Suspensory injury success stories please :)

[mudmonkey17]

Looking for positive stories not horror stories please.

My mare has just been diagnosed with mild inflammation of the suspensory ligamament right at the top where it meets the cannon bone. She is also very tender over the cannon and splint bones in that area but no fractures on xray. She lost a shoe 3 weeks ago, which was found by the concrete water trough, and vet thinks she has managed to catch herself somehow and the injury is trauma related.
She is currently on box rest with in hand walking being built up slowly over the weeks. Vet will review in 4 weeks and then re xray and rescan in 8 weeks.
Vet is quite optomistic that she will return to full work but would like any success stories if there is any out there

 

[Arniebear]

Sorry ive only got horror stories of this injury but mine was completely different to yours so fingers crossed you caught it early enough and that she behaves on box rest best of luck x

 

[Love]

My friends mare did one of her front suspensories. Think it took about 18 months and I can't remember the extent of the injury but she is now back in full work

 

[Holly Hocks]

Didn't bother with complete box rest - I let Blue out for an hour or two (or longer if ground was good) and let her go mad if she wanted to. Took her barefoot and even with the spavin, arthritis PSLD and navicular, she is now sound. She was sent home from hospital with remedial shoes which I took off as I don't agree that they work long term.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

My friends horse has an old suspensory ligament injury to her near hind....we were oblivious to the fact until we were contacted by someone who loaned her years ago..!!!
She is only a happy hacker though in all fairness x

 

[stencilface]

Mine had suspensory desmitis so a bit different, but he did return to jumping ( two injuries on from that he's currently turned away lol)

We had shock wave therapy and I used magnetic boots on him to help with bloodflow ( which is what magnets are supposed to do) as ligaments have a poor blood supply. I did six months box rest, with daily turn out in a pen 2x the size of a stable, with the walk work starting about 2 months in I think.

Although its a different type of injury to mine watch out for injuries to other areas like sacro iliac as a result of the ligament injury, regular physio visits will help with this, mine had the chiro and osteo every three months for a year

 

[mudmonkey17]

Thanks for all those. Holly hocks she would go mad turned out even in a small pen. So far she is behaving well on box rest and on her twice daily walks.
Stencil face was wondering about magnetic boots and if they helped or not? My Physio is due to see my veteran in 2 week so will discuss with her. Planned to involve her especially once go ahead for ridden work starts in a few months time ( fingers crossed that is all goes smoothly until then) x

 

[Hump991]

My 9 year old Thoroughbred gelding, did a mild suspensory injury in a hind leg in June of this year. Due to him also having upward fixation of the patella the vet did not want him out of work, or on box rest as that would get worse, We had to get the balance right.

He had 2 weeks of 12 hours in and 12 hours out, on bute, then he went to 24 hour turn out in a smallish paddock. He also went straight to 4 weeks of walk work for no more than 20 mins a day, 5 days a week.

Then we did 10 weeks of trot, starting with a couple of minutes a day and building it up over the weeks to 30 minutes, mostly hacking and very little schooling. Nightmare as my boy decided this was the time to start napping and not want to hack out.

We have just completed 4 weeks of introducing the canter, building that up and bringing back in the schooling etc, he has now been given the all clear to start popping some little jumps.

It has been hard work and nerve wracking, but so much quicker than lots of others that I have read about. Good luck.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

One of the racehorses on the yard shot his suspensory to pieces on his near fore. 12 months later he was racing and winning. He did that when he was 6yo, he is now 13 going on 14 and about to start another point to point season having never missed a year of racing or been lame since! We did nothing unusual with him - box rest, walking, turn out, work. No fancy treatments or remedies and if you scanned that ligament now it is 95% fibres and only 5% scar tissue. Not bad considering that he had an 80% hole in it.

Your horses is very mild and should fix up not a bother in the slightest.

 

[lannerch]

Do bother with the box rest if that is what the vet advises cannot believe the poster who blindly says different ...... Just because they were lucky enough to get away with it!
Follow your vets advice to the letter and take it slow and then prognosis will be good .

 

[Silvermiyazawa]

My old horse damaged a front suspensory ligament. After having a scan he was on box rest with walking out in hand, I think for about 6 weeks (a while ago, my memory is going!). He came back sound and raring to go. We hacked and did dressage. The vet ok'd him to jump but I am super cautious and decided I'd rather not take the risk (after all I loved him more than the vet did). He went on for another 9 years until the age of 27 no more problems in that area.

 

[Holly Hocks]

Do bother with the box rest if that is what the vet advises cannot believe the poster who blindly says different ...... Just because they were lucky enough to get away with it!
Follow your vets advice to the letter and take it slow and then prognosis will be good .

If you are referring to me, I didnt' say "don't bother" - I said that I "didn't bother". OP asked for success stories, so I gave her mine. And in fact it was my home vet who told me to turn her out! Still if you post without reading properly that's your issue.

Mudmonkey - forgot to add that we also had shockwave therapy, physio and I used magnetic wraps too. Don't know whether they helped or not though!

 

[mudmonkey17]

My old horse damaged a front suspensory ligament. After having a scan he was on box rest with walking out in hand, I think for about 6 weeks (a while ago, my memory is going!). He came back sound and raring to go. We hacked and did dressage. The vet ok'd him to jump but I am super cautious and decided I'd rather not take the risk (after all I loved him more than the vet did). He went on for another 9 years until the age of 27 no more problems in that area.

Thanks that is encouraging. I am not a big jumper anyway so would be happy if we got back to hacking and a little schooling. Jumping some small courses would just be a bonus.

 

[mudmonkey17]

One of the racehorses on the yard shot his suspensory to pieces on his near fore. 12 months later he was racing and winning. He did that when he was 6yo, he is now 13 going on 14 and about to start another point to point season having never missed a year of racing or been lame since! We did nothing unusual with him - box rest, walking, turn out, work. No fancy treatments or remedies and if you scanned that ligament now it is 95% fibres and only 5% scar tissue. Not bad considering that he had an 80% hole in it.

Your horses is very mild and should fix up not a bother in the slightest.

Thanks am hoping with the box rest and inhand walking will see some improvement. Am praying most of the pain for her is the bony pain which will get better over time x

 

[Tiffany]

My girl sprained both her front suspensory ligaments at different times and she had 3 months box rest, a few episodes of cold water spa then walked in hand for a couple of weeks then slowly brought back into work. This was 5 years ago and touch wood, she's been fine since.

 

[Jojo_Pea4]

My horse done his 4years ago after riding in bog on a busy sponsored ride. He done his hind the two branches and down the main bit. He had plasma treatment (names changed) where they drew some blood then use the white blood cells and inject back into his injury. He was on box rest (he went out in a tiny pen next to stable as was mid summer and a saint in the field, vets advice). He then done a strict regime of walking out 5mins and gradually adding on. Then once at hours walk and re-scanned he down down to 20mins walk with a straight line 1min trot graudually building up and back in the field (he is a really good horse in the field), we then re-scanned (cant remember exact dates and time lengths) before going in the school. Then same thing for before cantering. He was signed off at 6months and we started some dressage comps and jumping at home just took it all easy building up. Now he does everything as he did before the injury but the leg has now got serve arthritis which vet reckons from a weakness in his hock he hes is manged and ridden happily.

Hope u have a good sucess as me and my boy.

 

[NaeNae87]

This is Bo.

He is a 10yr old OTTB. He damaged his front right suspensory twice when he raced. It ended his racing career. He has been scanned and checked over by multiple vets. They have all said the same thing... "He is 100% sound. You will not know his limitations unless you work him and find out. Take it slowly and gradually increase his workload."

Bo has been in work for 12 months. He has just started jumping 65cms (2'1 aprox) and has had no problems so far. His leg and ligaments have never had heat or swelling in them since I have bought him into work. I use open front boots or PEI brushing boots on him under saddle as he is quite base narrow. I hose his legs down after every ride, he has 4 weekly farrier appointments and gets regular body work done.

This is him last weekend at his first EA event. He was in the Eva65 class, so again aprox 2'1 jumps and was a little legend. He had never been in an indoor arena, never seen fill and never done a round at that height... We got so many comments after out round saying that he was a lovely honest horse. He may have looked really hard at a few jumps, but he jumped absolutely everything eventually. I wasn't taking him around to win it was more of a training thing. My position is horrible, I know... I hurt my back just before hopping on for warm up so no comments on that please... They re set the jumps and he did the last two no worries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q3HUYJoODk

Here he is on XC the next day.

Here he is jumping an EvA80 (2'7) sized chevron yesterday.
Third time he went over it... Perfect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7RWVioBgQw

He always tries his hardest and I am glad he is in my life. He takes a bit of extra management and TLC but IMO he is 100% worth it. Yes they can come back from suspensory injuries. Do a lot of research, listen to your vet and try alternative therapies (consult your vet when doing so) and you will give your horse the best possible chance of recovery.

 

[mudmonkey17]

This is Bo.

He is a 10yr old OTTB. He damaged his front right suspensory twice when he raced. It ended his racing career. He has been scanned and checked over by multiple vets. They have all said the same thing... "He is 100% sound. You will not know his limitations unless you work him and find out. Take it slowly and gradually increase his workload."

Bo has been in work for 12 months. He has just started jumping 65cms (2'1 aprox) and has had no problems so far. His leg and ligaments have never had heat or swelling in them since I have bought him into work. I use open front boots or PEI brushing boots on him under saddle as he is quite base narrow. I hose his legs down after every ride, he has 4 weekly farrier appointments and gets regular body work done.

This is him last weekend at his first EA event. He was in the Eva65 class, so again aprox 2'1 jumps and was a little legend. He had never been in an indoor arena, never seen fill and never done a round at that height... We got so many comments after out round saying that he was a lovely honest horse. He may have looked really hard at a few jumps, but he jumped absolutely everything eventually. I wasn't taking him around to win it was more of a training thing. My position is horrible, I know... I hurt my back just before hopping on for warm up so no comments on that please... They re set the jumps and he did the last two no worries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q3HUYJoODk

Here he is on XC the next day.

Here he is jumping an EvA80 (2'7) sized chevron yesterday.
Third time he went over it... Perfect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7RWVioBgQw

He always tries his hardest and I am glad he is in my life. He takes a bit of extra management and TLC but IMO he is 100% worth it. Yes they can come back from suspensory injuries. Do a lot of research, listen to your vet and try alternative therapies (consult your vet when doing so) and you will give your horse the best possible chance of recovery.

Thanks lovely picture your horse is lovely x

 

[NaeNae87]

Thanks lovely picture your horse is lovely x

Thanks mudmonkey. Good luck for your girls rehab.