Jumping after flexor tendon injury..

JustKickOn

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Last July, my girl went lame after a one day event. Rested but Vet called a week later as lameness worsening. Lots of x rays, with diagnosis of a tiny hole and bruising to the right fore flexor tendon.

Few months of field rest as she is calmer out than in (panics when shut in the stable unless sedated), then eventually walking in hand for months, walking back under saddle and just lots of gentle work. Started back cantering under saddle late October and upped work load late November, both with vets and physio go ahead.

Spoke with the vet last week when she was out to do teeth and vaccinations and asked about getting back jumping. The answer was it depends on each horse, she is a sturdy and solid mare, but to take it very slow and gradually introduce pole work, raised poles and small x poles then to see how it goes.

Naturally, I am proceeding with a lot of caution and don't want to push anything. I am happy just having her as a hack and dressage horse, but I do miss the jumping slightly... I would also like to take her on fun rides if possible, but if doing something will compromise her health, I won't do it.

However, K was bought some sparkly plaiting bands for Xmas by her owner, and with recent schooling and lesson successes, we may be unleashing a real dressage diva... :D

So, what are your stories about your horses getting back to low level eventing (85cm max) having injured a fore limb tendon? Successful and not please.

Thank you :)
 

old hand

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had one with a major DDF tear went back to Grade A show jumping for 17 years. I had the same advice as you, he also evented team chased and hunted. It was an accident not a wear and tear injury.
 

milos

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Mine was ok but each horse is different so it's a case of do you take the gamble and see. Horse can just as easily do a tendon in the field. I would say I did spend six months hacking out slowly building up there legs before putting in the sand school I also gave them a full year off prior to bringing back into work. It's fittening stage out hacking which I think is so important and shouldn't be rushed. I also always either cold hosed legs or put on cooling gel after work.
 

Llee94

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My gypsy cob x mare tore her tendon in March 2011 during xc schooling. She had a 4 sq.mm tear in her front left leg. I got her scanned regularly and she had nearly a year off (March-Feb). At the final scan the vet couldn't even find where the hole had been. I took ages bringing her back into work, walking for 2 months and slowly introducing short amounts of trot work. She is now out eventing at BE novice level and will hopefully move up to Intermediate this year. I have never had a problem since the injury and the only thing that is different from before is that her front legs fill occasionally if she is stabled for a long time.
I am always careful with what ground I run her on, although I would be the same with any of my horses. I always make sure that she is wearing either her eventing boots or tendon boots when doing any fast work or jumping as she did hers by knocking into herself with just brushing boots on.
I also, like milos has said, cold hose legs and put on a cooling gel after galloping or xc.
The vet recommended putting magnetic boots to help with the healing and she still wears them to this day after working. I got a pair on eBay for about £10. They aren't branded but they do the job just as well as anything else.
Good luck and just remember to take everything slowly. It is much better to take a little longer and have a sound horse, than rush it and end up back at square 1!
 

Golden_Match_II

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Tam had a small hole in her right fore SDFT diagnosed in July 2010, rested until January 2011. Fitness programme included 8weeks walking, and then proceeding as normal after the walk work, except we never galloped her for fitness. She competed again in May 2011 We did trotting on roads up steep hills and swimming with her.

She returned to eventing at Novice/1* level for 2 seasons with lots of placings. We only took her eventing about once a month, though, and show jumped her on surfaces between events up to 1m15. After hard work we iced both front legs. In July 2012, after an accident in the field, she tore her tendon sheath - this injury was unrelated to her original SDFT injury, but sadly means she's not up to galloping anymore so she's a broodmare.

My vet suggested that the galloping was probably more of an issue for the flexor tendons than the jumping. I think if you've done all the groundwork then just be sensible and treat it like you would any other horse coming into work from being completely unfit in a field. They can go back to pretty much normal, you just have to be sensible with how often you go out and how you get them to peak fitness :)
 

Red-1

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Many years ago an ex bought a lovely mare who was recovering from a tendon injury. I would not have touched her with a barge pole (she had both front legs bowed - her "flares" as we called them), but he had limited funds, and she was a classy horse. I think she was about 10 months post injury, she was back in some work, doing hacking and a bit of flatwork, and even popping a small fence.

We looked into it, and found that a year after injury is a danger time, as the injury is "healed" as in the horse is sound, but the injury is not the final mend, as it the type of tissue is not finalised. It seemed a match though as my ex was a novice, and so the mare had a year of doing small stuff while he learned to ride.

As he got better he did more, and I took the mare hunting to prep her for him. She had been a Fieldmaster's horse pre injury, and had won a point to point too. She was actually rather tasty! So much so that when we split up a couple of years on I bought her for myself, she had never done a lame step. We did hunting, open team chasing and SJ to Newcomers.

Eventually she got Sesamoiditis (sp?) which was sort of unconnected, but at the same time the shape of her leg was not normal so there may have been extra strain there.

For advice I would be very careful for 2 years, and if your horse is still OK then, then the tendon will be as good as it is going to be. We never asked the horse for maximum effort, as in if she was tired we did not push through that, but if she felt good to go, we went!
 

Arniebear

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My lad tore his SDFT in sept 2013, we had 6 months box rest and surgery then 3 months field rest. 3 months hacking before schooling and now i would say he is 90% back in full work. I have jumped him round a course of sjs and his legs have been fine. Although i put his ice boots on as soon as he is finished, i plan to event him this season but im not rushing we shall see how he goes and what he can handle if we make it eventing it wont be until july/aug as i have no need to push him too fast too soon hes 6 so all the time in the world! He did complete his first novice dressage test yesterday and scored a reputable percentage so things are on the up!! Just take it slowly and ice after hard work, the horse will soon tell you if they are ready or not. Good luck
 

milos

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I've added a bit more for you...Agree with a lot of the above it's the time part that to me is so important I wouldnt jump her under a Year of her injury as you need to put the miles of hacking in and give time to strengthen just because she is sound it dosent mean it's strong if that makes sense. I waited 1.5 years from initial injury before jumping. Inalso agree very much with the galloping comments you can do huge amount of fitness in slow trot. I used and still use magnetic boots a lot I recommend bio flow brushing boots if for turnout and veredus magnetic table boots for inside ( I didn't like the premier equine and replaced with veredus) you can also use them as travel boots to prep legs on the way to an event. I have also invested in ice vibe boots which I love and use them every day after work. You can also use them to travel home in. I also give a good supplement with msm in it. I also watch the ground you work on . I've sadly had to bring three different tendon injuries back into work over the years and none of them have re injured the original injury so best of luck but I'd say time was the key factor x
 

JustKickOn

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Thanks everyone.

I'm very much on a budget with horses, so can't go out and splash on brand new boots that cost a lot unfortunately, but she does have a comprehensive range already!! Saying that, I will not boot for turnout - I think it makes their legs far too hot, regardless of how well ventilated the boots are - and she isn't normally stupid in the field. I wouldn't want to overheat a leg with a healing injury on it. She also lives out 24/7 with a field shelter and bed at night which she can choose to use, so it wouldn't be practical either.

Her injury was described as very minor by the vet, so reading all your stories of recovery from tears is reassuring.

We hack at the weekends when possible, and I am hoping to start riding her round the fields but she can get a bit excited!

My plan is to keep her ticking over until the lighter evenings when I can then ride more often during the week, then give her three months of an increased work load, adding in poles to the sessions. And then analyse it all from there.

She has worked so beautifully this weekend and has been so willing to please. She has so much more to give at the moment, but the last thing I would ever want to do is push her too hard.

Thank you all very much. Hopefully I shall be able to post a report on our come back... :D
 
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fawaz

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My fella had an 80% tear to his superficial flexor tendon and completely severed his suspensory. His fetlock was at a right angle and only a couple inches off the ground as there was almost no structure holding his leg together. It's 10 years in March Since his injury and he has never been lame after the initial 6months. H is leg is as ugly as hell but it does the job! has done plenty of jumping and work in this time and I'm now currently dabbling in endurance. I make sure I really look after his legs. I bandage with natural fibre bandages and pads for support. Ice or hose after work and avoid deep or heavy going. I find firm ground better than soft. My vets say it's a miracle he is sound and they think my innovative rehab in that first six months may have been a huge factor in his success. I never boxed him as I felt the movement was crucial for unavoidable scar tissue to grow flexible and soft instead of stiff and hard. I also hand walked him daily (slowly) on the hard roads to also promote strength. I also took him to the beach every second day to walk and soak in the cold water for an hour. His leg was kept tightly wrapped for support at all times and clay was applied twice daily. I did all this for six months!
 
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