Collateral Ligament Daage to left fore

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BigIrishCob

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Hello all.
My heavy weight cob was diagnosed by MRI on the 24th October. We have done 3/4 months of solid box rest including a month before his scan. His symptoms were short in front, lame on a circle, sound in a straight line.
We started limited turnout under sedation around Xmas time and have built it up to him been out during the day and in at night, then only exception to this is if it's particularly wet or the ground is frozen. He has a small paddock as flat as possible of about 1/4 acre, we found that when it was too small he just went crazy.

5 weeks ago I had straight bar shoes fitted and For the last 4 weeks I have been riding him in walk for 10mins.

My issue is with his reluctance to walk downhill. He's not lame but short and slow, he still doesn't like turning to the right either. As soon as he is turned to walk home uphill he is like a normal horse, forward and comfortable. I know that we still have a long way to go but it is impossible for me to ride anywhere on complete flat roads.
I would just like to hear about other people's experiences please.
 
Have you considered taking his shoes off? He probably struggles to walk down hill because it forces him to land with his heels first and he is not comfortable doing that, probably because he doesn't have the necessary support structures at the back of his hoof.
 
Many people give up with special shoes eventually and go the barefoot route. . Unfortunately the farrier and the vet have been brought up to think along the special shoes route, but if you educate yourself on it, you may be confident enough to challenge their ideas.
There is a lot of stuff on Rockley farm. See Dillon with Wedges to see how far people go to "adapt" the shoe!
http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/dillon-with-wedges-and-more-from-h.html
Rockley farm will re hab horses, Nic will help you with advice, she only takes vet referrals and has great understanding of veterinary problems such as yours.
Start off now by supplementing the diet with minerals and a high fibre diet, some micronised linseed and salt. No molasses, regular exercise with plenty of walking. If he is struggling downhill, get off and walk in hand.
Use a mineral targetting the hoof growth. Forageplus or Progressive Earth sell good minerals.
Add some salt.
 
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You would find he is very tender if you remove the shoes, so you are starting again, try long reining to ask for use of the hind quarters and remove weight from the forehand, try to slim him down a bit, use a weigh tape every week to monitor weight religiously.
There is a scholarship for a re hab horse, apply now if you find the cost is unbearable, or is your insurance won't cover re hab. Not sure if there is one this year.
 
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Bonkers2 said:
Unfortunately the farrier and the vet have been brought up to think along the special shoes route, but if you educate yourself on it, you may be confident enough to challenge their ideas.
Click to expand...

So well said and absolutely spot on.

In this regard, the professionals are a huge hindrance to horse welfare.
 
I have never seen a horse recover through shoeing (including my own). It always has a guarded prognosis and from bitter experience will say that it is often accompanied by other problems as the horse will not have been using himself correctly but your best hope is barefoot. Our boy could not walk downhill comfortably either. I hope you can sort him out.
 
I can only see ddft injuries in that article not collateral?
My horse has recovered from a collateral ligament injury, in one leg only to suffer from another in the other leg, is currently sound and in rehab. Fingers crossed .
The 2nd legs I injury occurred when the yard he is at changed farriers.
he is not barefoot, and never has been he copes badly with no shoes and events so needs studs, ( yes he eventer after the first injury and both suspensories in the hind legs ) but be sure your farrier is the best locally.
the slightest shift in balance in the hoof can be dectremental for suceptable horses, so if your horse can cope I can see how shoeless may make all the difference .
 
lannerch said:
I can only see ddft injuries in that article not collateral?
.
Click to expand...

As I said if you are able to see the detail you can see the breakdown rather than abstract which just summarises. However you need to pay or be registered.

It lists all the different types of pathologies. Mild Collateral ligament injuries has a 0 successful outcome whereas 16.8 of the horses with moderate to severe came right. If you average the two adjusting for the fact there were more horses in the study in the severe to moderate category you get 10%
 
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