Lameness

Nightmare before Christmas

Nightmare before Christmas

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I have a very nice horse but it doesnt seem to stay sound. Was unsound last year outside leg on one rein which shouted suspensory but scanned clear. Horse has been lame on same leg since then and now a couple of times but very mild and came out sound the next day. The horse came out lame same leg and same rein the other day and has been unsound since.

So what would you do? Please remember I compete and my horses are here to do a job, not a pet.

Friend had one with a similar problem/weakness and ended up being pts.
Remember horse had already been treated once for same issue.
Horse is valuable and insurance reflects this.

So do I treat/rest again and hope horse comes right and continues with its job
or do I accept horse isnt going to be able to do its job


Going vets thurs so shall know more then but want to know if others have had to make the same kind of decisions
 
Yes sorry was nerve blocked the first time. Cause of lameness is in the upper region of cannon bone. We suspect suspensory but xrays and ultrasounds came out clear....horse has even been to newmarket last year for investigation. We dont really know the full cause but we know the area and presents as suspensory lameness (only lame outside leg on one rein!). Its very on/off. I will know more thurs but I am worrying as I know on/off lame is no good for what I want :(
 
If the Vet's come up blank on Thursday, it might be worth pulling his shoes and turning him away for a year (if you can). Time can fix some horses.
 
If you saw Sue then you will be familiar with the paper I posted. The question really is the PSD a primary or a result of mechanical loading or stride imbalance.
 
My 5 yr old has had treatment for suspensory tear.If your horse has had lameness in that area in past it could be that ligament has repaired but the area is restricted and pinching,the swelling never quite goes away.My vet likened this to carpal tunnel syndrome.it was recommended that he had fascioctomy and nueroctomy.The ligament has healed but the area would have still caused him pain.
Fortunately he has made full recovery although backing him is causing a issue (probably remembered pain).
The op is fairly straightforward and recovery quick,aparently a lot of sj have had this op.The area they cut the nerve in only affects a very small part of leg so he wont be numb from susp to hoof.Might be worth looking into.pm if you need any more info.
 
cellie said:
My 5 yr old has had treatment for suspensory tear.If your horse has had lameness in that area in past it could be that ligament has repaired but the area is restricted and pinching,the swelling never quite goes away.My vet likened this to carpal tunnel syndrome.it was recommended that he had fascioctomy and nueroctomy.The ligament has healed but the area would have still caused him pain.
Fortunately he has made full recovery although backing him is causing a issue (probably remembered pain).
The op is fairly straightforward and recovery quick,aparently a lot of sj have had this op.The area they cut the nerve in only affects a very small part of leg so he wont be numb from susp to hoof.Might be worth looking into.pm if you need any more info.
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Thanks. The horse has no heat or swelling its very odd
 
No neither did mine it was in area that you couldn't palpitate hence the pinching feeling and discomfort for horse and need for fascioctomy. Hope you get to bottom of this,mine showed intermittent lameness to begin with and it wasn't recognised with no swelling or heat.I did find on turn he was reluctant to weight bear on hind leg on change of direction something as simple as turning 90 degrees to walk him away from stable.He was lame on outside leg on lunge.:o
Have you had scans ?
 
I had scans last year with no sign of anything. They put it down to the horse growing but the fact the horse has shown signs of lameness every now and then suggests more of an issue to me. Hes a competition animal and loves his job. He hates being out of work and hates being turned out more than a couple of hours. I am in quite a difficult situation really :(
 
Nightmare before Christmas said:
I had scans last year with no sign of anything. They put it down to the horse growing but the fact the horse has shown signs of lameness every now and then suggests more of an issue to me. Hes a competition animal and loves his job. He hates being out of work and hates being turned out more than a couple of hours. I am in quite a difficult situation really :(
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Sounds like you want to PTS.
 
I dont want to but I am stuck with options. I cant sell, cant compete ect. I could turn away but if its likely to be an ongoing problem it seems false economy? (if thats the right way to put it). Also this horse wont live out just jumps back in ect.

I dont want the horse de nerved due to competing ect. Ive never had this issue with a horse before and I have produced many.

I shall wait till thurs now dont think worrying about it is going to do anything really :(
 
Depends what it is. My girl had a career ending injury but after 3 years off she is sound again. Vets had advised PTS. Sadly she has now had lami which is sickening after wht she recovered from. Turning away can work wonders. (Though she was never turned away really. In the winter she only got 3 hours a day TO.)
 
Yes I agree turning away helps but we did this last time. Rest, strict fittening and building up to now. I could turn the horse away but I feel although it will come sound this will happen again. This is more my dilema. Ill wait for the vets. Ive experienced things like this with other peoples horses but never any ive had in. I am gutted if I am honest.
 
Nightmare before Christmas said:
Yes I agree turning away helps but we did this last time. Rest, strict fittening and building up to now. I could turn the horse away but I feel although it will come sound this will happen again. This is more my dilema. Ill wait for the vets. Ive experienced things like this with other peoples horses but never any ive had in. I am gutted if I am honest.
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So annoying after doing so much work and with such a talented horse. Hope the vets give you some answers. FWIW a horse here scanned clear for PSD but subsequently was found to have it by Rossdales.
 
Thanks I hope we can just do whats best for the horse! I am supprised sue didnt find anything but the horse is lamer this time, maybe 3-4 10s lame. He was 1-2 10s last time (i have a good eye apparantly). So although not horrendus its enough to stop play. :( as blunt as it is I need to do whats best for the horse, my bank and my future as I compete alot. Fingers crossed for thurs!
 
Theres a lot of comp horses that have had nueroctomy ,its only very small section that's denerved.I spoke to my vet about it in length its not done to stop pain from ligament tear its only small section that's de nerved to stop the pinching effect after ligament has healed. Any tendon ligament injury will have small amount of swelling even after its fully healed and this is why they cut the nerve,I would never de nerve just to work a lame horse. I looked into this very thoroughly ,hope your vet can give you some options Thursday.:D
 
This is one of the horses I have been jumping yes. Its been on strict diet and training since last years episode it doesnt seem to be related to jumping as wasnt jumping the first time lameness appeared and lameness came this time after a few days off
 
My old ex racer came to me with offside fore suspensory ligament injury, I took a chance on her as she was obviously unwanted now she couldnt do the job and we had 14 fun productive years together. Someone would love a horse like that if he couldnt do the job and he isnt a machine, could he not be given a chance instead of ending his life? Im sure lots of horses readjust to new less demanding careers ex racers - the pinaccle of the sports horses being a prime example do it readily and mostly after injuries. I do understand you wouldnt want an uncertain future for him but any future is uncertain when anyone sells or rehomes a horse.

Dont bite me! LOL
 
Coldfeet! said:
My old ex racer came to me with offside fore suspensory ligament injury, I took a chance on her as she was obviously unwanted now she couldnt do the job and we had 14 fun productive years together. Someone would love a horse like that if he couldnt do the job and he isnt a machine, could he not be given a chance instead of ending his life? Im sure lots of horses readjust to new less demanding careers ex racers - the pinaccle of the sports horses being a prime example do it readily and mostly after injuries. I do understand you wouldnt want an uncertain future for him but any future is uncertain when anyone sells or rehomes a horse.

Dont bite me! LOL
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Not going to bite you its a fair comment! I dont want to end the horses life unless of course its the best outcome all round. The problem I have is I am not made of money. I compete. To sell a horse for very little leaves me with nothing to get another horse. If the outcome is the horse will come sound with rest (remember I have done this before so makes it a risky choice) then I have to pay for somewhere to keep it (wont stay in my fields), pay to feed, rescan, shoes ect. I do have enough money to buy something to produce and sell on in the meantime but its a tricky situation with this one.

I am not sure why I posted on HHO about this but I feel really stuck as there is alot to consider. I have considered what you said already its a very fair point! :D
 
Nightmare before Christmas said:
Not going to bite you its a fair comment! I dont want to end the horses life unless of course its the best outcome all round. The problem I have is I am not made of money. I compete. To sell a horse for very little leaves me with nothing to get another horse. If the outcome is the horse will come sound with rest (remember I have done this before so makes it a risky choice) then I have to pay for somewhere to keep it (wont stay in my fields), pay to feed, rescan, shoes ect. I do have enough money to buy something to produce and sell on in the meantime but its a tricky situation with this one.

I am not sure why I posted on HHO about this but I feel really stuck as there is alot to consider. I have considered what you said already its a very fair point! :D
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And you make a very fair point! I see your predicament, good luck im sure the answer will come soon. xxxxx
 
Nightmare before Christmas said:
This is one of the horses I have been jumping yes. Its been on strict diet and training since last years episode it doesnt seem to be related to jumping as wasnt jumping the first time lameness appeared and lameness came this time after a few days off
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He is only rising five is he not?

And I seem to recall that you got him jumping very quickly and have been out competing quite a lot recently?

Perhaps he is just not ready for this intensity of work yet, as he has gone from nothing to doing a lot in a short space of time.

I wouldn't write him off at this age - maybe just back off and give him time to mature.
 
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