Tendon Injury Optimism!!

[kellyanglin]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum, feeling quite low about my mares recent tendon injury would love to hear some positive stories from people who have dealt with similar injuries in the past.

She is only 1-2/10 lame and all swelling and heat virtually gone but I still have another 3 weeks at least to go until the Vet with scan it again to check progress. There isn't any tear or specific legion to the tendon just 'unstable fibres'.

I had just started to really enjoy my new mare in all disciplines and worried that I may be limited in the future. I recently sold my previous mare to a hacking home as she had a similar injury which never came 100% for jumping etc.

Has anyone got reason to stop me worrying so much about this????

thx
x

 

[Nats_uk]

I wonder who this is!lol! Hopefully there are some H&H'ers who have happy endings.

Do you ever think you will stop worrying until she gets the all clear? I know I probably wouldn't.

x

 

[carthorse]

Sorry to read this, I had a horse years ago that I bought as a 4 year old ,at 5 I evented him and he damaged his tendon. He had 6 months off, came back fine .
I only did RC eventing after that so didn't need to go so fast but his dressage became so good that we went up to advanced in 3 seasons and I was offered a lot of money for him and sold him. He passed the vetting with flying colours and went on for many years at top level dressage.
Be patient, time is the best healer

 

[cellie]

Im 10 weeks in on tendon injury just going to start trotting this week.Just give him plenty of time.If you havent torn or ruptured he will come back to full strength as long as you keep him quiet.My horse has 10% tear and the vet said he will make a full recovery I started walking him out at 8 weeks then I will do a month of steady trotting before we canter .No jumping for 6 to 9 months.I had ligament damage last year and he came back fine they just need plenty of time to repair.I know how you feel its really frustrating when you start making progress and have set backs.

 

[RachelB]

As everyone has said so far, time is the key with tendons. They heal very, veeeery slowly but they can get there eventually!
My mare tore her deep digital flexor tendon way down in her hoof at the beginning of February, started box rest at the end of Feb, was diagnosed end of May by MRI, then went out in the field at the start of July and has been out ever since. My vet is coming back to give her a check-up in April (only five months!! yay!!). Sadly my mare can't be scanned to check progress as the ultrasound just doesn't get any sort of picture of the tear as it's so far down, and there's no way paying another grand for an MRI is worth it! I'm just going to have to start riding her and hope to god she doesn't tear it again! So at least you can have your horse re-scanned to check

How long has your horse had off? And what exactly did she do?
My mare's injury is pretty bad and she was given a 25-30% chance of returning to "full work" (jumping and everything), which ok is pretty low but if your mare's injury is in a "better" place then there's more chance of her coming right. Plus my mare has cartilage problems relating to the tendon too which made her prognosis much worse.
Seriously, if I worried as much as you sound as if you are doing, I'd not be alive to tell the tale after three months let alone after nine! Relax, there's not much you can do except keep your mare healthy and ensure she rests herself, and good luck with the vet

 

[kellyanglin]

Hi,

Thanks for your post, although your tendon worries make mine seem very minor. She's currently only been off for one week and I'm hoping all being well that she may be sound enough to start walk work in Jan, although like you say if advised to give it longer then i'm happy to give as long as necessary to increase the chances of a full recovery. It does seem that as far as tendon damage goes I've got about the best one, right in the middle only affecting the superficial without any tears or legions.

Its just so awful knowing that what you want to do with your horses could aggrivate the injury again, so bound to always worry about it.

Thanks for sharing your experience, I really hope that it all works out OK for you and your GG.

xx

 

[cyearsley]

My boy had an injury to his DDFT on a hind leg, in the tendon sheath area - just above the fetlock. Was initially 6-7/10 lame, after two weeks box rest and spa treatment, became 1-2/10 lame, another 6 weeks of box rest/pen rest was pronounced sound and was able to put him very, very gradually back to work. We have done our 4 weeks in walk, our 4 weeks of trot, 4 weeks of cantering and are now beginning to use the school again. After 5 months in total, my vet is extremely postive and has said he sees no reason why we can't return to what we were doing before-eventually- though for the next few months we are going to avoid jumping prob til the spring/early summer and am very selective about what I do and I on what type of ground . Went on a short hack this evening and then rode him in the school for twenty mins and couldn't stop grinning! Still keep everything crossed, salute every magpie and touch wood etc but feeling positive and hopeful now about the future. Good luck and try to keep your chin up even though sometimes it may be tricky, all the best and feel free to PM me with anything else you may want to know.

 

[kerilli]

yes, time is the answer. as long as possible, tbh.
my best ever horse struck into herself (through a very good xc boot with tendon guard) and bruised her tendon as a novice. she had a lot of scans, a LOT of walking, a lot more scans, eventually came completely right. i didn't do any faster work until the scans were completely clear. she went on to go Advanced and did about 60 events iirc, and never had another tendon problem. i didn't run her on hard ground, though... if they've had previous tendon injury, there's even more reason to avoid the increased risk from hard ground.
very best of luck, just be patient!

 

[H-J]

Hello

Im sure if you do everything the vet says and take it slow she will make a full recovery - fingers crossed

You were just starting to get confident about the jumping and everything such a bummer

 

[cellie]

Just thought I would let you know that after 13 weeks we have been given the all clear.Had a scan today and everything is healed obviously some scarring but will make a full recovery .Thought it might give you something to aim for if you are still feeling low.
How is your horse.