SuzanneD
New User
Hi. I'm new to the forum, so first off - hi. 
I've had my current horse (13 y/o) for 4 and a half years and Sept 2011 I noticed swelling at the back of his canon bone on his left fore. It's puffier higher up to the knee than it is by the fetlock. Now, what gets me is - he has never been lame a day since I've bought him, never showed an inkling of having injured his leg and the swelling was never tender nor hot and it had/has no influence on his gait. Since then he has been on paddock rest for a year and 8 months. The swelling has always (even now) remained unchanged unless he was walked which made the swelling come down quite a bit but not completely. Started riding him again this past Saterday and even though he is totally unbalanced at the moment and totally unfit he was not lame at all, a bit off on his left diagonal but I believe that's more to do with the fact that he is unbalanced at the moment. I had the vet out twice (in 2011) and she scanned the leg and gave this report:
'Monty was again examined on 9 November 2011. He displayed no sign of lameness but a swelling remained over the same tendon area. The tendon area was scanned and both the suspensory and deep digital flexor tendon showed some thickening but no significant lesions in the tendons. The superficial difital flexor tendon appeared to be normal. He has some tendinous windgalls on his caudal fetlocks. Flexion and extension of his joints was negative for pain or lameness. No radiographs were taken . I advised the client to rest him for 3-6 months for active work but allow free movement in the paddock and then gradually return him into full work thereafter.'
I really do not have a clue. I want to start hacking him again and we do quite long hacks (40km's) and sometimes they are quite hilly and I'm so scared he'll get hurt further. The vet said he'll be fine as a hack but I'm still scared. I'll appreciate any advise, thanks.
I've had my current horse (13 y/o) for 4 and a half years and Sept 2011 I noticed swelling at the back of his canon bone on his left fore. It's puffier higher up to the knee than it is by the fetlock. Now, what gets me is - he has never been lame a day since I've bought him, never showed an inkling of having injured his leg and the swelling was never tender nor hot and it had/has no influence on his gait. Since then he has been on paddock rest for a year and 8 months. The swelling has always (even now) remained unchanged unless he was walked which made the swelling come down quite a bit but not completely. Started riding him again this past Saterday and even though he is totally unbalanced at the moment and totally unfit he was not lame at all, a bit off on his left diagonal but I believe that's more to do with the fact that he is unbalanced at the moment. I had the vet out twice (in 2011) and she scanned the leg and gave this report:
'Monty was again examined on 9 November 2011. He displayed no sign of lameness but a swelling remained over the same tendon area. The tendon area was scanned and both the suspensory and deep digital flexor tendon showed some thickening but no significant lesions in the tendons. The superficial difital flexor tendon appeared to be normal. He has some tendinous windgalls on his caudal fetlocks. Flexion and extension of his joints was negative for pain or lameness. No radiographs were taken . I advised the client to rest him for 3-6 months for active work but allow free movement in the paddock and then gradually return him into full work thereafter.'
I really do not have a clue. I want to start hacking him again and we do quite long hacks (40km's) and sometimes they are quite hilly and I'm so scared he'll get hurt further. The vet said he'll be fine as a hack but I'm still scared. I'll appreciate any advise, thanks.
