Does anyone have any experience with Thoroughpin injuries?

[sleepykitten]

My mare sustained a thoroughpin injury around 3 months ago when she got her back leg caught up in a rug strap. Vet came out, we did a fortnight of box rest and cold hosing, bute and controlled hand walking. She was then turned out into a small paddock and controlled exercise kept going. She was never lame as a result of the injury.

More recently the vet drained it and injected some Hylauranic acid into the swelling. It went down for a while but has now come back up. I've spoken to the vet and he says that we have done everything we can for it and just to manage it as I am, but when riding she just doesn't seem 100% sometimes.

I'm not bothered that it is swollen and unsightly as she is not shown, just a happy hacker, but just wondering if anyone out there has any experience of a similar injury and if you found anything that helped at all?

Thanks!

 

[be positive]

Thoroughpins do not usually cause any problems, yours may be slightly different as it is due to injury rather than general wear and tear or conformation, I would suspect that she may have pulled something in the accident or that there is still some residual tightness that a good physio will be able to help with, certainly the way I would go.

 

[sleepykitten]

Good point, thanks I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Red-1]

I had a rather strange experience with my old mare, who evented to Intermediate and was tough as old boots. On the morning of an event she presented with a *surprise* thoroughpin. Defo not there before. We had been working her hard at the time as she was event fit, prepping for 3 day so including trips to the gallops.

The thoroughpin appeared on the day of an event, it was there but not gigantic, it was cool and she was sound, so we decided to go and dressage at least, and have her looked at by the event vet.

The event vet checked her over, and actually said we should do the event, which we did, and she was sound. The next day it was up a bit more, so we took her to our own vet, who recommended cold hosing, even though there was no heat, and a strange pressure boot for the hock.

The boot was a zip on affair with like a padding like a tennis ball on each side. She had a few weeks of flat work and hacking only, and only had the boot off when working or turned out.

Blow me down if the whole thing did not go away!

I think she was booted up for about 6 weeks, and just overnight for a month more, but the swelling went down and never came back.

The boot was purpose made and a faff to fit, but it really did the job. It put direct pressure right on both sides of the thoroughpin. I think it helped that we had it zipped in and on within 48 hours of the lump appearing. It also helped that the mare was tough as old boots.

I had kind of got used to the idea that the bulge would always be there, but it really did go completely and never come back even with hard work.

 

[sleepykitten]

Interesting! I will have a look into this but I'm guessing if this is an older injury I might be too late now. It seems to go down a bit with work I must admit, its like she is stiff a bit to begin with on a hack but then eases into it. She trotted a little short yesterday but then was fine trotting on the road home. I don't know, maybe I;m just being really paranoid about it. She is 19 rising 20 so no spring chicken but I just want to keep her happy and she really enjoys hacking so I'd like to do what I can to keep her comfortable as long as I can!

 

[Red-1]

Every day it went down a bit with work, and then it was pressure booted. It stayed down and then went down a bit with work and was pressure booted......... etc etc. Gradually it got smaller and stayed smaller when turned out, and we only took the boot off in the stable once it seemed stable and normal.

We did get the boot within 48 hrs of it first coming up though. It was so tight I felt a bit mean, but it was only for a few weeks, and she had some time with no boot every day. I seem to remember whatever happened we had it off twice a day, even if it was just for a hand walk.