luxation of the superficial flexor tendon on the hock

Lisa2manyponies

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2005
Messages
477
Location
east sussex !!!!!!!!
Visit site
My mare was diagnosed with thus yesterday, does anyone have any experience of thus injury, vet has given a couple of options but as it's so rare iam trying too gather as much info before I decide what too do
 

First Flame

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 November 2015
Messages
150
Visit site
I do, my mare as had this happen to both of her hocks in Jan and then March of last year! They happened within about 3 months of each other. My vet believed it was probably caused by her collagen becoming less elastic causing the little attachments to tear (she had slightly dropped fetlocks from suspensory wear and tear, she was 21 years old and was an advanced dressage horse for many years) rather than the more common cause which is usually a galloping injury.

I did a lot of internet searching at the time as like you found it was a rare injury. I am one of the more successful outcomes in that my mare has coped really well and is still ridden 5 times a week, mainly hacking but with the occasional play in the school. Luckily both of hers were lateral luxations and both have now settled to the outside of the hock. I believe if they luxate to the inside the outlook is not quite as positive.

My mare coped with the first one really well, was very lame initially in trot/canter but my vet assured me the lameness was more the sensation of the tendon pinging on and off the hock as opposed to pain, due to her other issues he made me carry on hacking her in walk and kept her turned out as normal (I believe they normally recommend box rest), within about 4 weeks she was able to trot and canter on it. When the second on went, she was much much lamer and it was touch and go whether I decided to PTS, however again my vet assured me she would be fine, told me to ignore the hobbling (weird jerky actions in walk this time), carry on with t/o and riding (this time I couldn't face riding so we did hand walking) and sure enough within about 4 weeks I was able to ride her again just short hacks in walk (she actually moved better on it under saddle) and slowly and steadily we have built up over the last year to coping with long hacks and occasionally playing with our party tricks in the school. She is mechanically not 100% sound but actually looks pretty amazing considering her age and her other issues. My girl is a tough girl who loves life so that worked in her favour.

From what I gathered some horses cope really well and others not so much. The treatment only involved putting her on a sachet of bute daily. I also bandage her hind legs at night using the back on track wraps and she has physio every 3 months and a chiro every 6 months.

Please ask any questions you have! :) I had a lot of ups and downs along the way.

How is our mare coping with it?
 

Lisa2manyponies

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2005
Messages
477
Location
east sussex !!!!!!!!
Visit site
Omg thankyou so much for your reply, thus is the first bit of hope I have had, I have a horrible feeling my vet said my mare's flicks too the inside but will check with him tomorrow, my mare is a 12 yr old welsh section c with extravagant action she did the injury on Friday and was seen by 2 vets and confirmed on sunday, she goes too bolt when it happens so she is on box rest until she stops panicking but my vet advised not too ride her however she in hand walked twice today without a panic which gave me hope and too read this iam feeling so much more hopeful
 

First Flame

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 November 2015
Messages
150
Visit site
I did hear of another horse with the same injury which also wanted to bolt when the tendon pings, that one did also get used to it and was retired to the field (could have been ridden but she was of retiring age and the owner had another horse). I'm lucky that my mare is so laid back sometimes she could be horizontal so the worst she did was jerk, hop and a funny stomp. Her hocks did also swell quite massively on the inside (gone down considerably now). I do think getting/keeping my mare moving was key to getting her used to it (but I was lucky in that she didn't panic about it and in the field initially she stood still resting a lot of the time so was essentially box resting herself) so hopefully the hand walking will really help your girl in the same way too. I did just have to shut my eyes when she hobbled and relied on my vet all the way to assure me that when I thought dear god that's not good, that she wasn't in pain like the hobbling made it look (she'd happily stand on the leg for feet picking and could trot and canter on it if she needed it too, she was just choosing not too).

Fingers crossed for your girl x
 

DuckToller

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 December 2007
Messages
3,012
Location
Home Counties
Visit site
My mare had this 4 years ago. She was as lame as lame could be, and the prognosis from vet hospital was that they rarely come back from this injury.


As she is well bred, and there was a fair improvement in the lameness after a few weeks, it was off to stud with her, and 2 colts and 4 years later, I noticed how sound she appeared in the field one day as she did several laps in gallop and was still sound the next day. So we have brought her back into work and she is has stayed sound. We did a jump lesson the other week (just 80-90cm, nothing like she used to do) and a 2 hour hack last week - all still with baby belly. So we are keeping our fingers crossed that she will jump again, but if she appears to be not coping, we will just use her as a happy hack. THis is particularly ironic given that she was the worst hack ever before her injury, but I think she is so relieved not to be a brood mare any more, she has decided to behave herself!

Hers has luxated on the inside - I will take a photo if you like (might take me half a day to remember how to post one mind...) She is a massive 16.1 so if she can come back from the brink, there is hope for yours.
 

Lisa2manyponies

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2005
Messages
477
Location
east sussex !!!!!!!!
Visit site
Wow guys hearing your stories keeps me positive, spoke again too my vet today who confirmed it flicks too the outside so that's good news, he has also spoken too matt at Newmarket about the operation and everyone has agreed it's not the best way forwards

So we are going with the' let's get her use too it' option

We did more in hand walking today and she is so so so tentative and worried but already she has started walking more confidently, she didn't bolt once today when it pinged just practically sat down bless her but surely that's a good thing, she is resting the leg alot and really wants too go back too her stable all the time definitely doesn't want too go too the field yet she literally turns away and heads too her stable where she obviously feels safe

She is definitely looking calmer each day however we haven't attempted any trot yet but fingers crossed

Thanx again guys
 

LittleP

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 May 2006
Messages
50
Visit site
This happened to my OHs mare earlier this year. When it first happened she bolted and did panic a couple of times when we got her back in the stable. Our vet said this was normal as it's one of the most painful injuries for a horse. She was box rested on bute to keep her comfortable with in hand walking a couple of times a day. At first it was horrible watching her move as it was clearly very painful and uncomfortable for her. Vet said she must be walked to help the tendon stretch. However we could see improvement every day and now a few months later she is out in the field with her friends. There's no pain now, she is mechanically lame but this is less noticable now. Vet has said to give it time to strengthen up and she could be ridden but her competition career is over. By the way her tendon moved to the outside.
 
Top