Hunting emergencies
catherine.austen@futurenet.com
THE unpredictable demands of hunting can unfortunately result in injury to both horse and rider, so knowing the risks and how to deal with situations when they arise will put you in a better position should the worst happen.
Three Counties Equine Hospital vet Andrew Harrison MRCVS outlines the most common horse injuries and how to deal with them.
Horse emergencies
BLACKTHORNS
JUMPING hedges can result in blackthorns penetrating joints and tendon sheaths.
ACTION: if you have had a big jumping day, always thoroughly check joints after hunting, particularly the knees, for thorns. Often you can easily pull them out, but if a thorn is stuck in, don’t try to remove it as it might break – the tip then breaks off and remains in the joint (or tendon sheath). Even after removal, if you suspect that the joint has been penetrated, it will need immediate veterinary intervention.
Quite commonly, horses with blackthorns will pull up sound from hunting
