suspensory ligament problem - advise please

[lizstuguinness]

why is it in 15 years on owning horses i only EVER get vet bills when they are at a livery yard and not at home - ummmm.

Anyway 5yrs old mare, i guess playing in the field with 9 others strained her left hind suspensory lig. Vet says its at the top of the cannon near the hock. The outside of the fetlock is also badly swollen.

after xrays (no blocks or scans -she was being naughy) she is now on 2 weeks box rest.

Only, even on drugs she keeps kicking the stable walls (brick) and now has 7 wounds on her head from going mad. we have sectioned on a small paddock and turned her out with another old mare. i tried banadaging and claying her hind legs to prevent her hurting them further. (should i still do this in the field?)

Vet wants to reffer her to newmarket - sue dyson (thank god i took out that insurance!) although she is badly lame he cannt see anything other than slight lig damage.

Now i have never had this problem in any horse before. is there anything i can do to prevent reoccurance? she will do affiliated sj possibly aff. eventing.
what is the chance of reoccurance?
any advice or general info welcome!
thank you

 

[Harlequin_Ro]

Hello, my horse was diagnosed with proximal suspensory dismitis of the right hind when she was 5. It was due to her being worked to hard too soon. After a ultra sound scan 12weeks box rest and shockwave therapy was prescribed. We then tried to walk out in hand but she was too excitable so we turned her out in a small paddock for 4 weeks and then started riden road walking at 20 mins every day and then working upto 2 hours every day. After that we started schooling. They say if the condition is done properly and the ligament is given time to heal and strengthen they'll never go again. If you go to saddle-up.org.uk/forums and look in their archives or even my blog (I'm SaphRo) there's loads of people on there who have done the same thing. My mare is back in full work now and jumping 1m25 loose.

 

[dianchi]

Shockwave therapy is good, dunno where u are in the country but if your south of newmarket they do this at RVC.
But....
My mare did her left fore high suspensory ligament and used to compete at grade B level, now she hates jumping much and prob just pops a few fences a couple of times a month and ONLY at home. However we turned to pure dressage (yep i was so shocked) and now competing very well.
her problem was that she did it whilst jumping so not sure if there is a mental block now? But she has more than i ever thought jumping so i didnt mind too much.