Experiences of ligament injury in hind leg?

[gemisastar]

We're looking for a light hack/companion and are going to see a horse that had time off for a ligament strain in a hind fetlock, I'm not sure which ligament but it was described as an injury rather than something degenerative. Was definitely described as a ligament rather than a tendon also. Owner happy for us to get information from the vet as was scanned at the time but I don't know the exact details as yet, horse is 11 and sounds like has been chucked out in a field for some time since and is now described as sound but yet to be tried in ridden work. We'd only want something to be a companion but are hoping to be able to use as a light hack alongside our other horses.

I've dealt with tendon injuries in the past but not ligament, is there much of a difference regarding a prognosis? We only really hack so this horse wouldn't ever be expected to go round in circles on a surface. I know a lot depends on what the vet says about the severity of the injury at the offset, but the owner seems quite optimistic that the horse will be able to do what we're asking.

Any experiences /advice most welcome!!

 

[exracehorse]

I’ve had check and annular ligament tears. But in front leg. Unfortunately.. was only able to return to light hacking. After being turned away for 14 months. And then broke down again

 

[gemisastar]

Oh that doesn't sound great

 

[ycbm]

With a horse of that age who hasn't yet been put back to work, I would want to be very sure that this isn't the start of degenerative suspensory ligament disease, with the fetlock injury caused by the suspensories starting to give way. That is, as the name says, degenerative, and likely to cause lameness in that and/or other legs in future. Depending on how much he costs, I would think of getting my vet to scan both the injury and the suspensories in both hind legs.
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[gemisastar]

With a horse of that age who hasn't yet been put back to work, I would want to be very sure that this isn't the start of degenerative suspensory ligament disease, with the fetlock injury caused by the suspensories starting to give way. That is, as the name says, degenerative, and likely to cause lameness in that and/or other legs in future. Depending on how much he costs, I would think of getting my vet to scan both the injury and the suspensories in both hind legs.
.

Thank you, this is exactly what I'm worried about. I'm aware I need more information from the seller and their vet, I'm going to see the horse next week and will hopefully be able to make a decision then. The horse isn't expensive, ridden wise would only ever be hacking pretty lightly but obviously I want to make an informed decision so as to not immediately end up with a field ornament! I'm fairly sure the vets are able to do a mobile scan and I'd be prepared to do this if there are any doubts although if it throws anything up then that's a few hundred quid down the drain and no horse

 

[ycbm]

Can you get video of him walking and trotting from before the injury and see how much the fetlocks are dropping as the horse moves? If they are obviously hitting the floor at times, or close to it, then that might save you a trip.
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[gemisastar]

Can you get video of him walking and trotting from before the injury and see how much the fetlocks are dropping as the horse moves? If they are obviously hitting the floor at times, or close to it, then that might save you a trip.
.

Possibly, but the horse is only 20 mins away so it's no bother to go and actually look, I'd imagine I can film trotting and how it looks currently especially comparing it to the non injured leg. It sounds like there's been a fairly significant time turned away to heal and I'm not sure as yet what treatment was done at the time. The owner I can imagine will be very open and happy for me to have access to all previous vet records - I suppose it will be a go and see situation!

 

[ycbm]

Hopefully it's a one off, and they're are plenty of horses who have done those and gone back to normal work after long enough turned away. A year would be a good time for a ligament, they take longer than tendons.
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[sbloom]

Injuries happen to weakened tissue - Gillian Higgins "the vast majority of injuries are down to repetitive strain" - and the patterns that cause these weakened tissues also cause wear and tear on joints etc. Just a general point and depending on the nature of the injury, and it not being degenerative, there are things that can be done in terms of rehab/postural training etc that can improve things hugely but they take some time, both day to day, and over a long period.

Even photos of the horse can often show what patterns of movement the horse has been exhibiting.

 

[gemisastar]

Injuries happen to weakened tissue - Gillian Higgins "the vast majority of injuries are down to repetitive strain" - and the patterns that cause these weakened tissues also cause wear and tear on joints etc. Just a general point and depending on the nature of the injury, and it not being degenerative, there are things that can be done in terms of rehab/postural training etc that can improve things hugely but they take some time, both day to day, and over a long period.

Even photos of the horse can often show what patterns of movement the horse has been exhibiting.

Thanks sbloom, time is the one thing we do have tonnes of and would be happy to do a prolonged period of physio and bringing the horse into work if we do go ahead, I'm going to look up Gillian Higgins

 

[sbloom]

Thanks sbloom, time is the one thing we do have tonnes of and would be happy to do a prolonged period of physio and bringing the horse into work if we do go ahead, I'm going to look up Gillian Higgins

She's a well respected bodyworker who has moved into training others on anatomy etc. There are more rehab focused trainers that I'd recommend, Equitopia Center is a great place to start with a cheap membership while you find all the useful webinars on there, though it's a good organisation to support long term.

 

[gemisastar]

She's a well respected bodyworker who has moved into training others on anatomy etc. There are more rehab focused trainers that I'd recommend, Equitopia Center is a great place to start with a cheap membership while you find all the useful webinars on there, though it's a good organisation to support long term.

Great I'll look them up, always up for a bit of education on things

 

[J&S]

My little horse damaged her annular ligament when she was 13. She had vet treatment (steroids and hyaloronic (sp) acid) and also very expensive remedial shoeing at the vets. After rehab vet told me to go ahead just as if it had never happened! Didn't quite work out like that but we were still light hacking at 25 years old.

 

[Equi]

My last horse had some form of injury in his life that resulted in some form of suspensory ligament scarring. He was very weak on that leg and took me over two years to build enough strength to school but he was bound by no circles and no fast work or jumping. Very steep hills were out as was rocky/uneven ground. I spent my life constantly maintaining his hooves, ensuring he had the best supplement the vet recommended (science supplements flex pro - which really did help.) countless X-rays, eventually injections into the fetlock and hocks which for money purposes meant I was spreading it out and I had the vet out once every month for 4 months for an injection. Eventually a week after the last hock injection he went for a hooley because he felt so good and blew his ligament and was put down the day after. The only reason I got him was because I was already sharing him and fell in love then bought him. After I bought him I had the vet check and this began all my heartache. I don’t regret it because I still absolutely adore him he was my horse of a lifetime - but it was very very hard work.

ETA; he was 17 when I met him and died at 21 so there was still some time for good things, but he had been in a field for approx 2 years before totally left wild.

 

[L&M]

Not a hind, but my lad strained a front collateral ligament in the pastern area - sound in walk but approx 5/10ths lame in trot on a circle. He had 8 weeks field rest, then 6 weeks walk work and is now back in full work 9 months on and back to all normal activities, including jumping.

I have also successfully re-habbed a horse from a tendon injury, a lot longer process but ultimately recovered and back to work 18 months after.

For me a lot would depend on initial prognosis, my own vets opinion and scans and advice on what rehab needs to be done, but for a light hack/companion I wouldn't discount it.

 

[Michen]

I have a horse who did a straight sesamoid ligament in a hind leg. Unusual injury. It healed but with some adhesions. I doubled the rehab time and we pretty much walked for a solid year.

Haven't had any trouble with it since, touch wood, that was 2020

 

[GreyDot]

If he's only 20 mins away, go and see him and have a chat with the owner. Have him trotted up and if all looks good, I would get both hind legs scanned if you intend to buy him. Best way to be as certain as you can.

 

[SEL]

I've got one with a suspensory ligament injury right by the hock (probably from a deep school surface) that is now a field pet. She has other issues but if they have a gallop round you can feel the heat in it by the hock. She doesn't look lame per se but has developed some compensatory movement patterns (swings that leg under her body) & was only signed off for light hacking.

If you saw her after 2 years off in the field you'd wonder why I wasn't riding. Every time I try to bring her back into work though we get to a certain point and it's obvious she's not tolerating it. So I'd definitely get hold of vet records abd and go for head over heart with the one you're viewing