Check ligaments

[madoneventing]

Has anyone had any experience with this i.e. recovery time/rates/gttting back to previous performance level/chance of injury recurring?

 

[Halfstep]

Yes. Six weeks box rest, followed by restricted turnout and walking in hand on hard surface for what seemed like ages (probably around four weeks). When the scan showed the lesion was healing nicely started slow trotwork and slowly built up fitness. Lots of work on hard ground to help the fibers form correctly. Horse returned to full work and to previous level with no recurrence, but always had to be managed carefully.

 

[cellie]

Not sure how different it is but my horse did his curb.Two weeks box rest because he is not good in the stable on his own .8 weeks restricted turnout , paddock was the same size as his stable .Two weeks walking in hand then four weeks walking then four in trot.All in all 12 weeks rest then a gradual return to gentle excercise.I just got back to fitness and he was jumping after the all clear from vet and scans unfortunately he did his tendon a few months later and bruised his cannon bone so back to rest again.Hes in horspital at moment having hock fusion so I am spending too much time on the computer sharing vetinary problems.Have you had it diagnosed or are you just speculating.Hope its not too bad

 

[Touchwood]

Yes - both front legs. In my mare it ended up being due to crap farriery and she eventually went on to have massive feet problems. Thank god we seem to have sorted her now (this was all about three years ago now).
She had six weeks box rest, followed by six weeks walking (that was interesting!).

 

[ccooxxyy]

my horse did both ,one after another, didn't get vet out but cold hosed, bandaged and out in field during the day ( he's not one to run about much). they settled in about 4 months. got him fit again very slowly with lots of walk work on the roadsthen troting up hills and schooling.

 

[eventersrus]

one of my eventers did one,it was towards the end of the season so,box rest then out for the whole winter,l think l did 6 to 8 weeks of road work,she went on to do several seasons of intermediates with no trouble,l did however put tubigrip under her xc boots,and l have done this to every horse since

 

[measles]

We were told our pony had to ahve at least 6 months off by the vet school - 3 months box rest with gradually increasing walking in hand followed by 3 months ridden fitness programme. We gave her 18months off to have a foal and she's come back to competition like she's never been away. I can't sleep the night after a show, scared of what her leg might be like in the morning, mind you!

 

[madoneventing]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you had it diagnosed or are you just speculating.Hope its not too bad

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup its been diagnosed, but the vet is reluctant to give a long term prognosis...suppose they have to cover themselves! Was interested to find out how they stand up to work afterwards and if they retain all previous talent!

 

[measles]

We were told that the prognosis was better than for a tendon or suspensory, and our mare is competing as well as before.

Good luck!

 

[cellie]

Same as measles post, ligament heals better than tendon so thats good news.I have never had any problems with ligament again .Just lots of other hiccups.Another horse on our yard had ligament damage at the same time.The day he arrived he injured himself in transport did kerb and broke his leg.He has gone back to show jumping and xc and is fine.As long as you rest them properly and get the scan and all clear before you bring them back into work you shouldnt have any reaccurring problems.Your vet is probably being cautious another 6 weeks down the line and scans will give him a better idea of how things are healing he will be able to reassure you more at that time.I hope it works out for you .Know how your feeling I am picking my boy up from vets tommorrow after surgery so we will be doing the box rest and recovery thing too.Its more stressfull for us than them they get frustrated and bored we worry ourselves silly.

 

[cellie]

The other thing I forgot to mention was that my vet recommended glucosomine helps the healing process.I also had injections to help repair cartliage and joint tissue because this had broken down in this area.Could be worth enquiring about.

 

[debradley]

Yep daughters pony did one front Check Ligament; was turned away in a very small paddock for six months. She's just coming back into work now, just gentle walks. However, I took her out tonight, usually it's my daughter, who not surprisingly is lighter than me, but she's away. So took the pony out for a short hack, when I got back there was a slight swelling around the area, but after 10 mins in her stable it had gone back down. From what I can tell as long as you're patient and gradual with your recovery programme most return to what they were doing before. I hope! But like you my vet would not commit to a prognosis.

 

[baleofhay]

My sons show jumper has been in his stable since the beginning of April. The ligament has flaired up three times in this time even though we followed vets advice to the letter. Horse walker , cold hosing , no turn out at all. The vet has now applied for loss of use as he thinks it is not progressing as it should

 

[measles]

[ QUOTE ]
My sons show jumper has been in his stable since the beginning of April. The ligament has flaired up three times in this time even though we followed vets advice to the letter. Horse walker , cold hosing , no turn out at all. The vet has now applied for loss of use as he thinks it is not progressing as it should

[/ QUOTE ]

That is very unfortunate, baleofhay. At what stage of the "rehabilitation" has it flaired up each time?

 

[baleofhay]

First time was about four weeks into box rest. Then again a few months later when we started to walk him in hand. Last time was about three weeks ago. We really have given it our all. We moved yards so he could have use of a walker spent fortunes on rubber matting and he is th messiest horse in the world so he needs a bale of shavings a day! It has cost a fortune which i wouldnt mind so much if he was getting better.

 

[measles]

That's really tough luck. Vets are always, in my experience, understandably cautious about prognosis but this is one injury that I thought with time was pretty positive.

What will you do with the horse now?

 

[baleofhay]

If they pay loss of use my friend has a large field where he can go and rest up for another twelve months or so and hopefully be good enough to hack one day although too big for me and my son is off to college . I dont know how he will do living out though as he has always been competition horse. Vet mentioned having him put to sleep but cant even think about that yet.

 

[measles]

Fingers crossed there is a positive outcome for him in some sense.