Reconsider Blankets in the Field

Horses are great at finding ways to cause trouble, especially in ways we don’t expect them to. My friend’s horse, Splash, got herself tangled up in a very bad situation while out in the field. She was found down on the ground with her back hoof wrapped in another horse’s blanket. We assume she kicked at the other horse and her back leg got caught in the blanket straps. It looked like she had been drug in circles by the other horse based on the tracks in the snow. Horses are flight animals and they were probably trying to get away from each other for a while before both realized they were stuck. The blanket got tightly wrapped around Splash’s hoof and ankle three times due to being drug. My friend was not home at the time, but a neighbor with horse experience saw the dilemma and cut the blanket to get Splash free. She was able to get Splash up before my friend returned home soon after.

It was quite a scare. My friend thought Splash’s back ankle may have been broken at first. It was swelled up to twice the size of what it should be. She was able to lead Splash back to her stall while waiting on the vet to come. The walk back to the barn was slow. Splash had to walk up a hill in the snow because of where she was in the paddock. She had to stop after about five steps, wait, and start again. Thankfully, the vet didn’t find any tears, pulls, or breaks, and Splash was allowed to turn out the next day. The vet said stall rest was not needed.

All the blankets came off the horses. They will no longer be turned out with them. This accident certainly isn’t one many people would think of happening. A blanket doesn’t seem like it would be dangerous at all, its only purpose is to help keep horses warm. After a scare like this, you may want to think twice before you turn your horses out in the field with blankets. Splash got off lucky, but this incident could have ended very badly. We are glad she is okay, and hope that no one else ever has a problem like this.

Splash the day after the accident. She was able to walk just fine, but was lame when she tried to trot in the field. Needless to say, she quickly went back to walking. Thankfully she will heal up and be perfectly okay!