Is pin firing illegal in the UK?

But others, who have seen horses’ legs ‘baloon’ for several days following ‘firing’, say the practice is barbaric and archaic. This practice is banned in Britain and most of Europe but is still used in Ireland to the extent that English horse owners are sending their animals here to get the procedure done legally.

Why do they pin firing horses?

Pin firing, also known as thermocautery, is the treatment of an injury to a horse’s leg, by burning, freezing, or dousing it with acid or caustic chemicals. This is supposed to induce a counter-irritation and speed and/or improve healing. This treatment is used more often on racehorses than on other performance horses.

Do they still pin fire horses?

Pin Firing is not used frequently today, and has been (somewhat) replaced by freeze firing, a similar procedure using liquid nitrogen instead of a hot iron. Pin firing still has its practitioners though, especially at various racetracks. In most cases today, your vet will not suggest a treatment like pin firing.

What does it mean if a horse has been fired?

There can be no more contentious issue in the veterinary world than thermocautery or, as it is more commonly known, firing. The iron will either be used to burn lines around the leg (known as line or bar firing) or punched into the leg to actually penetrate the tendon itself (pin firing) pictured above.

What is bar firing?

It is a process often (although less common than it used to be) used to treat racehorses who have injured their tendons. It involves heating metal pins or bars (hence pin firing or bar firing) until they are white hot and scorching the legs with them. It is always done in pairs and is most common in the front legs.

Can you get rid of splints in horses?

Treatment typically includes rest, cryotherapy (ice/cold hosing), and supportive wraps. Your veterinarian might recommend topical treatment with anti-inflammatory products, such as Surpass (diclofenac sodium), or applying a sweat wrap to the leg to reduce inflammation and swelling.

Do horse splints disappear?

This is the splint, which will reduce in size over time, but is unlikely to disappear. These splints occur most typically on the inside of the forelimb, or on the outside of the hind limb in young, immature horses in work.

What are bucked shins?

Bucked shins refers to tiny stress fractures in the front of the cannon bones. Treatment for splints and bucked shins often consists of rest and anti-inflammatory drugs. Signs of bucked shins include pain, swelling around the area (soft and then hard) and sometimes lameness.

What is freeze firing in horses?

The term freeze fire refers to using very cold temperatures produced by liquid nitrogen to stimulate healing in chronically injured soft tissue. The ankle injury your horse suffers from is likely due to a common problem called a pulled suspensory ligament.

How do you treat bowed tendons in horses?

Bowed tendons vary in severity, but complete healing takes a long time. Clinical signs may resolve within days if you rest the horse and give anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. Bute)….Treatment generally includes:

  1. Complete rest.
  2. Controlled, gradual return to exercise.
  3. Anti-inflammatory drugs.
  4. Sometimes surgery.

Are splints in horses bad?

For the most part, splints are cosmetic blemishes that don’t interfere with a horse’s long-term athletic ability. However, some can result in significant lameness, especially in the immediate injury period or, in rare cases, where there is impingement of the suspensory ligament.

Can I ride a horse with splints?

A veterinarian can advise when it is safe to begin hand-walking, and eventually resume riding or driving. Although a small lump usually remains visible at the site of the injury, many splints never lead to additional trouble.