Any advice for check ligament injury?

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Christmas Crumpet

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My horse did her check ligament on her near fore on our last day's hunting. I knew something wasn't right as the leg was quite filled (although she has an old SDFT injury on this leg and it is bigger than the other one normally). Took her to vets a week later after I'd box rested her and cold hosed. Scan showed she has a 20% hole in ligament which they classed as a sprain and that it wasn't too bad at all. She has a slight curve (bit like the edge of an egg) to the outside of the leg which I believe is where the injury is, just below the knee.

Vet's advice was to turn her out for 2 months, rescan and then, if ok, lots and lots of walking and she should be right as rain to hunt next season. She is now 15. I think the reason for turning her straight out is that she is a very calm horse and that the gentle walking around her flat paddock would be good for her.

Will the eggy curve always be there or should it have gone by now? We are three/four weeks down the line so far. If she stands still for ages in the paddock, it fills again quite a lot. The heat seems to have gone although there wasn't much there to begin with. Is there anything else I can do to help the leg improve? She is insured but vet said no point in claiming for such a small injury. I should add she has never been lame but not that that counts for much with a check ligament injury!!

Any experience/similar stories would be v.interesting!!
 
I have a WB gelding who did his check ligament with sliding stops in a muddy field as a 5 year old. He was VERY lame! The scan showed quite serious damage. My vet recommended box rest for 6 weeks, then in-hand walking for another 6. At the end of this period the scan showed alost complete healing so I continued the hand walking for another 6 weeks before allowing him to exercise himself in the manege and we then started ridden work! It healed beautifully, and 6 years on, he is sound, has evented, and is about to start SERIOUS eventing. If you're still getting swelling, it might be worth trying a couple of weeks of box rest and cold hosing - or re-scan.
 
My boy damages his check ligament about 7 years ago, he wasn't lame either, but there was localised swelling, and he wasn't showing his normal extravagant paces.

I was advised to box rest for 6 weeks, but he was going off his head bucking round the stable, so he went out for an hour or so each day for 12 weeks (luckily he's quite greedy so doesn't tend to run around much), he was rescanned at 12 weeks, and all was fine.
 
Check ligaments usually heal well, and much faster than equivalent size SDFT injuries. I think your vet's plan is sound. One thing I have observed is that the swelling of the leg can take quite a while to fully reduce, and is often very variable early in the course of healing i.e. up one day, down the next etc.
 
She isn't due to be rescanned/come back into work until middle of June and we've got quite a long time to go so hopefully she will mend as good as new.

I had read that feeding MSM was good for tendon/ligament repair. However, seeing as she is out in the field and not doing any work, I'm not that keen to be feeding her. If I was to, what would be the best thing? Bit of alfa a good doer just to mix the MSM in with? She is fed Newmarket Joint Supplement when in work - is it worth continuing to feed her that and/or MSM?
 
One of my Advanced Endurance mare's has done both her front check ligaments. The only thing that showed up was a small swelling just below the knee.

She had shock wave treatment and field (small just around her stable) scanned a couple of times and then bought back into work slowly.

Since the injuries she has competed doing the Golden Horse Shoe (100mile class) and has also been part of the England team ,competing at the Red Dragon (over the welsh hills).

She was never lame and has remind sound to this day.

When you bring the horse back into work do it slowly and you will be fine.
 
My hunter did both fronts too. The swellings are still there now and he is 20, but they never caused him any problem. Box rest was never an option for him so he was just turned out and left. Hunted the following season and every year since until he retired last season.
 
My eventer did his check lig back in Jan. he had 3.5 months box rest followed by 6 weeks of walking and so on.. he is now out doing Novice BD and is sounds.. I still get swelling when he is in, but once he starts moving it goes down. Vet said this is totally normal… good luck 
 
Mine did a slight sprain to his front check in july, he had 10 days box rest and then slow work again, mainly roads . He always had abit of swelling but was sound and happy.
 
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