Deep Digital Flexi Tendon Injuries?

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showjump

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My horse has damaged his DDFT deep within his foot, this was diagnosed approx 4 months ago. History is; he was sound on the hard, lunging etc, just lame on one rein in the school, however very slight and was more uncomfortable to ride than really lame.

Vet advised a month of box rest, and then month of hacking in walk, and a month of walk/trot hacking, building it up further. He is still not allowed out, as vet doesnt want him out in field charging about.
After the box rest, he felt real good for a month or two, not his has been doing more work he seems off again.
Although its difficult to tell as he is/ always was sound on the hard. However he doent seem steady in his head contact, or want to go forward into trot.

Hes booked in at vets on the 26th Aug, so will take him back then and see what he suggests.
Untill then i feel its best to carry on working, so that the vet can see whats going on. I dont see the point of resting him for two weeks, only for him go vets sound!

Any advice, or experiences welcome...

Thanks
 
In the old days this would have been diagnosed as navicular syndrome.

Check out rockleyfarm.blogspot.com and rockleyfarm.co.uk and search "navicular" on this forum and you will find a ton of information about barefoot rehabs which has a much higher chance of returning your horse to full work than conventional shoeing/rest/medication does.

Box rest will not cure him unless you remove what caused the strain in the first place, which is usually poor development of the back half of the foot (the caudal hoof). The easiest way to do this is without shoes.

Does you horse land with his toe first? this is causing damage, and until you return him to a flat/heel first landing it will continue to cause damage to the ddft inside his foot.
 
Our mare did her ddft about 3 years ago. She was put on a course of cartrophen injections & boxrest, along with remedial farriery & heartbar shoes. 5 months if boxrest & inhand walking & she was sound.

However, since then, any time she was worked a tad more than 'normal' (eg, funrides, long hacks) she'd be lame the next day. We gave up boxresting - if she's out daily, she's sensible in the field. After boxrest, she's a psycho!
Anyhoo, back & to from the vets & farriers, but we just went around in circles.
A month ago, we went barefoot. Our trimmer is an ex-farrier. He said that for her to have been in heartbars for 3 years was not good. After 1 trim, she's sounder than she's been in a long long time. Not at all footsore either.

If I had a horse do this again, I'd still do the cartrophen, but also a course of hydrotherapy spas. I would never have shoes on them again. Apparently, going barefoot reduces concussion to the foot by about 70%. Concussion was the cause of molly's recurring lameness.

I'd echo the Rockley Farm blog & also the 'Feet First' book & UKNCP forum.

Good luck though. It's been a nightmare journey for us - wouldn't wish it on anybody. x
 
Will look at Rockley blog.
We have done the cartrophen course, and his is currently in heart bar shoes under vets instruction.
Farrier says he would be better in heal pads, next time but thats something i need to discuss with the vet.

Itsonlyme; what did the vets say the ridden prospects were for your horse? They havent really mention what he may/ may not be able to do. With regards to barefoot, i will speak to vet when i take him back.

Thanks
 
The vet said it's the sort of injury that flares up in many cases. Molly can't/shouldn't jump any more, which doesn't bother us, but it would some people. Our vet said she would "understand" if we wanted her pts
 
Grrr! Stupid phone!
But we would have her as a field ornament before that happened. She also said that for the level of work we do (happy hackers mostly), even if she was never 100% sound, it wouldn't do molly any harm. Maybe just low dose bute.
At the moment though, we're still hoping we'll get her as near as sound as possible :-)
 
There are plenty of barefoot rehabs jumping and back to full work on any ground, including one of mine.

Your farrier is a gem itsonlyme, can you PM me with his name, you are in my area and I'd like to be able to recommend him?

Showjump if by "heel pads" your farrier means wedges, please PLEASE look at what the Rockely blog has to say about wedges.
 
itsonlyme; Thanks for that, my horse is (was) and talented showjumper at the 1.20 level before his injury, so if he is not going to jump again its a huge blow. His has a bad habit of atempting (and coming close) to killing other horses he is turned out with, so he has to become a field ornament that will be a hard task. (i doubt anyone would want him as a companion.)

cptrayes- yes he did mean wedges, but again it depend what the vet says. TBH my vet is one of the best in the country (imo) so i will take his advise. However i have just started to read the blog you suggested, will continue once i get home from work!

itsonlyme; can you pm me your farriers name, im in Cheshire too.
 
Ours did his DDFT last summer. He was intermittant lame, and was sound the first time the vet saw him. I rode him "normally" for another 3 weeks and kept his lameness up so they could nerve block properly. It was then decided that he would have surgery.
Surgery gave us the knowledge of how bad the tear was. they cleaned up the adhesions and he came back sound - he was on 3 legs by the time he had surgery, some 2 months after first showing signs of lameness. Essentially the adhesions were continuing to tear and this was why he was getting more lame.

Box rest and walking in hand for first 4 months, then ridden for another 2 months whilst still on box rest. He also had egg bars fitted. He is pidgeon toed so had laterals too.

It has worked for us. But I would not risk all that effort for the sake of jumping. So a happy hacker and (local) show pony instead.

Good luck, but my advice is to carry on working your horse so the vet has a lameness to investigate.
 
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