Sarcoillian ligament - anyone else had this injury?

Damnation

Damnation

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(Yes spelt it wrong in title, but can't edit it now! Should say Sacroilliac!)

I am posting this on behalf of another user - Shavings. She's a bit too upset at the moment to post this so has asked me to.

Basically, she has a 6 year old TB gelding, trained but never raced. Had a bad run of things including Strangles over Christmas, then an abscess then a bruised sole.

Since then, TB still hasn't been quite right. Vet did some nerve blocks and I believe even though horse wasn't cooperating, he decided that it was likely to be his SI causing the lameness. He said that despite horse being a bit of a wolly, there wasn't really anything else it could be.

Next week horse starts a course of Steroid injections, and then its a waiting game. If they don't work, horse will be going to Leahurst for further investigation.

I suppose my questions are, who else has had a horse with this injury? How long was the rehab? Did the Injections work? Was horse rideable again? If so what level of riding? (She knows horse will never Jump 1m courses but she isn't interested in jumping at all so she'd be happy with flatwork!)

She basically wants to know what to prepare for! Obviously she knows its not going to be a quick recovery but she'd just like to know what lies ahead.

Thanks :)
 
So sorry to hear of your on going problems shavings. No advice but I hope you get to the bottom of his problems and can finally enjoy him. You have been nothing but a caring owner to him. I wish you the best of luck xxx
 
I'm so sorry.

I shall tell it like it was an not spare the feelings. My TB ex-chaser did. And, as it happens, a fractured ilial shaft at some point that never healed properly. I'm afraid it wasn't a good outcome - he was PTS in the end due to his pain-induced aggression (towards the end would occasionally come out of the stables waving his front hooves at you; tried to kill me in the school with never-ending bronking sessions; was dangerous to lead). The tuber sacrale subluxated almost right over the top. We tried to rehab him with lots of walking, then trying to work long and low with ground polework - the amount of hours spent long reining in straight lines and lungeing on huge circles (40m min) to try and build up muscle seemed endless. And all he did was build up huge shoulders. And aggression.

However, I'll pm you, because I know someone who was also doing an SI rehab and they basically threw the horse out for a year on hills.
 
Charlie007 said:
So sorry to hear of your on going problems shavings. No advice but I hope you get to the bottom of his problems and can finally enjoy him. You have been nothing but a caring owner to him. I wish you the best of luck xxx
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I hope she does too, I know Shavings in RL (One of my oldest friends from school) and all she has had is a run of bad luck with this poor horse. Any animal she has lives like a king, she deserves a brake! :(
 
HeresHoping said:
I'm so sorry.

I shall tell it like it was an not spare the feelings. My TB ex-chaser did. And, as it happens, a fractured ilial shaft at some point that never healed properly. I'm afraid it wasn't a good outcome - he was PTS in the end due to his pain-induced aggression (towards the end would occasionally come out of the stables waving his front hooves at you; tried to kill me in the school with never-ending bronking sessions; was dangerous to lead). The tuber sacrale subluxated almost right over the top. We tried to rehab him with lots of walking, then trying to work long and low with ground polework - the amount of hours spent long reining in straight lines and lungeing on huge circles (40m min) to try and build up muscle seemed endless. And all he did was build up huge shoulders. And aggression.

However, I'll pm you, because I know someone who was also doing an SI rehab and they basically threw the horse out for a year on hills.
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Thank you, she is upset but she also wants the honest truth! Drop me or Shavings a PM, I'm happy to pass it on to her, I'll probably be giving her a call later :)
 
I rehabbed mine from a chronic SI injury, he had one steroid injection into each side then I followed a full on rehab plan, he had just a few days off after the injection then started very easy exercise,10 mins in walk only on straight lines, the hacking was built up over a period of around 6 weeks by then doing 1-2 hours 6 days a week, I then started trotting short distances, again gradually increasing it until we then started cantering around 12 weeks post injections.
I did no school work or lunging for around 3 months when I started to just do tiny amounts with him normally after a short hack so he was well warmed up.

I had regular physio, initially weekly, I also did in hand work with him so he was basically exercised twice every day, plus the daily stretches and strapping to promote muscle tone, it was full on, I am running my own small yard so it was easier for me to spend 3 hours or so every day on him, he was turned out as much as possible, overnight all summer and every day without fail in the winter, this winter he has been out overnight and has done really well, currently having a break but it does look as if he has responded far better than the vet expected, he thought light hacking at best but the horse has jumped at home perfectly well so has exceeded expectations, it is not always doom and gloom although it helps to be prepared for the worst scenario there are many that come back to full work given the correct treatment, rehab and probably most important TIME.
 
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Thank you BePositive, no expense will be spared to make this horse comfortable and she will be following Veterinary advice to the letter but I think the fact that yours was rehabbed will really lift her spirits - she is devastated that this injury has happened especially in a horse so young and is prepared for the fact that he may never come right. But knowing that there is a chance he may come right will really help motivate her :)
 
Yes. My friend's horse actually displaced the tongue and groove sacroiliac joint - damaged ligaments. Vet at equine practice managed to get the displacement resolved and then it has been a long road of trying to get him right and keep him right.
Our sports therapy lady was the one who got him right and keeps him right after loads of other folk have failed.
He has to do exercises in hand every day, also has to travel rear facing, anything else aggravates it.
He's now 17yo and is competing in affiliated dressage at medium level and working advanced medium/advanced at home. Just been to the nationals at elementary level.
 
My little horse was diagnosed via bone scan with SI injury in Feb 2015. He had injections into both sides and did several months of walking building in trot in straight lines out hacking, trying to stay out of the school (tricky with him as he isn't a great hack alone). It worked brilliantly, he was sound and very happy. Sadly I then had other setbacks, allergy and head shaking and muscle disease plus stress of losing his field mate which triggered ulcers. Came through all that find this winter and then went bilaterally lame again after a fall in the field. I couldn't afford a full work up so we are taking a punt on it being SI again.

I ummed and ahhhed over whether to turn away/retire but thought we would try again with SI injections both sides, massage, osteo work, craniosacral therapy, everything I can think of. We are only 3 weeks in but compared to the video I posted here a few weeks back he is looking amazing! We are walking out daily and he is absolutely full of himself so vet has said I can trot/canter in straight lines when I feel it's appropriate to keep a lid on his energy, obviously monitoring him closely.

He is turned out 24/7 as vet said the more movement the better for an SI injury once medicated. The biggest issue I have with him is he likes to do acrobatics in the field and has put in some fairly impressive displays lately! Without these he would probably recover just fine but he keeps repeating the silliness.

I am focussing really hard on relaxing his back muscles. Thermal imaging shows it's always very hot but I had him xrayed and it's just muscular so I feel it's all connected. Sore contracted back muscles pull SI /thoraco-lumbar region into extension leading to poor movement, restricted stride behind and stress on SI which increases back pain. I'm not giving up hope yer but equally I'm putting no pressure or expectations on it.
 
Thank you every one, I never expected this thread to be started and all these replies to come, I am hoping Levi will take well to the injections (starts Monday) but I just hate this waiting game, spent a lot of time in tears sat in his stable, through it all he has been a good to me, lots of nuzzles and cuddles
 
I have an ex racer too, we started the SI journey 3 years ago when I bought him. We thought it was a field injury, but X-rays and bone scans later showed SI, hock issues and KS. I am not trying to be a scare monger, but it's quite common to have SI and other issues. We have done rehab, he has been sent away for rehab, we have had injections in all areas and lots and lots of physio. Unfortunately for us, we have reached the stage for some decisions and after injections 10 days ago, it's a wait and see if they have worked stage. If not he will be retired or pts if he doesn't accept retirement (he is 9). However, apparently lots of SJ horses and riding schools horses have SI issues, are injected and continue their careers. Wishing you lots of luck xx
 
I don't know if this will be any consolation, but my mare has some form of sacroiliac injury/ pain. Possibly arthritis, possibly the result of an old injury, we're not quite sure. We didn't go down the injections route with her as she was semi-retired by that point anyway and I wasn't sure she would cope with the rehab exercise needed alongside. Plus steroids are risky with her as she has cushings and is a lami risk. However, she had a course of physiotherapy, lives out on a hill and is quite sound and happy. Her canter is not good, is the only thing, but if she'd been able to do the full rehab then who knows.
Just regarding the above post, I used to work with a young SJ horse who had some sort of sacroiliac injury. He was ridden by my boss for his owners and I suspected he had SI problems long before he was eventually diagnosed (at a vetting) because he struggled to stay united in canter. However, he was also jumping 1.30 tracks no problem and had the scope to go higher (was only 6/7 when I knew him), so that does show that it is possible to manage it. I sometimes think the fitter the horse is, the better.
 
Hopefully can give your friend some hope!

My boy had this injury seven years ago, he was on box rest for a number of months whilst having the injections, eventually he was allowed out in hand walking which we built up VERY slowly.. literally started with 5 minutes to eventually walking out for 90 minutes at a time and he was then allowed out in a tiny paddock which he could only just turn round in. He also had lots of physio from a really good person recommended by the vets.

He is now 18 and competing BD at Elementary, he still does some jumping, camps etc! Fingers crossed for your friend's horse.
 
Fi had it too. Hers was along with suspensory ligaments. So had to retire her at 9 :( which seems to be more common than just sacroiliac alone

Hope you have better luck
 
It is so often linked to other issues back/PSD/hocks. I would be considering a bone scan rather than a diagnosis by nerve blocks alone.
However if you go ahead with the steroids and it improves you will sort of get your answer.
 
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