INJURY TO THE COLLATERAL LIGAMENT

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KIMBY

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Has anyone had a good outcome from a collateral ligament injury my mare was doing so well at ridden trot stage and she has gone backwards from being sound six weeks ago is now lame one tenth on both reins which is not good . Very very dissapointed as things where going so well maybe has re injured the ligament. Can anyone give me any hope.
 
My big mare has collateral ligament injuries in both front feet and damage to the DDFT in the right fore. She is sound after shock wave therapy, 8 weeks controlled exercise and 6 months field rest barefoot.

The vet has said its likely that, like yours, she'll just break down again when the injuries are put under pressure.

I'm afraid I'm not hopeful about these type of injuries, but all you can do is give it your best try at the re-hab, and see what happens.

If your horse is showing up lame, are you still covered on the insurance to get the injuries scanned again to see what's going on and if you're back at square one or not?
 
Sorry to be negative but my daughter has had 2 with this.
The first was an acute injury and took a while to be diagnosed and he was PTS aged 8 as he never came sound at all.
The present horse has chronic wear to both collateral ligaments. He has had joint injections, controlled excercise and shockwave treatment. He also had remedial shoeing and gel pads in the fronts. He is now 10 and for the past 2 years she has struggled to keep him sound enough to hack.
She thinks he is fairly sound in front but unfortunately his old hind suspensory problem has recurred causing sacro illiac problems. He has just been retired.
Both were TB who were well shod and well cared for throughout their lives and had the best available treatment.
I think most of these injuries have a poor to guarded outcome though there is one person on here who has had more luck I think.
 
Hi Kimby, I have replyed on this subject before, I have an 11yr old gelding who had a hole in his collateral ligament,the process was nearly as long as a tendon injury, he had 8 months box rest apart from when he went to vet's for shockwave treatment, we then spent months bringing him back had a couple of set backs where he looked a bit lame again more box rest, but finally after nearly 2 years he was placed last year at Hickstead and HOYS, sometimes I think he is not quite right but while he is jumping ok I just keep going if he breaks down then so be it, just dont try and rush things, I know how depressing it can be good luck
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Hey, my mare ruptured her medial collateral (left fore) in november 2007. She had IRAP, shockwave and 3 months boxrest. She has slowly been brought back into work and i would say that she is now pretty much 100% sound.
Mine managed to do hers pratting around in the field even tho on xray her foot balance was correct.
She will be able to do dressage and my vet has told me not to rule out jumping her again, however her rupture was v severe and i will never return her to the extent of work she was in before the injury.
Unfortunately the prognosis with this injury is usually guarded, and as my mare was only given a 30% chance of field soundness following hers, i feel v privelaged to be able to ride her at all. The main thing with this injury is time, and at the mo my mares having lots of rest as im at uni, so will have had almost 3 years of rest before i attempt to bring her back to any real work.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me

LW
 
One of mine had this and overall was off for 14months ... he was diagnosed as sound after a year but last 2 months was walked in hand as we didn't want to bring him in too soon. (His was right fore)

He resently started jumping again and when my vet came out to do his jabs he was talking to us and was like I'm still suprised this horse ever came sound again. Last summer it got REALLY bad so bad that we were at the point that 3 more months were all we were willing to give. This was because it heading to the year point and if he was still so lame it wasn't fair and desision was made he'd be pts. But 3 months later sound as a pound!!

With mine it was due to that his pedal bones were rotated horizontally that caused the complete tear he had. Has it been looked into that there is something conformationally causing the stress on the ligament (would be my first thought on it as it has occured again so quick), or it wasn't completely healed to begin with. My boys pedal bones had been righted by correct shoeing and needs careful correct shoeing from now on. But to be honest even though he's now sound as a pound etc... we still take each day and enjoy him
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From what I gather there is far more chance of the horse returning to work after this injury if the injury is acute (i.e. a hole/rupture) rather than if it is chronic. Obviously the time it takes to diagnose an acute injury also plays an important part.
As my mum sad (misst) we called it a day with Jesper a few weeks ago. It was an ongoing battle to keep him sound enough to hack and in the end it didn't seem fair. However I do think at the moment he's fairly sound in front - it is the stress it caused his hind legs and back that have become the problem.
Don't give up hope. Jesper had a set back about eighteen months ago (when he was first brought back in to work) but he did come right again. Any chance your horse could have just pratted round the field the day before or something?
 
Thank you all so much for your thoughts it is possble that
the ligament wasn't healed enough to stand her messing around in the field because she does when bored. i'm going to put her on a circle tomorrow and if still lame then consider taking shoes of and turning her away for the Summer with her companion pony but will discuss it with my vet again on Monday as he was talking about claiming for loss of use on his last visit but i don't want to give up on her yet she gave me back my confidence after a serious riding accident and is very special to me.
 
My horse damaged its collateral ligament last May and I was told to claim for loss of use as she was hopping lame.But after box rest,turnout in stable sized paddock (was able to buck and twist but,not gallop) walking in hand then many months walking. Even the small improvements feel amazing , like first trot .She is doing her first BE event since then in 4 wks.Don't give up it seems like one step forward ten back but if shes worth it try the rest option .It will save vets bills ,fingers xd
 
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