Blacktail Deer Plateau How bad is it?

Pema approached and Sorrel stepped back once as she examined the woman's face. Rather than speaking, she gave a slow, weak nod in response to her inquiry of the reunion of the Streiter family, then settled back onto her hindquarters to give her legs a rest. The one was sprained, but they were all weak and sore; at one point or another, they had each taken their turn breaking or twisting. The winter hadn't done much to help, either. Rather, the cold weather and scarcity of food seemed to make her condition worse.

I don't know, Sorrel whispered. She really couldn't have put a date to the incident if she tried, since it seemed to be a continuous state rather than an isolated incident. She hesitated but eventually stretched her leg for Pema to see the raw, swollen skin around it. It looked as if blood was trapped just under the surface which made walking incredibly strenuous.