PSD Rehab .... long post !

Cgd

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Since diagnosis I have read so many diff rehab programmes from diff vets! I will try and keep this short and clear :)

Mare was diagnosed mild PSD back in Oct.
She wasn't lame but was snatching hinds legs for farrier and slightly underperforming and not tracking up/coming thru from behind.
Box rest 3 months and shockwave treatment once a week for 4 weeks.
Controlled walking in hand or ridden for first month.
Some of this was done in hand up and down the yard and some was done ridden at walk in the school.
The school was used as the roads near me are v busy lanes and my mare is already spooky hacking. With box rest thrown in, for safety it was agreed the school was the best place.
After month one she was rescanned and her suspensory was showing improvement. ( Also using arc equine unit)

Trot work could commence.
This again was started in the school ( rubber surface). All started ok and then she started rearing (hops rather than huge rears) and headshaking. This was randomly when walking or if asked for a transition.
Back checked - all ok (she has sports massage once a month at mo)
Teeth checked all ok.
Obv I was concerned it could be pain related ( although has previously reared with me in excitement )
Immediately went back to walking for a further 4 weeks on vet advice.
Moved her to my trainers yard to help with rehab as doing it at home alone was quite frankly stressing me out !

Now in total up to week 11 and we can try trot again. She looks perfectly sound. Still on box rest. Hacking out for up to an hour at walk and we have been introducing trot work on the road. Bit headshaking to begin with but now is fine although I dread asking for a transition. She actually looks the best I have ever seen her. She is no longer snatching her hinds and you can pick her feet out and she is standing square.

It was decided to try her in the arena again. Same thing - few rears and felt like an exploding time bomb when you asked for trot. Vet has decided to bute trial as we cant establish if it is pain related or pure exuberance in the school baring in mind she is still on box rest ? Been on 4 sachets a day of bute and still does it if we ask her for trot in the arena. She doesn't look uncomfortable and no ears back etc. The reason we have tried her in the school again and opted to bute trial is because we want to try and establish if secondary pain. If it is pain and she rears in school she could also rear on the road - its not because I am desp to school her, although it would be nice one day !

I am going to aim to have small turnout in next few weeks as she is a bright mare and I am sure after 12/14 weeks in jail, daily work just walking, she got to be feeling pretty much about to explode ? Not sure if vet will agree mind ! But then we don't seem to be agreeing on much at the moment ............ !

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts or similar experiences with rehabbing a horse ?

Thank you and sorry for long post !
 
When mine was diagnosed with PSD (admittidley) a long time ago I asked about bute and was told it does not seem to help with PSD.
My horse never objected with rearing or anything, but drew straight lines in the arena surface with his hinds.
With mine the shockwave didn't help.
Is her pelvis ever a problem? I know you said you have a bodyworker and i am unsre exactly what do they do - but i find I have to have a chiro every 2 months or we have issues.
I didn't want to commence anything more than walk until the scans were scanning normal! I recently learned that normal is very variable, so where both suspesories are thought to be a problem, you don't have a 'normal' to compare with.
Interestingly my horse ended up having an op, but was allowed out in a small arena very quickly as he is a bit of a stable nightmare.
Just as a matter of interest is she shod or not?
 
I don't know masses about your horses particular injury but I think that if she seems sound in all other ways then giving her a small turnout area seems sensible as it could just be all that pent up energy that she's unable to release. My own horse cannot deal with box rest for more than a couple of weeks or he starts to stress and becomes not a lot of fun to handle
 
Yes she is shod. Had shoes taken off after diagnosis and she wasn't happy (stony driveway) so vet wanted things normal so we reshod her. Her pelvis not been a problem and is app fine.
She is on Calmex from the vet. She will happily walk in hand. I can get her from the stable , sit on her and chat in the yard for 10 mins without her barely moving before we venture out for a hack. Hacking, other than being spooky is fine and will pull into drives and wait while cars pass etc.

This again partly reason for bute trial as she hardly behaving all fruit the loop the rest of the time! Before diagnosis we had no issues on a surface - if her suspensory is improving why would it hurt on a soft surface now and not before?

She doesn't drag her toes and to look at your would never know there are any issues . Vet said her ligament will never look perfect. At first scan he said that on scale of 1-10 her damage was max 2.

My brain is frazzled ! Maybe I should see what happens on a different surface other than rubber next time we try?
 
yes I think turnout could be the next option ! I cried my eyes out when I was told 3/4 months box rest but actually she has done well and the weeks have flown by. But I still hate her being in and cant wait to have her out on some Dr Greens !
 
I know you shouldn't probably lunge her, but does she rear and head toss if you do the transitions to trot without a rider? It might be worth trying just to see her response.
 
i can understand the vet wanting her as she was - in terms of shoes - before the problem or its difficult to tell what is causing the problem. I am afraid PSD can be a bit or a swine, but i think some people believe there is a link with back problems and psd, but if you are sure your horses back is ok then who am i to question this.
The other thing that occurs to me is that my horse was short with his outside hind leg in trot when lunged when he had the psd issue. Good luck with her it is a very frustrating problem.
 
We did actually lunge her to have a look ! Not ideal but we are trying to see what is going on. She was shaking her head about and did a few bucks etc which is understandable as that is the fastest she been allowed to go for 3 months ! Headshaking in trot did stop eventually. Not sure the whole exercise told us much as all?! Apart from she was moving pretty good .
I have been told that PSD and back issues come hand in hand but vet is happy her back is all good as is the back lady. All v frustrating. I want to bring her home from rehab but wanted trot work well established before I do as her behaviour been unnerving me when I do it on my own. Costing me a small fortune each month :-(.
 
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