Prognosis for DDFT tear

[Birker2020]

I feel gutted for my friend, she took her horse for an MRI and she's had a prognosis of a DDFT tear. I don't know the ins and outs of it, and don't want to ask, but she said its 3 months box rest and a year to come right.

She must be devastated. What's the prognosis for such an injury? She mainly did dressage, big horse 17.2hh approx.
Is it a full return to work?

I've sent her some ideas for box rest to help but I'm lost for words. Horses are rubbish at staying sound.

 

[SOS]

My horse tore 80% of his DDFT in his foot but was miraculously only 1/10ths lame. They were shocked at the horsepital when they MRI’d him.

He came home. Spent two months on absolute box rest, one month box rest with hand walking 2x a day, spent two months on barn turnout (in a section probably 4 times the size of a stable). Then turned away for 18 months in a field. No shoes, hilly field that wasn’t completely flat. He was sound by the barn rest but needed a lot longer.

Brought him back into work very slowly over 6 months until cantering out hacking. No arena work all straight lines. Then loaned him as a hack with full transparency he could go lame. Owner loved him so bought him and they happily compete low level dressage and hack.

I was told if he evented/hunted/galloped and jumped again it would reoccur at one point. He was quite a hot and excitable horse when I had him in full work, he’s now a chilled out hack.

As much time as possible is important but don't protect them too much. I strongly believe healing in that field with a steep incline and some undulating ground helped develop flexibility in the injury and is why he is standing up to ridden work.

 

[ycbm]

Inside the foot or outside? I'm guessing inside because of the MRI.

Prognosis with shoes off, excellent, with shoes on, not excellent.
.

 

[SOS]

Inside the foot or outside? I'm guessing inside because of the MRI.

Prognosis with shoes off, excellent, with shoes on, not excellent.
.

To add to my original post with reference to the above. My horse was originally “prescribed” half rolled shoes to stay on until he came back into work. I didn’t like his balance in them so pulled them with my normal farrier at early box rest stages. He came sound quickly after but that may not of been from going barefoot, I think long term it helped him a lot though.

I didn’t do anything fancy with him going barefoot. Just kept an eye and got him trimmed when he needed, asking them to not take much off, he kept them down quite well in the field. I’m a bit ashamed to say I didn’t really think much of diet or feeding for the barefoot horse, he had good grass and good hay and no hard feed.

Unfortunately when coming back into work he was footy on the gravel drive so he had shoes back on. I believe he is in fronts still now. If I had been more educated in barefoot I may of tried hoof boots.

I really hope I don’t but if I had a horse in the same situation again with a DDFT injury I would take the shoes off.

 

[Birker2020]

Inside the foot or outside? I'm guessing inside because of the MRI.

Prognosis with shoes off, excellent, with shoes on, not excellent.
.

Thanks, that will be interesting to see which road she goes down with that. I just hope she can get him rehabbed enough to do a bit of dressage again, I don't know the extent of the tear but three months is a long time.

 

[Birker2020]

To add to my original post with reference to the above. My horse was originally “prescribed” half rolled shoes to stay on until he came back into work. I didn’t like his balance in them so pulled them with my normal farrier at early box rest stages. He came sound quickly after but that may not of been from going barefoot, I think long term it helped him a lot though.

I didn’t do anything fancy with him going barefoot. Just kept an eye and got him trimmed when he needed, asking them to not take much off, he kept them down quite well in the field. I’m a bit ashamed to say I didn’t really think much of diet or feeding for the barefoot horse, he had good grass and good hay and no hard feed.

Unfortunately when coming back into work he was footy on the gravel drive so he had shoes back on. I believe he is in fronts still now. If I had been more educated in barefoot I may of tried hoof boots.

I really hope I don’t but if I had a horse in the same situation again with a DDFT injury I would take the shoes off.

Thank you, that's really helpful.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Standard tendon procedure is 3months box rest, 3 months controlled walking, 3 months turnout, 3 months to return to full work.

In the long run shoes are entirely up to the owner and farrier. Some do better with them, some without. Same as any horse. The horse should be able to do dressage again in the future but I would expect 18-20 months down the line from initial injury if you playing with circles on surfaces. Time and patience are the 2 things you need in abundance with a soft tissue injury.

It's not a death sentence, it's not a career ending injury depending on the horses original career. We have had some come back to full racing lives jumping hurdles and fences after DDFT injuries so anything it possible. Just take it slow.

 

[Lovely jubbly]

Longer the better mine as very slight tear to DDFT in the foot she was diagnosed with coffin changes in other foot hence why other one went compensating. I’ve just finished 3 months box rest with 10 mins walking now on 3 months small paddock turnout..then we’ve got another review to see about starting light work in straight lines. She’s been shod with remidial shoes going down to heart bars next shoeing..I’ve been advised not to go barefoot by hospital and my vets and farrier so for now are keeping shoes on…on our last trot up before turnout she was sound so things are going in the right direction. Been told 12 months before healed may be longer but she can have as long as it takes. Vets have said the more patient I am the better the prognosis. There are a lot of members on here than are obsessed with barefoot go with what is best for your horse…barefoot isn’t the answer to everything. Take advice from professionals first that’s there job.

 

[Tiddlypom]

There are a lot of members on here than are obsessed with barefoot go with what is best for your horse…barefoot isn’t the answer to everything. Take advice from professionals first that’s there job.

There are a lot of people on here who feel that they previously failed their horses because they DID listen to the professionals, went down the remedial shoeing route, and their horses suffered.

There are very few die hard barefooters on here. You can find those aplenty on Facebook though .

You get more measured and sensible responses on here.

 

[Lovely jubbly]

I previously lost a horse not listening to professionals over a foot/leg problem I listened to horse friends

There are a lot of people on here who feel that they previously failed their horses because they DID listen to the professionals, went down the remedial shoeing route, and their horses suffered.

There are very few die hard barefooters on here. You can find those aplenty on Facebook though .

You get more measured and sensible responses on here.

 

[Lovely jubbly]

A few years ago I lost a horse because I didn’t listen to the professionals he would still be here if I did, I stupidly listened to others. Everybody has the own way of doing things that’s our choice in life. If something doesn’t work then you try something else I’m just stating my experience of listening to people screaming down my ear barefoot barefoot…isn’t always the case. Each horse is different some need shoes and some don’t. That’s my opinion.

 

[ycbm]

You won't hear any screaming on this forum, just voices of experience. Unreasonable people are firmly challenged here. Many years ago now a horse on his way to his final appointment was diverted to me for a barefoot rehab after everything else had failed. He's still alive and in work.

I'm very sorry you lost your horse, but can you put that in perspective for us? Was it because you didn't remedial shoes for a soft tissue injury inside the foot?

Because I'm afraid that even though it's now pretty clear that for soft tissue injuries inside the foot, remedial shoeing is very often not the best answer, vets and farriers, in the main, still go straight to that treatment option first.

The good news is that you can still do a barefoot rehab after the remedial shoes have failed.

Again, I'm sorry you lost your horse, but others are losing theirs because of professionals telling them no more can be done if their medications and remedial shoeing don't work, when there is.
.

 

[Birker2020]

Standard tendon procedure is 3months box rest, 3 months controlled walking, 3 months turnout, 3 months to return to full work.

In the long run shoes are entirely up to the owner and farrier. Some do better with them, some without. Same as any horse. The horse should be able to do dressage again in the future but I would expect 18-20 months down the line from initial injury if you playing with circles on surfaces. Time and patience are the 2 things you need in abundance with a soft tissue injury.

It's not a death sentence, it's not a career ending injury depending on the horses original career. We have had some come back to full racing lives jumping hurdles and fences after DDFT injuries so anything it possible. Just take it slow.

Thank you, if I get into a conversation with her about this I will let her know. I don't see her very often but any good prognosis however small is something to work on and aim for.

 

[Birker2020]

A few years ago I lost a horse because I didn’t listen to the professionals he would still be here if I did, I stupidly listened to others. Everybody has the own way of doing things that’s our choice in life. If something doesn’t work then you try something else I’m just stating my experience of listening to people screaming down my ear barefoot barefoot…isn’t always the case. Each horse is different some need shoes and some don’t. That’s my opinion.

Well it also depends on the type of horse, how strong their feet are, what their conformation is, what additional benefits can be gained by shoeing or not shoeing, there is a list as long as your arm for and against going barefoot and there is no 'cap fits all'.

I was very surprised that when my late mare had a check ligament injury it was suggested that in order for something to happen (can't for the life remember what as she had a catalogue of treatment/injuries over the years) it would be beneficial for her to go barefoot. So I reluctantly agreed.

I got to the yard after work and led her out of the stable completely forgetting the farrier had been that day and couldn't believe how well she was walking. She did very well for five weeks without shoes. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same again but it would have to be for a veterinary reason, not just in order to save money (not saying anyone has said that is a valid reason, just saying).

 

[I'm Dun]

Well it also depends on the type of horse, how strong their feet are, what their conformation is, what additional benefits can be gained by shoeing or not shoeing, there is a list as long as your arm for and against going barefoot and there is no 'cap fits all'.

Thats not really true. In this sort of injury the prognosis is very poor if remedial shoeing is used. Hoof strength improves, conformation is no issue, nd foot conformation will improve dramatically under the right conditions. In this sort of injury there is no benefit to shoeing.

I'm not a rabid barefooter, I'm happy to shoe if it fits in better with my plans, but equally I am rehabbing the very sick feet of my newly bought ex racer, because if I dont I'm going to be having issues the DDFT tears and or navicular etc. He was crippled without shoes, so hes booted as needed., including 24/7 initally. I suspect he will always need boots for riding over rough ground, but the improvement in his feet in 6 weeks or so are dramatic so in his case its worth it.

 

[skint1]

Long story, but my old boy (now mostly but not totally retired) after extensive lameness work ups was suspected to have damage to the DDFT in his hoof. In his case they felt it was likely to be caused by abrasion due to fairly mild coffin joint arthritis as he was not in heavy work and the lameness didn't correlate with the x-rays if that makes sense. So many things were excluded from his insurance and I could not afford the MRI so in desperation, I pulled his shoes and called him retired and didn't expect to have him that long. He was confined to a small paddock (also has Cushings!) and his stable for about 3 months, then a slightly larger paddock for a month or two and then back out in the big field. He really surprised me how well he did, although he does have good feet anyway.

Three years later he is still here and doing very well. He feels the ground in the summer but in the winter he's as keen as a keen thing, I've even ridden him a few times this year and he's been too full of beans for words and that has kind of made me draw back from riding him because if he can't just plod quietly down the lane I worry he might re-injure himself.