Inflamed check ligament. Anyone had any experience?

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R2D2

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So about 5 weeks ago my dopy horse got a bit over excited going XC and came back very slightly lame, and with a swollen leg. I had the vet out a couple of days later, and he was put on box rest/bute. A scan then showed the check ligament was slightly inflamed, thankfully no holes or tears. Two weeks after that the vet came back out and was happy he was sound and gave me the go ahead to get back on. She said he should be OK to be back in full work in about 6 weeks from the scan. He's been being ridden at walk for about two weeks now and while I'm happy there is no sign of lameness, I'm concerned as the leg still swells up when he stands still on it. It goes down as soon as he moves around, and it is only a slight swelling. The vet that saw him is currently unavailable so I thought I'd ask has anyone had experience of this type of injury? I am not sure if a bit of swelling is normal, or if it is a sign that I need to wait longer before I up his work.
 
Yes- 2 similar check injuries, both would still swell a bit but gradually improved out time. Your time scale sounds good, but walk another week if any doubts
 
I have a horse who was dog lame after doing his. Never scanned to find out how bad it was. He broke out of his pen at the 7 week rest mark and galloped about and back to square one.

He came good. It swelled up occasionally for maybe a year after he was back in work, but now youd not even know he did it. We always cold hosed after every single ride until it hadnt done it for a month.

In an ideal world may have left him longer before rehab work, but as a fat native was a balancing act. He walk hacked only for months.
 
My little cob about 18 months ago. She did 4 weeks in the stable with twice daily walk outs because she jumped out of a pen. Then the grass started to come through so the pen was more attractive so about another 2 months gradually increasing the size. Started gentle ridden work.

Then last summer the weather gods forgot to rain so the ground went to concrete and we walked everywhere which I think did her the world of good. To start with if she had a play in the field I'd feel heat, but towards end of summer when ground softened there was no repeat of heat or swelling and no issues now

She's got a fair amount of skeletal and hoof issues so if she can bounce back with TLC then anything can
 
This is common injury and I have seen it several times .
I could continue with cold therapy for sometime longer and avoid the horse standing it’s stable straight after work if you can .
I have to say that this injury is often IME pops up gets fixed and the horse goes on to suffer suspensory trouble later .
Be very vigilant about foot balance and time between shoeing from now on .
 
Thank you for the replies. Fingers crossed he will continue to be sound! The swelling does seem to have reduced this last week, so feeling hopeful.
 
Walk, walk and walk some some more. Walking is so under rated but just the best thing. We used DSMO back in the day, some rest then plenty of road walking. Came sound and hunted into his 20s.
 

Why it's essential to ice immediately following a tendon/ligament injury.

This is why I think t's very good to instigate cold therapy as soon as your horse has a tendon/ligament injury. This is me going by my other user name (long story but two user names as don't have access on computer to old user name only phone). Picture 1 December 2019, around the 28th December...
forums.horseandhound.co.uk forums.horseandhound.co.uk

Ice, ice and more ice, I can't stress how important it is. :)
 
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