Jumping after ligamement injury..

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I'm thinking of taking my horse areana eventing a week on Sunday, but not sure if it's too soon after his mild check ligament injury.

It has been 3 1/2 month now, vet initially said 16 weeks before full work, he's been fine and haven't bothered to have him rescanned, have now paid the bill and am not going to claim so will not be having him scanned unless something goes wrong with it. Realise some may think that's a bit silly.. but that's what I've done!

Anyway, he's pretty much back in full work now with the exception of fast work (although he has done some faster canters) and has done loads long steady rides and is in full work in the school. Not had any issues with his leg what so ever since about day 3 really. I've had him over a couple of cross poles but that's about it.

He did it hunting so not sure exactly how he did it but probably was jumping (landing in deap ground over large hedge with drop I would suspect).. not sure if that matters or not?

Anyway - do you think at this stage he could have a pop round a 80cm course? No rush really but I was to start BSing him soon, so wondering if it's time to start jumping or not?
 
Speak to your vet?

The only way you will know for sure is to have the leg scanned. I know you have said you don't want to rescan so that is up to you. I don't know if you are not getting the leg rescanned because you don't want to make a claim on your insurance but technically you have to advise your insurance company that the leg has been treated. If you have to make a claim in the future your insurance company is likely get a full history from your vet and put an exclusion in whether you claim or not.
 
Yes that was my plan!! Damned insurence!!

Also because it doesn't really seem worth it as I'm 100% sure he's fine, but would rather be on the safe side, obviously.
 
Speak to the vet. If it escalates now due to not being fully healed you may not be doing BS for a year, or on a more permanent basis :( Vet said 16weeks, your two weeks off that. And you haven't built him up gradually to jumping round a course(tbh I wouldn't have been jumping at all yet, but would have started off jumping a wee titchy course, just to get the mechanics and muscles etc. built up in that way for a couple of weeks, gradually increase the height) It's the long term gain you want to think of.
 
Sorry if people find this bad - but I'm not going to speak to vet, so you guys are all I have to go on. ;)

It is still 2 weeks away and was planning on doing more jumping before and see how he gets on, but you are probably right. Might be best to continue what I'm doing now for a month or so, popping a few fences a couple of times a week and build it up from there.

I know people probably find me annoying with this, but I have knowledgable people around me and even the vet said it wasn't out of the question for him to hunt again this season (which I'm not going to do). He also said that some people prefer to have them scanned regularly, but that I would know about it if anything was too much as there would be heat/swelling.
 
my horse did a similar injury to yours i think about the same time (october) and we started off on 25 minutes walking 5 weeks ago and have to get to 1 hour walking until we're even possibly allowed to start trotting, so i'd give it a miss if it were me. I think we both had the same idea about turning them out and not keeping them on box rest for the entire time as well (apologies if it wasn't you!!)
 
houndsplease said:
tbf it cud be a clear round course and badger would be jumping 120 sayin come on lets be serious lol
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LOL!! Who is this? You obviously know my boy! ;) He's actually quite sensible and boring now, in his old age!!

Proof - jumping a little jump normally. :)
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I would say give this one a miss, you dont want to hurry it and then have to take steps back in the recovery. I would still speak to your vet though, he might surprise you and say its fine to go ahead, and thats what they are there for, to give advise. xx
 
catherine22 said:
my horse did a similar injury to yours i think about the same time (october) and we started off on 25 minutes walking 5 weeks ago and have to get to 1 hour walking until we're even possibly allowed to start trotting, so i'd give it a miss if it were me. I think we both had the same idea about turning them out and not keeping them on box rest for the entire time as well (apologies if it wasn't you!!)
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No probably was me, kept mine in for 6 weeks then put him out and he went CRAZY!! Thought OMG what have a done?? But brought him in and leg was fine *phew*, but wasn't AS worried about it after that really! My vet said walk out for a couple more weeks, then the plan was walking most of Dec, then build up trotting in Jan and cantering in Feb, which is kind of how it's gone, but have kind of moved things along a bit quick.. Bad mummy!! How long was your's being led out for then?
 
benson21 said:
I would say give this one a miss, you dont want to hurry it and then have to take steps back in the recovery. I would still speak to your vet though, he might surprise you and say its fine to go ahead, and thats what they are there for, to give advise. xx
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Thanks, I think I might just leave it. I have other horses to ride so there's no point rushing things. Might give him a call but worried because I don't trust his opinion that much (wasn't convinced with original diagnosis) and won't he just say he wan't to come and scan him again? If I were to get him scanned again I would want a different vet because he seemed to find it hard to detect the issue to begin with!! I struggle with dealing with people!!! Arrrggg!!!
 
Mmm, I must say its important to me to trust the person I am taking advice from, and it sounds a bit like you dont trust this one! Maybe look for a new vet and they could then be more helpful? We had a vet like that, he came out to Benson once when we thought he had colic. I had never seen colic before,Benson was flat out in his bed, stretching and kicking his belly, so called the vet. He arrived, seemed quite nervous of Benson, asked me to get him to stand, and when we struggled to get him up, he booted him, 3 or 4 times, hard on his behind! I asked him then to leave the stable, he told me if he can stand just give him a feed and see what he was like in the morning!!! That vet was never welcomed back on the yard by anyone and has thankfully left the vets practice now!!
 
What's stopping your ringing the vet for advice? Because you know he won't tell you what you want to hear?
I don't know any vets who charge for an advice call...
 
benson21 said:
Mmm, I must say its important to me to trust the person I am taking advice from, and it sounds a bit like you dont trust this one! Maybe look for a new vet and they could then be more helpful? We had a vet like that, he came out to Benson once when we thought he had colic. I had never seen colic before,Benson was flat out in his bed, stretching and kicking his belly, so called the vet. He arrived, seemed quite nervous of Benson, asked me to get him to stand, and when we struggled to get him up, he booted him, 3 or 4 times, hard on his behind! I asked him then to leave the stable, he told me if he can stand just give him a feed and see what he was like in the morning!!! That vet was never welcomed back on the yard by anyone and has thankfully left the vets practice now!!
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Oh god - he does sound bad!! No he wasn't that bad, but just didn't feel like he was very experienced at using the scanning equipment. He started off going on about this big scary looking black hole.. I was thinking "OMG!!!!!" but then he scanned the other leg and there was exactly the same thing!!! He said it was very large for a blood vessel and that you could normally see little specs moving around in it, so I had a look and there were little specs moving around in it! Pointed that out to him so then he agreed - not that then. Panic over!! But he said there still looked like there was some damage in that area (because it wasn't like that on the other side) but to me it just looked like where he was applying the scanner at a slightly different pressure/angle. I expressed my concerns, he said he could see what I meant but because he had seem the leg at point of injury he was sure that was what it was... sounded a bit sketchy to me!!

Had another vet from same practice to stich up his head (don't ask) and she sounded like she knew what she was on about... might get in touch with her?
 
SusieT said:
What's stopping your ringing the vet for advice? Because you know he won't tell you what you want to hear?
I don't know any vets who charge for an advice call...
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See above RE concerns on vet. I am willing to get another vet from same practice to come and scan him, maybe that's the best course of action?
 
given that you are obliged to tell your insurance company what has happened, you might as well get him rescanned and you might as well put in a claim. have never understood the not claiming mentality. as soon as you call a vet for something it goes in the horse's clinical notes which the insurance company requests a copy of next time you put in a claim so you dont gain anything by not claiming.
 
I would say that you shouldn't be thinking of jumping this horse until the summer, and am suprised to hear that you've been doing so allready.

Badger is a horse of a lifetime. Give him time to heal properly - or you won't have a horse to ride, let alone jump.
 
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I wouldn't be jumping him if I were you. It just seems too soon - especially with something like ligament damage. I feel like the potential for harm far outweighs the advantages of getting him out jumping again.

I would definitely be getting a different vet in future. Not wanting to state the obvious but you really need to be able to trust your vet with your horse's life.

There is a young vet who has seen B several times for 3 different incidents of lameness. I'm so so so lucky because not only is lameness her speciality, but she just exudes knowledge and confidence.

You need to get yourself one of these!
 
Starbucks said:
No probably was me, kept mine in for 6 weeks then put him out and he went CRAZY!! Thought OMG what have a done?? But brought him in and leg was fine *phew*, but wasn't AS worried about it after that really! My vet said walk out for a couple more weeks, then the plan was walking most of Dec, then build up trotting in Jan and cantering in Feb, which is kind of how it's gone, but have kind of moved things along a bit quick.. Bad mummy!! How long was your's being led out for then?
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mine never had any box rest (he just doesn't 'do' it!) and had a month in a fenced off pen in his field then 2 and a half months just the normal field. started ridden walking at the start of jan, hopefully will start trotting in march and possible cantering in april but it depends how it goes (we have the added problem of coffin joint issues which slows us down a bit as well)
getting the other vet does sound like the best option
 
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