collateral ligment damaged? anyone experienced this?

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Alpha01

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I have got a mare who has been diagnosed with Collateral ligment injury and still is in box rest after nearly 2 months. The vet is giving her 1 year off and only 20% chance of jumping again in the future, so far...anyway...
Has anyone had a horse with similar injuries? What was the reabilitation program like? How long was the horse time off? If jumping prior, did you carry on again or what discipline did you do instead, once the horse was back in work? My mare has very good breeding but I don't want to put her to foal because I want to keep the money towards the purchase of another one. Thank you in advance
 
I did 7 months box rest irap all five injections and had to go barefoot because everytime had shoes on went lame he now twenty and still sound but never jumped him again as very fast and to scared to hurt him again.Theres alot of us on here
 
Had one diagnosed with a ruptured collateral ligament in 2003, sadly he was pts. However, diagnosis back then took forever and treatments were few and far between. I suspect though even now the outcome would be similar as it was completely ruptured rather than torn.
The second was diagnosed around 2007. He had nine months in the field with shock wave and steriod joint injections. He was shod with silicone pads which helped. Liphook warned he was unlikely to come sound. We never went back to jumping mainly as he was rubbish before! We did some BD dressage but after a year or so he went lame again. He had another steriod injection but got a very rare side effect (polydipsia). He stayed sound as a hack for another year but was always a bit too highly strung to really settle to it. Then he went lame behind (had peviously had PSD) so we called it a day and he retired in Feb 2009. He was my beautiful field ornament until July 2010 when he was no longer field sound.
Treatments can include joint injections, shock wave, tildren, IRAP and arthroscopy (there is also the possibility of neurectomy but this isn't something I would consider). Barefoot is worth considering but others will tell you all about that no doubt. It wasn't the right option for my boy but always worth considering.
Prognosis is improving year on year with research and new treatment plans but personally I wouldn't jump mine as the ligament will always be weaker. You'll need plenty of patience, a good farrier (or trimmer) and a well informed vet but there can be positive outcomes.
 
My boy Bailey injured his collateral ligament 2 years ago, prognosis very poor. Diagnosed via MRI. IRAP, tildren, joint medicated, PLR shoes, wedges, all to no avail, box rested for 9 months, controlled exercise, no turnout. All pants and didn't work, vet said turn away then pts if not improved in a year!!!!!!!! decided to send him to Rockley Farm to Nic Barker, rehabbed barefoot and hunting within 4 months, sound on a tight circle, sound in the field, now competes and will be jumping very soon, all back at same level he was previously. Nic saved his life and she is our angel. Call her or email, she is very friendly and helpful. My boy is a 17hh HanovarianxTB. Best thing i ever did, please call her she is fab and very well respected. PM me if you need more details. Believe me it is the only way to go, wish i had done it sooner then i would not have had a lame horse for 2 years. x
 
Typical rehab time to full work barefoot with this injury is around 4 months, with the horse in work and not on box rest the whole time (though "work" may of course be very gentle at first). Please do research it before giving up on your horse. A year off is probably completely unnecessary. If your vet says that you will cripple your horse, or your farrier says that your horse will not manage without shoes, then they are saying the same as many of the other people who have tried a barefoot rehab have heard and it wasn't true for them, and it is probably not true for your horse either. It's better if your vet and farrier support you, but it isn't essential, your horse will not care one jot about the opinions of the "experts" who think they know better than she does.
 
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cptrayes said:
Typical rehab time to full work barefoot with this injury is around 4 months, with the horse in work and not on box rest the whole time (though "work" may of course be very gentle at first). Please do research it before giving up on your horse. A year off is probably completely unnecessary. If your vet says that you will cripple your horse, or your farrier says that your horse will not manage without shoes, then they are saying the same as many of the other people who have tried a barefoot rehab have heard and it wasn't true for them, and it is probably not true for your horse either. It's better if your vet and farrier support you, but it isn't essential, your horse will not care one jot about the opinions of the "experts" who think they know better than she does.
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agreed!!
 
On the 18th March 2011 it will be a year since my TB, Bailey came in from the field unable to bare weight on his off fore. He was diagnosed a few weeks later with desmitis of the collateral ligament, secondry damage to the DDFT and sesamoid inpar ligament. His prognossi following MRI at Bell equine was guarded. my vet warned he may show no improvment in a year and might never return to competive work. He had a course of schockwave, every two weeks for three sessions. He also had a tildren drip (as there where changes to the navicular present). After that it was a wainting game. We also put on Performance Leverage Reduction Shoe (as barefoot was absolutely not an option) these shoes change the weight distrubition and take pressure off the ligament. He still has them on now. I also brought him a pair of magentic over reach boots and gave him NAF MSN supplement for repair. HOWEVER i turned my horse out. He is a highly strung, eccentric (:P) TB and stabling was not an option. I tried a small field etc ect but he just jumped out. So i turned him out with hi buddy in his normal field. I personally believe that TO is improtnant to preserve circulation, mental anity and healing. Im careful with ground condition and if its really hard or wet and slippy then he stays in. jut 4 month after he went lame he was howing massive improvments. BY six months my vet allowed me to reintorduce work (to his sheer amazement!). He is now a year post the day he went lame and has been in full, full work for nearly 4 months. He competes at least twice monthly at dresage. I do not jump as he was total pants at it anyway. So its not all doom and gloom. If you want any further advice feel free to PM me. Chin up. Good luck x x x
 
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