Ligament turnout help *LONG*

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

* LONG POST ALERT*
My boy has been on box rest since end of November 2007 due to check ligament strain. He has never been unsound with it but the leg swelling has varied between filled & squishy and hard with a bump over the damage. The past 3 weeks he has been walking in hand and is now turned out on a small, firm, flat paddock. With increased exercise, the leg has been more squishy than hard but it goes up and down so havent worried too much. He had a "moment" yesterday when he trotted up and down screaming his head off because ONE horse from the adjoining field was removed ( what a prat). I got him in until he forgot about it and chucked him back out. This morning the leg is still up but no heat and no lameness. Phoned the vet but as long as there is no heat/lameness/ monster swelling he thinks its normal as the ligament has some adhesions that need stretching out hence the need for exercise. He is not wearing boots as he is prone to "bandage dermatitis". He gets one bute a day plus glucosamine and arnica tablets.
Anyone got any thoughts/ advice/ experience of this?

 

[AmyMay]

Think you're doing all the right things. But it's certainly a tense time - been there.

Can't give you any more advice than that really - other than to really try not to stress too much.

 

[ticobay831]

One of my horses damaged his check ligament, had to keep him stabled for three weeks, well no way he was going to be stabled, so made small paddock in field so he could be out with others only to find him galloping round in little circles, so i just chucked him out with others and let him get on with it.
He was on bute and leg being hosed down twice a day, he was meant to be bandaged for suport as well but his leg went manky so that had to come off.
When vet arrived to do second scan to see how it was doing, he was gallopong round field full tip and turnign on a sixpence, great.
To my surprise he wasnt lame and his ligament actualy was better

hes now got to be walked for a month, yeah right

why do we bother, hes 23 as well so he should know better.
The swelling on is leg was up and down but cold hosing seemed to do the trick along with the bute.
Vets make it sound so easy dont they.

Bets of luck with your lad.

Debs x

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Thanks Amy May & SS

i worry so much about my neutrotic cob! He has to be exercised as he has ringbone and the vet was concerned it might get worse through stiffening up. Sods Law its work on soft ground for ringbone but hard ground for the check ligament so i thought he was better on a firm/flat paddock so he could potter around- yeah right

he is so jealous of any other horse getting ridden that he goes mental until you bring him into the yard, then he will stand quietly for hours munching his haynet

Anyway it should be a quiet week as we are off on holiday so all his herd will be within sight and his aunty who dotes on him is in charge

 

[ticobay831]

Oh dear sounds like your having a bit of a time with it all, ive got a friend in the same boat her mares had an op on her stifle and shes supposed to be on box rest, shes climbing the walls as well

They really dont so themselves any favours do they.
Go away have a great time and forget about it all for a while it,l do you good, let someone else do the worrying, you'll probaly find that he will be a little angel

Debs x

 

[cellie]

When I turned mine out after ligament damage |I linked 6 small stable size paddocks together so he had plenty of grazing.It also ket him busy trying to work out how to move around plus he couldnt canter or do more than 3 steps in trot.As long as its controlled there comes a point when you have to let them out and move about I wasnt too happy when I caught mine doing handstands.Try not to stress too much

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Thanks Guys! the leg has gone back to "normal" today

I tried the Maze (electric fence)option but he seemed to enjoy hooning round the corners even more

 

[stinkz]

my mare did her check ligiment in august 2006, and spend 6 weeks boxrest, and a very long hall on walking in hand (she did it badly) i did everything the vet told me to do to the very second, she is now back in full work jumping. but her leg goes up and down all the time, sometimes it looks like she has pulled her tendon and other days it looks perfect.

i told the vet and he said you just have to ignore it as long as she is not lame,. when her leg has a bad day i just hose and bandage.

 

[beaconhorse]

Beacon is almost recovered from his annular ligament, during the recovery his leg often swole up more and even had heat, everytime there was heat I just backed off a little on the exercise, and cold hosed as much as I could. It is a normal part of the healing process so don't worry