Bad Design = Dangerous Design

Lenette asks, "What happened to that horse's leg?"

<imagine great big sigh coming from out of my mouth right now.>

I have always always hated rounded pipe fence corners. I do have a few panels around, but you can see my fence of choice beyond this intersection of panels: plain wooden boards. The paddock you see in the background of this photo has "no-climb" horse fence combined with wooden boards for when there was a baby in there. (Coyotes, donchaknow?)

The rounded corner of common horse panels creates a trap for a horse's hoof. I have other horse friends who have said when I have worried over this detail: "Yes, its possible, for a hoof to get trapped there, but not very likely."

I think if its possible for a horse to hurt itself, it will. Its like having a 2 year old and, say, a house with a brick (sharp-edged) fireplace hearth. That sharp edge is just calling for that toddler's forehead to come and meet it in a big way. Any mother knows this.

Its the same with horses.

So the mare kicked at this fence and wedged her leg in that bent opening somehow. Yes, she did that damage with her leg. Even now I am discussing with a horse friend whether or not a square corner would have actually been worse. Did the curve invite the leg to be trapped, but allow it out in the end? Would a straight corner actually just have ripped off her hoof? Who knows?

This shelter was made for cows, not horses and has fairly severe limitations for equines. I have always known this, but have not had 60k in my back pocket to build a little horse barn...either plain or with padded stalls with pillows on the floor.

Now, where is that ice pack for my head?

Comments

[Cristy]

Candace, we had a horse at out stable do that same thing but between 2 panels. She hung there until we rescued her, we dont' know how long. She tore the muscles in her back leg up high but good and spent 3 weeks at the vets in a sling. (an extreme founder candidate so keeping weight ff her other leg was KEY) She is fine now. Have the vet wrap her other back leg for support.

[Lenette]

Wow. Thanks for the update.