Still Lame after all this time

Flibble

Flibble

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www.annamason-art.co.uk
I know you will all say talk to your Vet and I will but my Horse started Box Rest on 31August for 2 months after a Suspensory Ligament strain was diagnosed.
Next we did Walk in hand for 7 weeks building up to I hour twice a day.
Next we did 4 weeks of ridden work at walk an hour a day plus most days we walked in hand in the morning. Tomorrow we start trot work 5 minutes so last night I had a little trot to see how he felt. Not lots as we dont start until friday just a few paces on each rein.
He trotted ok once then stumbled a bit and he seems to me to be just as lame as when I started. His locomotion seems wrong as he doesnt always pick his foot up enough to clear the ground. Could it just be initial stiffness after all the rest
will he need to build up the trot work to feel and look sounder (hes 16 by the way).
 
Welcome to the "How fustrating club"!! Firstly is it the hind suspensory? If so, this is what mine has, since early last May!Hind suspensorys' don't tend to heal well. Mine was operated on in November, neurectomy and split (?) he is now turned out 24/7 as it was felt that he was getting nowhere being in. I am to ride him for 10 mins a day, building up to 30 mins over 6 weeks, then to try and trot.
TBH, He still feels, looks, exactly the same as when he injured it. And he stumbles on it as well. Suspensory injuries can take up to a year to heal well. Can you turn him out?
If its his front suspensory then there could be something else wrong? Does seem you are doing the right things with him.
 
Its his front suspensory. I have spoken to the vet and he says persevere with trot work for a week and see how he gets on. In my opinion I feel sure he has several problems and may be a bit arthriticy as well ( if thats a word).
I feel as if he doesnt like the concussion of trot but he had all feet and legs x-rayed last dec (06) after he went very shuffly. That resolved itself with a change of joint supplement after a week on bute.
Its difficult with turn-out where I keep him.
I am going to look elsewhere in the spring but this is a horse who puts on weight very easily and has spent the last 12 years in Luxury Accomodation and it feels almost cruel to suddenly chuck him out long term.
If being out of his stable more is what he needs I may make him part of my keep fit plan.
Of course he may have jarred himself last week in the last week of his ridden walk. He bucked me off big time. He is one of those horses who plods around in a coma and just as you doze off all four feet leave the ground at the same time. I would have stayed on but its precursor was a spin as a bloke getting manure slammed his tail-gate.
 
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I have spoken to the vet and he says persevere with trot work for a week and see how he gets on

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Whilst lame?????
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I would want them back out to check for adhesions which could be preventing him from comming sound.
 
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Quite normal in my experience, sometimes they just need to work through it, esp. after a long period off.

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Really? With Amy's ligament damage I was told categorichly (sp) not too.
 
well if you have got a lot of adhesion then prognosis would be pretty poor for full soundness, however OP has already stated that they think there is a number of other things going on and at 16 this wouldn't surprise me.
For me I would follow the vet on this, a weeks work and then re-evaluate.
My little darling has slight adhesion on right hind suspensory (old injury) and left one has recently gone. He is on box rest and I fully expect him to feel pretty terrible when he gets going again, but from my past experience he most definitely works through things.
 
Thank you for this its very reassuring. When I say my bloke is still lame its one of those degree things someone who didnt know him might think he is alright he isnt trotting with the 'Good Grief its Hopping lame thing' just an I dont really like this lameness. Maybe I need a long warm up in walk and slow cool down. Please dont think my vets a fool he is good and he has looked after us well in the past and the added value is he is very pleasing to the eye.
 
Well I rode the boy this evening for an hour in walk with interspersed bouts of trot and he did seem sounder. I am only to do 5 minutes but it is very hard to time it when you are in fear of your life. With the torrential rain and howling Gail we broncd at wheelbarrow movement, doors shutting small children, car doors shutting and just about anything else. I am ashamed to admit I have become nervous nellie and am frightened he'll have me off again. I dont know where these nerves have come from I have had him for 12 years and evn got back on showjumping when I shouldnt.
 
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