Previous Hind Suspensory damage - what workload is your horse now managing?

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siant2

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Just wondering if you could share what workload your horse is now managing following hind suspensory issues????

Vet giving me hope that she should return to XC and SJ competitions and be ridden as much as I like on hacks and fun rides etc. But dosnt want her doing work in the school. He has compromised and let her do once a week in school but even that he isnt keen on.
 
My mare damaged the suspensory in one hind leg quite badly following a freak accident in the field about 7 years ago. We went through 4 months solid box rest and then hand walking before progressing to hacking.
We spent a lot of time hacking before considering going back in the school but eventually we got back to doing everything we had done before. In the years since we have done the odd hunter trial, mini X-country jumps, pleasure rides, mini showjumping, lots of hacking and plenty of dressage including novice.
I was amazed that she came back to full work as well as she did, unfortunately she has spent more time out of work with a long list of problems or injuries over the years, but each time seems to bounce back well. We are currently on a hacking rehab plan for suspected ligament damage within her front foot but progressing well.
I hope everything comes right for you too.
 
Thanks so much for your reply pearlyg. How long did u hack before going in the school?? We are currently just walking and two laps of trot around the school once a week which the vet was happy with. But my plan was continue building her up hacking until Spring.
 
My horse had both hinds denerved 4 years ago and has just been retired.

He had been having some hock problems, which are common after denerving apparently, but after coming back into work he was getting grumpier and grumpier so back to the vets for nerve blocks. After riding him vet decided to block the suspensories just in case and he went tonnes better. So it was a pretty instant retirement as they can't operate twice and i wouldn't put him through it again anyway as there are.no guarantees that he wouldn't break down soemwhere else.anyway.

Good luck with yours, i think my boy was quite "special"!!!
 
Thinking back I'm fairly sure I stuck to hacking for quite a few months, but I was lucky as she came back into work in spring so had no problems with daylight or the weather! We had a work plan involving building up the amount of walk, then short periods of trot on the roads. We had our first canters out hacking too as our schools tend to be quite deep in the summer as they dry out.
We aren't 100% sure about the injury she has had this year as nerve blocks and x-rays weren't conclusive and the two vets i've spoken to both think it involves ligament or tendon strain deep in the foot but without an MRI scan we can't confirm anything. She has had 3-4 months field rest and looks a lot better and I plan on hacking until spring again. People I have spoken to have recommended that the length of time of the rest period should be the rough amount of time you need to bring them back into work.
I must say considering all the other problems my girl has suffered I am less concerned by the hind leg that suffered the suspensory problems than I am by anything else as (touching every piece of wood I can find) it has never shown any weakness since.
Your plan sounds great for her and pretty similar to what I did.
 
Thanks, we have already done 6 weeks of walk building from 20-90 mins and two weeks ago started trot out hacking and planning to start cantering on our hacks around christmas time! Thats a good guidance about the amount of time off=amount of time regaining fitness!!

Hope ur girly gets better and best of luck with the rehab - its frustrating when you cant get a conclusive diagnosis (same with mine!) Rest and Time is usually a good healer.
 
Thanks, it can be so frustrating not knowing what is actually going on and I feel for you too but sometimes circumstances make it hard to get all the answers. You are so right though that time and patience can do wonders.
I have been through a lot with my girl and even if she only comes back to hacking work this time I will be so happy, any thing else will be a bonus.
I hope your girl carries on doing well and it sounds like she's heading in the right direction, do keep us updated on your progress.
 
Being an excellent field ornament. In fairness that is partially due to other issues, but the prognosis at the time he was injurd was extremely poor for return to any sort of proper work. Partially due to the location ( a lateral branch injury)
 
My sister's horse was operated on in June 2010. Bi lateral denerving and had his splints removed (which were causing the suspensory issues).

He came back into work slowly and we spent the whole winter carefully monitoring him and making sure that the lameness would not reoccur.

He went back to doing XC in March and has not looked back since. He has won every time out at BE80 and BE90. We have him checked by the vet once a month to make sure its all OK, as we just can't belive how much better he is now. He is better than his old self and as sound as can be.

The vet is totally amazed at his recovery too. His nickname is 'Action Man'!

One of the OH's rides also had a suspensory issue last year and was on box rest for three months. She had the plasma treatment and has made a full recovery and is back competing at AM.

Good luck with yours - they do come right, but just play it safe! :)
 
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