Horse appearing sound after 2 year off- too good to be true??

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kgj66

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After two years rest the horse seems sound...could this be too good to be true?? My plan is to get her feet sorted out then start walking her in hand for a few weeks(lots of hills to strengthen back end) and sticking to straight lines and see how she goes, and if ok then start re breaking her.
Has anyone else had a horse that came back sound after SI injury??

Full story of her history below...

In October 2010 I bought a 4 yr old ISH. She was fab, until March 2011 when she went very lame. After what i think was an incorrect diagnosis of a hairline fracture and to give rest in a small paddock for 3 months she was no better at all. Vet 1 then said try 3 months box rest- slightly better, not much- vet said she's done, if she isn't better now she won't be. Didn't hve insurance so couldn't get bone scan.

So second opinion-vet 2 said he had seen very similar before and was sure it was SI problem. He used an internal ultra sound to try and get an image of ligaments which he found the ligaments on left were definitely injured and not healing as much as they should have with rest she had had. He recommended trying another 3 months box rest and then he would re examine.
She was slightly better again but still maybe 4/10 lame in trot. So we made the decision it wasnt fair to box rest her anymore and to turn her away. I had a wonderful friend who took her on as a forever companion for her mare and bought a new horse who is now also lame with bony changes in hock.

SO I decided to go back and look properly at my old mare(my friend kept telling me she looked great) but when I saw her at Xmas I wasn't sure(though she was cantering round a muddy field, so hard to know). Anyway, today although a little sore in front due to lack of trimming her back end did look great.
 
Yes, I've come across SI injuries that have healed great! There's a horse on my yard that took a year to heal, but is now back in his usual hacking work. And a horse that I treat regularly who went hopping lame a couple of years ago after a fall in the field, scanned by the vet and diagnosed as SI ligament damage, treated with rest and physio, he's now back jumping internationally again.
So hopefully you'll be back on board soon! I would of course recommend that you get the physio to check your horse before you get going with too much work (you can find your local qualified Chartered Physio at www.acpat.co.uk), and then to assess and treat regularly to monitor for improvement / deterioration, to give your horse the best chance of a successful return to work!
 
Yes, totally possible.

However I would personally allow more time off whilst you sort out her feet. If you were going to keep her indefinitely in the field anyway, I would personally allow another 6 months or so until you have as good foot balance as can be achieved before starting with the exercise again.
 
Our little mare took 18 months, but she's now back in ridden work. She wasn't as lame as yours sounded, but still noticeably bi-laterally lame behind. SI's are really awkward & some are never right again, but ours certainly is so i hope yours is too :)
 
A living advert for the old adage "give them time" which so many people don't want to do these days. Admittedly it doesn't always work but has to be worth a chance to get nature working on your side.
Agree with whoever it was that said give her a bit more time until you sort her feet out, don't ask her to work at all while they're not correct.
 
Im hoping so!
It will be 2 years in April that my mare suffered an SI injury and the way she was moving across the field today would put Valegro to shame!
I have a plan to try to bring her back into work this spring summer so fingers crossed for us both!!
 
The biggest problem with us humans is we never ever give any horse enough time - 2 years is nothing in the scheme of things, but long enough for nature to heal.

Trust me I am 4 months into a significant trauma to my leg and it will be at least a year before I am anywhere near normal - and to be blunt if i were a horse unless i had a very patient owner I would be in a beef burger by now.

Just take things slowly, they cannot tell you what hurTS or how things are going - but on a serious note if the vet tells you to bring back into work slowly and do 4 lots of 3 mins walk a day - then please please do this - doing 2 times 6 mins or once times 12 mins IS NOT THE SAME - but some folk just do not get this.

Good luck I really hope everything is on the up from here.
 
Yup, friend of mine's mare was diagnosed with navicular so her shoes were pulled and she was retired into a field. Two years later for some reason that I forget, friend decided to pull her out of the field and try riding her and was astounded that she was totally sound AND is now a rock-crunching barefoot hacker too! Time really IS a great healer sometimes.....
 
Yes it is possible.
Mine is now sound, and being lightly ridden following what must be over 2 years off. She complicated things by damaging suspensories as a result of her other issues.
However, she had had previous issues and appeared to come sound, so very slow is the only way forward! I have now been trotting for nearly 4 months, and find that no riding every day is best. The pessoa is also coming back out, as that helped a huge amount.
 
unfortunately insurance policies and livery fees mean alot of horses aren't given time (and thats not meant as a judgement on owners, its how it is). Mine was written off due to stifle issues-taken some IRAP and field rest for 2 years but he's currently sound.

good luck OP! :)
 
Maesfen said:
A living advert for the old adage "give them time" which so many people don't want to do these days. Admittedly it doesn't always work but has to be worth a chance to get nature working on your side.
Agree with whoever it was that said give her a bit more time until you sort her feet out, don't ask her to work at all while they're not correct.
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Thanks everyone that is very encouraging. Hopefully she is getting feet trimmed on wed so I will talk to farrier and see what he thinks of them.
 
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