Left F leg- tendon problems?

Question
QUESTION: 5 yr old TB gelding in descent shape was turned out in pasture for a week while I went out of town.  Got him back up and he had swelling like a splint or a bowed tendon in the L F leg, he is not lame and in fact worked him in round pen and he showed no favoritism.  The strange thing about this is the swelling is hard  (bony like) and is in the middle of leg of the inside - about 2 to 4 inches below knee.  In my experience, in this area, it has been fluid-type knot/swelling and carried some type of heat, but this is not fluid-type, it is not carrying any type of heat and is not 'giving ' to the leg.  At this point,I am confused, especially since I have put wraps to sweat leg which did not change condition of the leg.
What could this be?  And how should I treat it?

ANSWER: Angie,

Sounds like he's popped a splint bone on his leg.  Sometimes this can cause a horse problems and sometimes not.  Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones who the horse didn't have lameness with it.  I would suggest you have it checked out by a vet, possibly x-rayed if the vet thinks it's needed, to see the extent of the issue but there's nothing you can do about the appearance unless you have it surgically removed.  Splint bones are the vestigal remains of the horse's other toes from prehistoric times.  It's not uncommon for one of them to separate from where they lay next to the cannon bone and like I said they can cause lameness, but not always.  The lump will remain for the rest of the horse's life, it becomes a cosmetic issue at that point. There is no amount of sweating or wrapping or anything that will change it's appearance.  As long as it doesn't bother him then don't let it bother you.  If it becomes sensitive and he's lame on that leg then you have several treatment options - rest, blistering, freeze firing, injecting - but otherwise just leave it alone.  

Lyn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I understand what you are saying and I had a few horses with this problem before in the past being that I have worked for racehorse trainers, cuting horse trainers and in fact do barrel race training myself.  But, thereis a difference with this ailment.

The bony-like knot is the size of 1/2 inch oval (turned sideway, not running with the splint bone, which is in the first place odd.  The knot is located in the middle of inside of leg - like between the DDF and cannon bone, where supposely fluid will gather because bone and tissue is running lengthwise, which is second odd thing about this.

Angie
2 B Lazy farm Safety Division

Answer
Angie,

I would suggest you get a vet out and let him look at the horse.  Trying to determine what it is like this is tough, especially with a little better description that you gave me this time.  It will probably need to be x-rayed, possibly ultrasounded to determine exactly what is going on.  It's in the right place for the lower splint bone but not the right shape.  I think the vet is your best bet.  This could also be a ruptured tendon sheath from banging the leg on something.  

Lyn