Suspensory Ligament Injuries - your experiences please

[oofadoofa]

I have just "acquired" an 11 year old gelding who had a suspensory ligament injury over 2 years ago. The injury was actually caused by someone having his feet cut back so short as they wanted to use him as a show horse and get him measured at 15.2 when he's actually a good 16hh.

Anyway, 2 years on and he's still not sound. He was initially box rested, walked, etc, etc, but for the last 2 years he has been used as a hack, nothing more.

He has had all his joints x-rayed and found nothing wrong. The ligament has been re-scanned approx 9 months ago I believe which showed that it was still healing. Obviously, his feet would have taken a good year to get back to normal and therefore the ligament would not have been able to start repairing until his feet had grown out. So just looking for anyone else's experiences, and what you think the likelihood is that he may come sound.

Thank you!

 

[pepperandoran]

My old horse injured his near hind suspensory ligament (lateral branch) and it didnt heal - according to vet by this point it was near to complete rupture. We had him put to sleep as the vet didnt think he would ever come sound.
I think im a bit doom and gloom when it comes to suspensory ligament injuries though.
Given that its been 2 years I would have thought that he might not come sound - but i could be wrong!

 

[fatpiggy]

How "sound" do you want him to be? I mean, sound to gallop, sound to jump, sound to just be a general purpose riding horse?

I knew a horse which had a lifetime height certificate of 15hh (and was a very successful WH) and he TOWERED over my mare who is nearly 15.2hh. Makes you wonder what they did to him to get him to make the height

 

[angiebaby]

Depends like fatpiggy says what you want to do with him;
And if its a hind leg suspensory injury?

I would get a second opinion, as it might still be operable ( mine had it done last October) and is sound enough to hack out daily for 2/3 hours with some cantering and an hours lesson a week. I haven't jumped him yet though

 

[MrsMozart]

I think it depends on why the ligament became damaged in the first place. We're going through it now with my mare - both hind leg suspensory ligaments 'chronically fibroised: damaged'. In her it's an anomoly as she is just four, in light work, and I've had her since two months after she was backed at three. An operation has been mooted, where as I understand, it fibroids are trimmed off where possible and then the nerve is cut so she can't feel any pain: this will give me a light hack, never to jump again (bought her to BSJA). The reading that I've done over this weekend (only found out late on Friday) refers to shockwave treatment, stem cell treatment (very expensive), or surgery - it all seems to depend on the severity of the damage. Box rest alone will not work according to what I've read. There are some issues after surgery, such as surgery only being succesful in seventy percent of cases; if the nerve is cut, it can grow back; and due to the fibroids not being elastic like the ligament, there can be issues with it tearing again. Specialist shoing can raise the heel and take some of the pressure off the ligaments. Whilst I decide what to do, my mare is turned out in ProSport Medicine boots in an attempt to provide her with some support, also having the McTimony back lady back out as she seemed to help. We went to Sue Dyson at the Animal Health Trust at Newmarket. Lovely lady, and very possibly one of the best in the world regarding equine bones and structure (in my opinion anyway, and I've read quite a lot about her - well, couldn't spend the weekend riding). Sorry, very woffly. I think with these type of ligaments, sometimes one is very lucky, and sometimes one isn't, there doesn't seem to be a definite outcome. Good luck.

 

[angiebaby]

Yes you're quite right, I was one of the lucky ones. My vet said there was no reason why my pony shouldn't go back to doing what he was before; hacking/lessons and the occasional jump.

Hope your horsey gets better

 

[MrsMozart]

Thank you jakesmydog for your thoughts. Unfortunately not in our case. The Tiggy will not get better. She will spend her time being a large garden ornament and go for walks down the lane - guess I'm going to get fit!