Hind suspensory advice.

H

Halfstep

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 July 2005
Messages
6,966
Location
Oxfordshire
Visit site
My bloody horse. Two months after buggering up his hock, he had swelling yesterday at the top of the cannon bone of the same hind leg. Just had vet out to look at it and she thinks it could be his suspensory ligament. So I'm cold hosing, icing and box resting to try to get the swelling down so they can do a scan asap.
Any advice on hind suspensories? What should l expect? He has a lot of other problems so I will have to seriously consider my options with him, but if I can turn him away for 6 months I will do so. I had just started riding him again - four days into walking under saddle. I'm gutted.
frown.gif
 
It must be lower down than the PSD types of injury which is good news for you because they cannot be seen due to the bone around them (hence the difficulty in spotting). Have you had a scan?

If it is the branch, this seems to have a good recovery rate too
smile.gif
 
Thanks JetSet.

No scan yet as we are waiting for the inflammation to go down. Probably on Thursday. There is visible swelling but it isn't hot, it is quite sore to palpate and flex. I'm really worried as it looks like this has happened because of the weakness of the leg caused by the hock injury (he's only been walking under saddle for four days). To be honest, I think this might be the end of the road for him
frown.gif
.
 
Oh hun, I am so sorry you are feeling like this! I know we have not had the same issues to deal with, but I do understand what you are going through one hundred percent.

I wouldn't write him off just yet until you have had the area scanned as it could still be a few things in that area. I will keep my fingers crossed for you for Thursday! It could just be that the legs in general are weak due to the lack of work he has had, I know that is my concern with Grace at the moment when she is showing me how well she does airs above ground
crazy.gif
 
I am in the middle of a hind suspensory saga at the mo so feel for you. I keep reading and being told that there is usually no swelling associated with the proximal sus lig, i.e. it is buried between a tendon, cannon bone, two splint bones so cannot swell. This could be good news to you. If it is where it attaches, i.e. proximal, yup, the future could be bleak. I have not had much luck with this injury and have done all the right things, including the op. Knowing what I now know (that this injury rarely comes 100% right forever), I would be cautious if the horse has other issues. Could be months, maybe a year, of hoping all for nothing. So sorry to be doomy - I really hope the scan goes well.
 
Been there too, mine had op for PSD last October, I turned him out 24/7 after just twoo weeks because he was going potty! He is now only 1/10th lame, and most days he is comfortable enough to hack out for an hour. But some days, you can see he is sore
frown.gif

Fortunately I was able to keep him and buy another horse
smile.gif
He was my first pony.
Good luck I hope your horsey is ok
 
my horse had PSD 6yrs ago and was back in full work in 6mths after shockwave and box rest - never troubled him again.

i would say that it's not going to be PSD though if you can see swelling - the hind suspensory is trapped between bones and held in by fascia - this is partly what makes PSD so bad because the ligament has nowhere to swell and therefore presses on the nerve and part of the op is to cut the fascia to allow the ligament more room. it must be something else if there is an obvious swelling.
 
Humm. Interesting star. Thanks.

Swelling is gone after some bute and cold hosing/bandaging, so perhaps vet was being melodramatic. All this has made me look hard at my plans for this horse however. He's had sooooo many issues. I think he needs to be turned away and allowed to be a horse. But we'll see what the scans reveal.
 
Mine did his curb ligament there is swelling with curb which you seem to have and susp ligament seems different injury from other posts.They do recover ok from this injury .He needed 3 months but it never bothered him again.My horse has(Spavins at the moment) hock problems and now I wonder if the two were related but you have done yours the opposite way round.When are you having scans done normally the vet waits a week.
 
Not a curb, as on the side of cannon. If the inflammation is down enough we will scan tomorrow. It looks pretty good this morning so I'm hopeful. I'm going away on holiday and would like to have an answer before I go. Hock problem was cartilage damage in the upper hock joint (not spavin).
 
Good luck hope it goes well with scan and you can go away with no worries and enjoy your break
 
To give you some hope, mine did his hind suspensory over four years ago. He had three months off but came back sound. I can't remember details as I was only 16 at the time so vets dealt with mum mainly but he had six weeks box rest followed by three months in the field. It was a slow rehab but he's never had problems with it since. We took the decision not to jump him again but he was sound for BD.
I also know how it feels to have a horse with 'problems'. Mine also now has collateral ligament damage among others things and he's only 9yrs old. We decided to turn him away for nine months and it was the best thing. He's come back a lovely horse.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top