HELP small tear in ddft near hind

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dizzydoo

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hi my lovely 16yr old honest mare I have had for 11 yrs had a windgal come up only on one leg I phoned the vet she said slow down on work call if any change I just starting to get her really fit for our riding holiday in the south downs i decided to giving her legs a shave lots of hair came of after the winter and noticed a very slight swelling on the other side very small amount of heat only could feel it once the legs were shaved so called the vet out she was 2/10 lame on one circle on lunge (hence I never lunge I no) I took her in for a scan to my horror small tear in ddft in the fetlock area she had injection in it to speed recovery 3 days rest then walk for 10 increasing by 5 each week till scan in 6/8 wks small paddock turn out as she is better out than in will walk round and round otherwise. I cried for aweek as I have read some threads it's the end of her career I no I don't do much just small jumping 2'3 cross country 2'3 lots of hacking 1/2 hrs 4 times a week schooling once a week she is very excitable and loves all her work and is finding life boring doing nothing pls help does anyone think I will go back to a normal life with her vet has said fair only if response to treatment I can't turn her away as she had lami once when I had her living out when I had a baby and recovered she had sweet ich too she loves her routine HELP I feel so down for her and myself :-(
 
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I tried magnetic boots on mine when he had this injury and also fed MSN & Glucosamine - I can't tell you if it helped or not but my vet said it certainly wouldn't do him any harm.

A lot depends on the location and size of the tear, how it's treated in the first few weeks (cold hosing etc).

Also horses really do adapt easily to changes in management. I'm sure yours would settle on restricted 24 hour turnout as long as she could see other horses. Horses who have hd laminitis and sweetitch can live out if carefully managed.

Follow what ever instructions your vets give you and keep your fingers crossed, I know plently of horses who have had hind DDFT injuries that do RC activities and hacking so don't give up hope just yet.
 
hi my mare did her ddft in aug 2010 pratting in the field and is just starting walk exercise but was probablly a worse tear.my vets were very positive about the outcome but said as she is older it may take longer. my daughters mare is also now lame ,different problem so both on restricted turnout. we are so frustrated as had loads of plans ambitions for this summer. i can only comiserate,but chin up,take it a day at a time and all that.
 
Hi,
Mine is awaiting a scan for pos suspensory/check damage. Not the same I know, but suffering the same frustration, having had her on box rest, now will be going to restricted turn out pending scan results. Could also mean a big change in lifes hopes for us, worried that she may not return sound enough for even small riding club activities.

The point is, just wanted to say that you're not alone, plenty of us here know what you're going through, and will help and support in any way we can, even if it's somewhere to rant about it lol!!!

Good luck xxx
 
My daughter's Fjord (17) suffered a huge tear in his left rear DDFT last August. He came out of the stable hopping lame!
My daughter was absolutely devasted as she only needed another 2 points to move up to advance dressage. Yes, Fjords can do dressage!
He was operated on in the September and they cleaned it up inside and cut one of his other tendons to ease the tension. He was on box rest with increasing periods of inhand walking for 8 weeks and then we decided to turn him away to see if this would help his recovery. 6 months on we hack out once a week (walk only) and he is doing fine. Trot will be introduced end of May beginning of June even though he can be seen trotting quite happily in the field with no signs of any lameness. We have no intention of forcing the issue and he will be left probably for the rest of this year, have him scanned again in September and then depending on the scan, we'll see what happens when we bring him back into work spring next year.
It's not all doom and gloom with a DDFT. It just takes time and patience.
If he's not able to do dressage anymore, ok, no problem. I'm quite content just to slow hack him. The pair of us can grow older and fatter together.:)
You have to stay positive.
 
two years ago mine developed a windgall lump which turned ou to be damage to both ddft, sdft and she had adhesions too. she was barely 2/10th lame on lunge. was operated on to tidy it up and asses the full extent of the damage. On re hab she had the tendon seath medicated. I cant remeber now but think it was a total of 6wks complete box rest with just short grazes in hand a couple of times a day the we progressed to hand walking and riding walking and slow built up over about 4-5months at about month 7 post op we would have been able to progress further but due to complections unrelated to that problem we could not. her last scan was 10 monthsish after op and we had the all clear as far as that problem was concerned! and touch wood have had no further problems with that issue.
she did stay on box rest and "controlled" exercise for about 11 months due to the complecations and yard changing which had no winter turn out. Dont think is normally this long!
so dont give up hope have seen other recover from simmiler too
 
Just to give you hope, my mare had a bad tear in her DDFT within her hoof, only found by an MRI scan, 2 yrs ago. She had a lot of the box rest, hand walking, ridden exercise whilst stabled then turnout. She stayed sound for a year until the silly old fool ran round the field about 3 weeks ago and injured her OTHER leg (fronts by the way). This time shes injured her SDFT but only slightly according to the scan and we are now on box rest again. Not half as lame as last time, when shes well shes going to live out. Im sure its a Mad March thing when Spring is in the air and they know the grass is on the way. Being stabled doesnt seem to agree with her at this time of year.

Hers was a bad tear to the DDFT so if she can come right, so can yours. Just make sure you follow the vets rehab programme and dont rush anything.
 
thanks for all the positive replies was feeling so frustrated aswell only sept 10 had stables and sandschool finished after 5 yrs got a loan out for new trailer ready for this summer was so looking forward to it all and felt I would never have her back to do all the fun things I no it's horrible but it makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one (sorry guys)please keep me posted on how yours are doing tennessee hope your scan is going to be ok fingers crossed .my other horse Alfie went out on a hack (not with me )broke his leg from cantering down a bridle path a lady came out of a bush and he spooked bad the rider broke her arm but alfie had to be pts it took me years to get over that now this but I will stay positive ... loopylucifer has your horse still got the windgall lump and I remember the vet saying to me about swelling in the sdft, how did your horse do the injury cause I'm not clear how mine done hers xx
 
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