out for the season torn tendon advice, tips anything please

[Malibu]

So vet said my horse had torn a tendon, not as bad as some but very serious so out for this year, back to work in 4-6 months! i am in tears and i am so upset as i feel it is all my fault, we were eventing yesterday and during sj it happened, my poor baby just about puts weight on it! it soooooooooo swolen so had a few jabs and on bute for a while, a nd wait for 4 days to see how much better it goes, i am icing (peas) 5-6 times a day some for 40 mins other for 30 mins, not much else he said i can do, putting stable bandages on at night as usal and massive big bed

got magnet rug on but not putting magnet boots on leg as obvious (as i want to take swelling down

also giving him arnica, whihc i know is for bruising but wont harm, anything else?

IS THERE ANYTHING ESLE YOU GUYS KNOW I COUld do?

just anything i can get the swelling down or aid recovery time, has anyone else had previous tendon injuries like my boys? just i know all of you guys have tips and tricks of the trade and i hope in my desperation that you may have experiance to pass onto me?!??!
thanks i advance

 

[no_no_nanette]

We have an eventing mare with same problem - and in her case it was made worse by the fact it was a small tear. (I know that sounds bonkers but apparently if the trauma is larger, the body is much more active in sending in the troops to heal it; with a smaller trauma it may not even recognise that it needs to do anything. So, weird as it sounds, if your boy has a larger tear, the actual prognosis and healing time might be better!)

Depending on your insurance, one brand new option is stem cell therapy which apparently works best if the treatment regime is introduced soon after injury. But its expensive, so most of us could only consider it if the horse is well insured! (And make sure if you go down this route that you use a vet who is really experienced in using stem cell therapy)

With a pony with similar injury we added Aloe Vera juice to his feed, and he did seem to make incredible progress.

The key thing is to encourage blood flow into the trauma area to encourage healing, so I would think anything like regular massage would help. We also found that ultrasound treatment from a physio seemed to be helpful.

Sorry, hope not too many suggestions, but I know that amongst all the wonderful HHFs there will be people who will have tried all/some of these, and will have feedback for you .... I know how devastating it can be - we were told that our mare would need at least 6 - 8 months off, so the solution that we eventually came up with whilst she was off work was to put her in foal!

Best of luck

 

[jomiln]

Hydrotherapy spa treatment could be a good option. If you want some more info just let me know

 

[mrussell]

MSM is excellent for assisting the production of new tendon fibres. I cant recommend cold hosing enough either. BUT the biggest healer is time. The longer you can wait before tunring out and the more inhand walking you do, the stronger it will be. Honest.

Our old mare has done 3 tendons now and she carried on jumping and hunting long after the first 2. (She now in her mid 20's and has done another one so she is now in a tiny turnout area and does 20 mins everyday on the walker. She did it in February if thats any consolation). She is 90% sound (from being totally non-weight bearing) and improves everyday.

Patience and then controlled exercise is the best way forward.

Adequan is also great for improving the quality of the lubricant in the tendon sheath and prolonging the healed tendon.

If you mnage tis properly, you may be eventing next year, so dont dispair! Who wants to compete on this hideous hard ground anyway? Chin up.

 

[GTs]

Most important thing is not to be in a rush give it as much time off as you can.

 

[Maesfen]

A Bonner Bandage will take all of the strain of freezing peas away for you! Used one on my mare (that bad, almost put down!) and she came sound again quite quickly but time is the biggest healer of all - you must give them time, don't rush it. If you want to borrow my Bonner let me know, you can try it with pleasure - you will never go back to peas again I promise you!

 

[angela24]

They do a thing called an intrasound unit for humans which they sell in Boots for £90 it works along the same sort of thing as ultrasound but at a much lower level i used it with my lad when he did he suspensory the first time.

Nip in and have a read of the box and see what you think.

 

[butterfly f]

hey honey,
just wanted to say im really sorry to hear about your horse. my mare did hers while long listed for the junior team a few years back.... so i know the feeling and know how gutted you must be feeling. since then having worked in eventing and polo for years i have seen similar injuries so many times. although its often kept quiet, there are very few advanced horses in the country that have never done a tendon.

as for treatment, there are things that have been researched and are supposed to help. although its still dubious really as to how effective anything is. Adequan i have used before and it seemed to heal well but you can never tell how much it has helped.

I would just say,basically follow your vets guidelines to the letter.
ice and cold hosing aggressively for the first 48 hours.
dont cut corners on the box rest. its not nice but its so important.
when you are allowed to start walking out (obviously a walker is easiest if you have access to one. some people think walking on a circle isnt ideal but they tend to accept it easier. walking out in hand is fine if your horse is seriously laid back.... if not, hold on tight!) just follow the walking times exactly and dont skimp as gradual build up is vital.

time is always the major healer with tendons. when you bring him back into work next year be really obsessive over his fitness and build up properly and gradually. im a big advocate of roadwork as it has always worked for me although i know its not everyones favorite fitness technique.

the good news is that if it is treated properly, most horses come back from it. my mare went back to intermediate and was as sound as ever. and other horses i have groomed for have come back from it to jump round badminton or play polo in the gold cup. so there is hope. its just a time thing and all being well you will have years of eventing left in your horse.

another piece of advice i was given is that a horse is born with a pre-determined number of runs in his legs. so dont waste them. when you get your horse back on the circuit just pick and choose where you run him and only run him as little as you can get away with.

good luck and take care.
it gets easier xx

 

[FRESHMAN]

Again I can only echo do not rush it as time is the best healer. However, in order to get the leg as strong as possible I agree with the initial cold treatment. The best possible advice I can give is to find someone with a zamar machine. (sponsor on bsja website) or perhaps the company may hire them out. It is a refrigerator, no bigger than a small suitcase. you attach a leg wrap (like a travel wrap) & within 2 minutes it pulsates cooling gel at 3 degrees to the area for as long as you like. done 3 or 4 times a day it will give the most amazing results. after a month or so I then alternate between zamar & magnetic pulse wraps twice a day. although this can reduce the healing time by approx 1/3 I still give the recommended period. They come back real good. This method is how people keep the top jumpers & eventers on the rd. Although we use it as a preventative measure rather than a cure all.

 

[Malibu]

wow thanks alot all,

i will try find out about the zamar, my friend has a magnetic pulse box, should i try that?

thanks

 

[lizzie_liz]

just DON'T rush bringing him back into work, by the time he can start coming out of box rest the event season will be over or almost over so forget about this year. then you have all winter to bring him back to event fitness and feel very strongly about bringing them in gradually as have seen too many horses rushed back to only go lame again.
if i remember correctly you're based in scotland and their BE season doesn't start till april so gives you an extra month.
do what the vet says and am sure he'll come right and you will both be out competing again and doing well

 

[Malibu]

thanks lizzie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes time will tell and in no rush as long as i get him back and if it mean months into next year then as long as i get him back happy healthy and fit then thats all thats matter! thanks for advice all

 

[candida_machin]

I have just seen your post, we have just had a tendon problem and have put a post on (see 'despondent') - I was wondering how you were getting on as you are a few months ahead of us...............THANKS!