Horses can have a swollen hind for a number of reasons. It is recommended to contact your local vet for a professional opinion if/when you horse gets a swollen hind fetlock. We have researched the top 3 most common reasons why horses gets swollen hind letgs.
1) Twisted fetlock in the paddock
Sometimes horses can 'twist' their hooves just like humans. A short term bruising and swelling occurs and usually disappears after a few days. Horses should not be ridden during this time as they need time to fully recover and heal.
2) Abscess
An abscess is a common problem that happens inside the horse's hoof. It is serious in the sense that the horse can go from being 100% healthy to completey lame in one day. The abscess is basically an infection inside the horse's hoof and should be professionally treated by a vet as it is a very painful experience for the horse. An abcsess is not dangerous or longterm as long as its found and treated in time and there are no more underlying issues causing it.
3) Bowed Tendons
A common more serious injury in horses is bowed tendons. Some of the symptoms starts with swollen fetlocks. They can occur for a number of reasons including; the horse has been put in too much work too fast (before their tissue can build and adjust), serious over-straining the tendon caused by overextending the tendon by mistake (stumbles etc). They can also happen in horses that are ridden on the same ground all the time, for example hard arena sand.