DDFT jumping success stories + opinions?

[hermione2002]

My horse did the DDFT in the hoof, was on box rest March 2022- feb 2023, has now been in work 1.5 years, is about 1-2/10s lame, although prior to injury wasn’t completely sound anyway, vet said can jump up to 60cm, I haven’t yet done so, i was wondering if anyone has any experiences with this, whether it’s a good idea or how to go about bringing him back into small height jumping. he is comfortable in the walk trot canter and has been for 1.5 years now, any advice is appreciated! thanks

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

I wouldn’t be riding a horse that’s 1-2/10 lane let alone jumping.

My experience unfortunately is that I lost my boy three years to this very day to the exact same injury. He never came sound and I did what was best for him.

 

[AmyMay]

It’s lame. Don’t ride it.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

The horse is lame so basically don't ride it.

 

[ycbm]

he is comfortable in the walk trot canter

No he isn't, he's lame. IME, he should not be being ridden at all, far less jumped. The box rest for the DDFT injury sounds as if it has not worked.

 

[scats]

Can I ask why you would ride a horse that is unsound?

I’ve had experience with a DDFT injury and unfortunately it did not end well.

 

[Bearsmum]

Bear, aka Yogi did his low down in his foot when he was nine and never came sound enough to ride again, although he was happy as a field ornament so I retired him - I would not be riding a lame horse I'm afraid

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would change my vet to one that knows what s/he is talking about. Who the hell wants to jump a lame horse (actually I know the answer to that but let's not go there).

 

[Caski]

My horse did the DDFT in the hoof, was on box rest March 2022- feb 2023, has now been in work 1.5 years, is about 1-2/10s lame, although prior to injury wasn’t completely sound anyway, vet said can jump up to 60cm, I haven’t yet done so, i was wondering if anyone has any experiences with this, whether it’s a good idea or how to go about bringing him back into small height jumping. he is comfortable in the walk trot canter and has been for 1.5 years now, any advice is appreciated! thanks

Confused here! If box rest ended in Feb 2023, it is now Feb 2024, 12 months by my reckoning? So how has he been in work and comfortable in the basic paces for a year and a half ?

 

[Zoeypxo]

Unfortunately if hes not sound after a year box rest hes unlikely to come sound, i would not ride at all if 2/10ths lame let alone jump

 

[Ratface]

I completely agree with the above posts. Why would you ride a lame horse?
My recommendation is that you either completely retire him, or look for alternative options, which may mean putting to sleep.

 

[irishdraft]

Im another who's confused, your horse was unsound before he did his ddft in the hoof, you kept him on box rest for a year, he's now 1/2 unsound and your asking about jumping ???? My horse did the same injury, he never became fully sound for riding probably 1/10 unlevel so he's retired.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

One of mine has done her ddft in her hoof.

We box rested and pen rested about 8 months in total. Then turned out for a the rest of the year, barefoot and out 24/7. She started walking in straight lines in-hand in summer, and did one hack under saddle a few months ago. She’s had this winter off and I’ll restart in spring, as if I were completely restarting.

She is not 100% sound, and my vet thinks we will never see 100% perfect soundness. She’s uneven in her movement in front - one foot lands heel first and the other one flat or toe first intermittently - but my vet thinks she’s not more uneven than many a horse in work.

My vet thinks walk work may help her to develop some flexibility in that tendon which will be pretty tight given the lack of movement. She thinks gentle exercise could help to improve the situation, and we will support that with regular physio and continued in hand work to limit the amount of additional weight I put on her.

One of the coaches I used for my other horse has a horse competing at a very high level in dressage who had a previous kissing spine ligament snip op. They’ve kept him in top condition by doing a lot of in-hand work and only riding him when they absolutely have to. I’m going to do the same with mine - a sort of in-hand 80% and ridden 20%. I’m even thinking about taking her swimming.

My aim for such a serious injury is to have a lovely hack on her occasionally, and I’ll be thrilled if we ever get to do some schooling on the flat.

Jumping is just not something I have even considered. My horse injured herself at 6 and is now rising 8.

 

[sbloom]

@LadyGascoyne I wish others would look at groundwork in that way. We are all understandably wanting to ride, but don't understand how much more so many horses need in terms of postural work etc to be well placed to carry a rider, whether a wholly healthy horse or one that's got/had issues where yes, more than 50% groundwork can be a great way to go.