annular ligament surgery - any success stories to cheer me up?!

[mumperry]

Just booked my mare in for scanning on monday, with a view to leaving her behind for surgery on tuesday. She 'did' her annular ligament 4 years ago and after some rest came back fit and healthy. She then went lame again just before Christmas, came sound initially after vet treatment but is now lame again. The plan is to cut the ligament. The vets assure me that this is quite common and she should come back fully sound and workable - but really?! Will I ever be able to enjoy a fun ride or work her hard in the school without worrying? Has anyone got experience of life after having the ligament cut? (it sounds so drastic!) (she is a 13 year old welsh cob used for dressage, showing and all riding club activities but with a less active schedule than i would like as I have had 2 children since her original injury!)
thanks

 

[windand rain]

my old highland has had annular ligament surgery and she is as sound as a pound and does everything from long distance rides to x country to dressage. We did have a short spell of intermittent lameness but I turned her away for a year to have a foal and she has been sound ever since. I do have to be careful not to let her get too fat but she is in fine fettle and is 19 years old her daughter is 5 this year so not a hint of lameness in 5 years for a few years before she was sound in winter but strangely had short bouts of lameness when the weather changed so from hot and dry to wet and cool she would go lame for a few days and if the weather had been cool and wet and changed to hot and dry she would have a few days lame I thought it was a bit of arthritis as it was always weather linked but it seems not as she is sound and has been for years

 

[Warrior_princess]

Hiya. My 8 year old mare had her annular ligaments cut in both hind legs on 26th july last year. She recovered well from the op and came home 3 days later. Once home she was on box rest but after 10 days she came down with a septic tendon sheath. I rushed her back to Leahurst at midnight and was told by the vets she may not make it. However after taking her back in surgery and flushing out her leg,an aggressive course of antibiotics, she came to and was sent home 12 days after being admitted. After 17 very long weeks of box rest,she was allowed to be turned out and since that day she has been absolutely fine She still has thickening in both hind legs and i have been advised by my vet not to jump or lunge her but she is sound and hacking out happily.
I will be honest,its been avery long and difficult recovery and at times i felt like giving up. My mare hated box rest and was difficult to walk out in hand. But seeing her now made it all worthwhile. I dont school her as we both enjoy hacking more than schooling and she does feel a little uncomfy in the arena. Please feel free to pm me if you have any questions about the op or anything.
I hope it all goes well for your horse. We were just unlucky with the infection but i know a few of my vets clients have had the op and returned to competing xx

 

[mumperry]

thank you both for your comments. I am glad that both of your horses have turned out ok in the longterm, but it sounds like I should probably be thinking of the long term, not 'you could be out riding again in 3 months' by the optimistic vets! - and prepared for a roller coaster ride on the way (I hate roller coasters!!). We will see. It is sad to think that, even after the op, she could end up a happy hacker as this is not the type of horse I want, but we have to give them a chance don't we? I guess the first bridge to cross is the one that says that she is operable... fingers crossed.

 

[Warrior_princess]

Please let us know how she gets on. Which hospital is she going to?x

 

[windand rain]

dont worry too much about the immediate outcome You could be back riding in three months and could be competing within the year if all goes well and you dont get any complications. Highland pony today went out for a 6 mile hack, was jumping fallen trees in the woods and had a flat out gallop, they had a whale of a time, two weeks ago she won a novice dressage test and next week is doing a x country at 80cm, so she is more than back to normal as she was a bit stiff and sore after the injury but before the surgery. Bless her she really is the best pony in the world I am sure yours will do well and if not you will have done everything you can to get her right. The important thing is to rehab exactly as the vet sets out and she will be fine, its if you take advice to do too much from others that the problems arise and you will get a lot of advice from the yard know it alls some of which will sound quite plausible

 

[cobwithattitude]

Agree with windand rain. Our cob had this done 4years ago now, followed vet's instruction to the letter, so did he and also took him swimming once a week for 12 weeks. We were told not to jump him, lunge him or ride him in deep ground (been a bit difficult this winter!) He is 18 and is fine, competes regularly at elem dressage.

 

[Warrior_princess]

Just wondering how your horse got on??x

 

[Wilbur_Force]

Mine had the desmotomy in October last year at Newmarket. After a lengthy rehab of walking, we upped it to trot and he was sound, until today when vet has been out and said that tendon sheath is inflamed, so lame again. Vet said that we'll probably have these sorts of episodes every now again.

I'm glad I sent him for the op, but I'm not holding out for a successful outcome of him ever being ridden fully again. That's just my opinion. He was a good 7 out of 10 lame before the op and now 1 or 2 at a push. Good luck!!

 

[AengusOg]

Could you please clarify for me what 'did' really means.

We have a cob here who's annular ligament thickened. He didn't have any treatment and has come sound.