arwenplusone
Well-Known Member
Those of you who have experienced this - what was the recovery period? I know it will differ from horse to horse, but just looking for experiences atm.
Thanks
Check ligament injury
- Thread starter arwenplusone
- Start date
Those of you who have experienced this - what was the recovery period? I know it will differ from horse to horse, but just looking for experiences atm.
Thanks
emmiec12
Well-Known Member
Hi - my boy strained his check lig on September 22nd (last year). he had 3 shock wave (SW) threatments all 2 weeks apart.
he could be lead out for 5 mins a day after his first SW, gradually building up to 10 mins by the 2nd scan. he was on bute and having cold therapy at this stage.
after 2nd SW he could be lead out for 2 x 10-15 mins a day until his 3rd scan. off the bute but still cold therapy.
after his 3rd SW he was lead out for 20-30 mins. still having cold therapy.
he had his next scan 2 weeks after the 3rd SW - this showed the lig has knitted back together to look the same as the other one. from then on i started riding him - 30-40 mins walking for a week, and then introducing trot increasing by 5 mins a week for 6 weeks.
Then another scan - all good so started controlled canter in straight lines increasing by 5 mins a week for 6 weeks. he also go to turn out for a couple of hours a day at this stage.
after this i started popping small x poles once a week and introducing easy circle work gradually building it all up. this is where i am now - he has been jumping once a week over small fences for 5 weeks.
when his work increased his leg did thicken again slightly wuith a little heat that comes and goes, but his 6 month scan showed all was ok. and my vet thinks he will always be like that now.... it makes me a bit paranoid though
i found that cooling boots etc were really useful as i could put them on while i did other things. another thing that saved time etc was getting some theramtex leg wraps and putting them on over fibre-gee. it saved loads of time wrapping legs (but i only used these after the first few weeks as i felt he needed more support to start with).
is you pony injured? what has the vet said?
.
he could be lead out for 5 mins a day after his first SW, gradually building up to 10 mins by the 2nd scan. he was on bute and having cold therapy at this stage.
after 2nd SW he could be lead out for 2 x 10-15 mins a day until his 3rd scan. off the bute but still cold therapy.
after his 3rd SW he was lead out for 20-30 mins. still having cold therapy.
he had his next scan 2 weeks after the 3rd SW - this showed the lig has knitted back together to look the same as the other one. from then on i started riding him - 30-40 mins walking for a week, and then introducing trot increasing by 5 mins a week for 6 weeks.
Then another scan - all good so started controlled canter in straight lines increasing by 5 mins a week for 6 weeks. he also go to turn out for a couple of hours a day at this stage.
after this i started popping small x poles once a week and introducing easy circle work gradually building it all up. this is where i am now - he has been jumping once a week over small fences for 5 weeks.
when his work increased his leg did thicken again slightly wuith a little heat that comes and goes, but his 6 month scan showed all was ok. and my vet thinks he will always be like that now.... it makes me a bit paranoid though
i found that cooling boots etc were really useful as i could put them on while i did other things. another thing that saved time etc was getting some theramtex leg wraps and putting them on over fibre-gee. it saved loads of time wrapping legs (but i only used these after the first few weeks as i felt he needed more support to start with).
is you pony injured? what has the vet said?
.
arwenplusone
Well-Known Member
Hiya,
Thanks for your reply. Seems like a good recovery for your boy then
My mare did hers about 8/10 weeks ago. She's a broodmare - she wasn't in work but basically had 2 weeks in due to hock spavin treatment & then upon turnout had a big hoon round and completely mushed her check lig.
She was on box rest for 3 weeks & then we started up with the t/o & walking in hand etc, but then she re-did it (stupid horse
She's been on very strict rest for a month now & she is still lame. I haven't had any treatment as yet so will ask the vet about SW (was on my list anyway).
It doesn't help that she is a weaver so 'strict rest' is not always that!
All I want is for her to be field sound.
emmiec12
Well-Known Member
the silly thing about this is the vet tells me that they don't even need to check lig!!!
Jane44
Member
My boy did check ligaments in both fore legs. Wasn't lame so my vet said just carry on. So I did! He hunted all season no problems and has been ever since.
kirstyhen
Well-Known Member
Hen did his on the 13th Dec last year, he had 10 days of box rest then walking out building up to 50 mins ridden. He was then re-scanned and work was upped to include trot and the odd canter.
However he has just had his final scan and has not healed as well as hoped so he now has the summer off, with the possibility of having to be buted to do work.
He was sound within 3 days of tearing it, although is still lame on a circle on a hard surface.
Is it definately only the Check that has re-torn? My Vet told me that the worry with a re-tear is that the scar tissue causes the SDFT to tear.
Hope she is field sound soon.
However he has just had his final scan and has not healed as well as hoped so he now has the summer off, with the possibility of having to be buted to do work.
He was sound within 3 days of tearing it, although is still lame on a circle on a hard surface.
Is it definately only the Check that has re-torn? My Vet told me that the worry with a re-tear is that the scar tissue causes the SDFT to tear.
Hope she is field sound soon.
arwenplusone
Well-Known Member
Thanks Guys.
Emmiec - yeah they don't need their check ligaments - in fact sometimes vets cut them to help resolve other issues! so frustrating.
Henmeister - this was the worry with my girl - we thought she may have done the SDFT but the swelling went down so quickly we didn't re-scan. I think we may have to now though
Emmiec - yeah they don't need their check ligaments - in fact sometimes vets cut them to help resolve other issues! so frustrating.
Henmeister - this was the worry with my girl - we thought she may have done the SDFT but the swelling went down so quickly we didn't re-scan. I think we may have to now though
kirstyhen
Well-Known Member
Bloody horses
Mine has had me sick with worry for the past 4 months, he stumble, hop or stiff step he has taken I have been convinced he had re-torn it. We are now looking at the LOU option (with little hope of getting it) as he has a few other issues and is unlikely to be sound for anthing more than quiet hacking.
Fingers crossed it's nothing more serious.
Fingers crossed it's nothing more serious.
emmiec12
Well-Known Member
i bought a mare who had broken down badly (big hole) on her SDFT while racing. she had been given 2 years off when i bought (for next to nothing) - i was going to breed from her, but thought i would give her a go and had 10 wonderful years hunting, evening and sj-ing on her.
measles
Well-Known Member
Our 13.2hh JA pony did hers in the March and we were told she had to have at least 6 months off with no ridden work. She was on box rest for 3 months and we put her in foal so she went from box rest to a month or so of walking in hand then turnout in the field for the next year and a half until the foal was weaned. She then came back into work and jumped ot the same level as before with the check ligament fully recovered.
Good luck.
Good luck.
annaverrall
Member
My mare did hers two years ago, after bolting with me down a narrow woodland path after being spooked. I cold hosed straight away and bandaged religously. she was scanned then box rested for 3 months. After third month re scanned all well knitted together, though leaving tissue damage.
the pain staking bit was the regimented fitness regime. In hand walking 5 minutes daily building up to 20 mins over the next three weeks. Turnout either in hand or i put her in a small electric fenced paddock. Not enough room for her too even pick up trot ( which helped). Then started riding and carried on the hacking out adding in short trot stints, as you would do for bringing any horse back in to work after long period of rest.
She has been absolutely fine. we still compete Sj, dressage. I have laid off the x country.
Vet recommended to be careful when riding out in deep muddy conditions. No fast work for me on wet ground as sharp twisting and suction of the leg causes the damage.
I m not sure if this is the same for very insurance company, but mine have wrote of her other front leg aswell, so if she damages that check ligament i cant make a claim. They say cause she has done it once , its more likely to occur in the other leg aswell. Any excuse not to pay out
the pain staking bit was the regimented fitness regime. In hand walking 5 minutes daily building up to 20 mins over the next three weeks. Turnout either in hand or i put her in a small electric fenced paddock. Not enough room for her too even pick up trot ( which helped). Then started riding and carried on the hacking out adding in short trot stints, as you would do for bringing any horse back in to work after long period of rest.
She has been absolutely fine. we still compete Sj, dressage. I have laid off the x country.
Vet recommended to be careful when riding out in deep muddy conditions. No fast work for me on wet ground as sharp twisting and suction of the leg causes the damage.
I m not sure if this is the same for very insurance company, but mine have wrote of her other front leg aswell, so if she damages that check ligament i cant make a claim. They say cause she has done it once , its more likely to occur in the other leg aswell. Any excuse not to pay out