Learnt a lesson today, my poor poor mare!

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little_pink_piggies

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original post for those of you who didn't read it!

Well today seems to have been such a long day!

Gave her legs a bath before we left as a lady simply cant go to someone elses house with dirty legs
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and started the 2 hours drive... felt so sick not knowing what they were going to find, if they were going to find anything, was it fixable, where was it, what could the prognosis be, etc all the scenarios were running through my brain!

So turned up and frealised had forgotten tack so vet wasn't really all that pleased as he said it sounded like it was her back which would mean her paces change when ridden etc. and putting their tack on that didn't fit her probably wouldn't give a true picture..!

So now thinking we had a wasted trip he started to trot her up, nothing on a straight line and no difference when flexion tested... vet was talking to us as wasn't expecting to see much and asked them to lunge her on the gravel and suddenly she went absolutely crippled lame on her left fore (left circle), He couldn't believe it after watching her trot up so well! Circled the other way and sure enough went lame on the other fore... but was sound when they lunged her on the surface there. So bilaterally lame horse that was gaining 8s and 9s at novice dressage and got 70% at an unaffiliated medium!

So decided that she was just tense through her back because of her front feet and I didnt need to be seen riding her, and nerve blocking commenced! The nerve blocked her left fore coffin joint (she was SUCH a good girl, didn't even twitch her and she just stood like a rock for them
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) and she went like a cripple on her right fore even on a straight line, nerve blocked the other coffin joint and she just floated up and down, we didn't realise she could move like that (she was getting good dressage marks before..!)

So looked at XRays that they took about months ago and you can see that the coffin joint was inflamed then (in fairness vet that took xrays was more interested in pedal bone angles), navicular looked clear but they kept her there to block the navicular after coffin block had worn off to check, but thinks probably no problems there as it looks clear on her xrays and the chance of change in 6 months is low, combined with the fact that the blocks were so effective in the coffin joint!

So left my poor mare there (she didn't like being left in a strange place, although we did leave her with her posh travelling PJs as we weren't expecting to leave her!) for them to finish testing today and treat tomorrow...

Treatment they haven't decided on, its either going to be steroid, someting related to glucosamine or PRP (where they take blood and activate all the healing stuff and then put it back into relevant area)... but then its 4 weeks of inhand walking, 2 weeks of ridden walking, re-examination and then
provided everything is all going ok back into work... he didn't seem to think that eventing at the end of April was out of the question at all provided she doesn't have any setback but I'm not making any plans until shes given the all clear! Also she is to be shod with heartbars infront
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The cause... before I bought her she suffered with corns, had pencilled heel shoes and they were wayyyy too small for her big flat awful TB feet, and then we had her and in an effort to correct the corns our farrier (who was complimented today
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) put 1/4 clips and gave plenty of heel support etc. The coffin joint would have ben a bit dodgy because of the small shoes and then when our farrier tried to make such a drastic change it aggrivated it and it became inflamed
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poor girl, being in pain for that long etc. feel so uberguilty! Also think the stress was contributing to the ulcers, but have expected that since saturday tbh!

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hated leaving her there and she whinnied after we left the barn love her, she was such a good girl and so well behaved! But on the other hand I have one less to muck out before school tomorrow! Really hope this is the cause of her napping this time and we have a good year at long last, she would be so awesome if it wasn't for whatevers been causing her to misbehave.
 
Sorry we got cut off on the phone
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but had the gist of it - and fantastic news that you have found a reason
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The stiffness in her back looks very much as though she was bracing against the impact on her feet when you think about it. And the nap has probably become a general defence mechanism for when she is being asked to do so ething which hurts - you can understand it, poor lamb
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Really happy it looks so promising. I would still get her back checked after you've done some walking as she may well have muscles in spasm from holding herself like that and it makes a huge difference to free them up ,as we've found recently with Rolly
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Blimey!!! Well at least you have some answers now, and long term answers by the sounds of it. It is such a relief when you see a cause, know how to treat and can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Have my fingers crossed she makes a speedy recovery and before you know it you'll have a completely fixed horse and be back out eventing.
Dont feel guilty though, you did everything you could to get to bottom of it and now you have
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Was going to get the back person out like you said after all the walking is done and try and equissage her as much as possible, more than anything to relieve the boredom as shes a horse that likes being out!

Is that ok re Thursday?
 
Blimey........................ i do wish for a speedy recovery for your mare, but sounds like she's in grand hands and also sound like you have cracking farrier aswell
 
Just a quick post to say if I were a horse I'd love to come and live with you!
I hope all goes well with the treatment and recovery and she's back out on top form soon- sounds like she'll be unbeatable!
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Great news that you have found out what is wrong.... lucky mare to have an owner who has taken the time to find out what is wrong.
I bet you'll have such a cracking horse after you have got her sorted... looks like she will be more than worth the wait.
Good Luck.
 
Are you having stem cell in the coffin joint.
My tb has soft tissue in his coffin joint he was xrayed and nerve blocked our vet treated with 7 adequan injections and instructions to the farrier for heartbar and gel pads.Treatment is still ongoing .I would be very interested to know what your vets treatment is.Sounds like we are dealing with the same injury.
 
Sounds very similar, its not quite stem cell... if you google equine PRP you should get some info on it! (platelet rich plasma I think is the technical term for it?) I think the choice was between teh adequan, steroid or the PRP and he hasn't made his mind up what he wants to do!
 
okay matybe dont google PRP as it gets confusing, but basically they take blood from the horse, centrifugue and put it into contact with silicon (I think?) particles which cause the production of fibrinogen etc which brings about healing. They then collect it and inject it to proper area... Doesn't show up on drug tests as its the horses own blood etc.
 
definitely in a funny sort of way... i think the best cse scenario was to find something, but something fixable! and hopefully thats what we've got... thanks for all your help k!
 
Thats interesting maybe we should compare notes and recovery period although my horse has tendon injury as well.The adeqaun will help his tendon and he has had shock wave too.Just had the vets bill so Im now having heart failure.Now going off to google lol
 
I think its the same thing.Correct me if Im wrong lol.As the vet cant see tissue with xrays ,inflammation or soft tissue injury must be similiar ,the only thing that would show true picture is mri and after spending huge amounts on my boy in last 2 years Im not going any further with tecnology when the treatment is basically the same ie rest anti inflammatory and corrective shoeing.
 
At least you have a place to start and you know your instinct, that she was hurting and didn't just need a good smack, was correct. I can guarantee you she's not the only horse out there in such a situation and many people miss far more obvious signs of trouble. Good for you for not giving up.

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thanks, the cynic/sceptic in me thinks that it probably is too good to be true after all the heartache but fingers crossed it will!

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Well, you'll still have work to do. She's been in pain for some time and no doubt there will be physical and mental fall out. BUT you know where you're going now and have a big piece of the puzzle.

Sorry, that sounds pessimistic but I mean it quite the opposite - you can't solve a problem you don't understand. And, as you say, the horse is so lovely she's not only worth the effort but will no doubt reward you highly for your care.
 
QR Haven't read all the replies, but it sounds like IRAP therapy that they've suggested - they take some bloods and do something to it and then reinject into the affected area to promote new healing. Ludo had this 2 years ago following an arthoscopy on the coffin joint. Have to say it worked a treat with Lude's - I don't believe he'd have been fully sound without it. He had 4 injections at 2 month intervals (although I have heard of others who've had courses of these injections in much shorter intervals). Good luck and here's to a quick recovery.
 
Read you post with interest, as kind of a similar thing happened to my gelding...

He basically lost confidence jumping a while back (from having been the boldess horse ever!), but was never really lame. In actual fact, I did a dressage test on him last august and got 80%... again, 8's and 9's. He then did a week of intensive work and went lame. Had MRI and it showed ligament damage around the coffin joint.

He's had 2 injections of the stuff that you're talking about (take his own blood and centrifuge etc), but all in quite close intervals - i.e, 2 weeks apart. I gave him 2 months box rest, and 3 months field rest (would like to think he did nothing but walk around quietly
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), and have now been walking him out under saddle for the past 4 weeks. Just about to start a bit of trot. *fingers crossed* he seems sound, and if he stays this way, I hope to event him April/ May time (vet thinks this should be possible).

Let us know how your mare progresses... god, if only horses could talk and say what's wrong!!!
 
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