balance and security.
A horse that has fractured a leg will be in obvious distress. It will not want to bear weight on the leg and there will be swelling. 2 The leg may appear to be crooked, or a bone may even appear to protrude through the skin. As soon as possible, have a veterinarian examine the horse.