# Suspensory injury



## michickenwrangler (Oct 4, 2010)

We just returned from the Pine Marten Run in MI's UP. Izzie ended up 2nd in the LW division, but she finished with a mild suspensory injury.

There were a lot of half-buried and hidden-by-leaves-roots so she did stumble several times during the course. Vet said she was "slightly off" Grade 1 lameness and that there was a little pain in her right front leg. She rated the pain a 2 on a scale of 1-10. Vet said there was no swelling, leg was still nice and tight.

Izzie pulled a suspensory last summer on Shore to Shore, limping in at a walk. The same vet had that one rated a Grade 3 lameness, observable at a walk. Izzie recovered from that and 10 weeks later we finished 6th on a tough course in competition.

Since I don't wrap for trailering, I put a clay poultice on her. 

Is there anything else I should/could be doing for her? A group of us was planning a trip to Elk Hill in 2 weeks. Would she be OK by then? or not?

Thanks

ETA: Vet said pasture was fine, she didn't need to be confined to a stall (both instances)


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## patandchickens (Oct 4, 2010)

Absolutely my advice would be to not mess around with any suspensory problem no matter how minor. I'd unfortunately suggest you forget entirely about the ride in 2 weeks (although if it were a month from now, instead, then you could wait and see, if the heat went away immediately and no swelling at all ever developed).

Really, once a suspensory is injured it is more vulnerable in future, and they are a pretty important moving part and it's a pretty common career-ending or career-limiting injury, so why gamble the rest of the horse's career on ONE ride. You might get away with it but many times one DOESN'T and then it's too late to go back and change things.

As for anything else to do, personally I would ice or hose the leg 3-4x a day for 15 min at a time for the first 2-4 days after the injury (depending on how quickly the heat goes out of it). That's probably all I would do (aside from not riding) unless heat persists or some (ANY) swelling develops, in which circumstance I'd get more aggressive with poulticing/wraping. Then give her a week off at LEAST, even if she seems A-OK, and return to work gradually, both in terms of distance and in terms of gaits. And be extra picky about footing for the first several months at least.

JMHO, good luck,

Pat


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## michickenwrangler (Oct 4, 2010)

I wasthinking about skipping it anyway. For one thing, the ride was moved to South Branch. I've already been up there about 8 times this year (my usual conditioning grounds, plus 2 days of Shore to Shore). For another, the footing there is deep sand.

Another is that with the big group Izzie is going to think she's competing and rather than taking a nice, relaxed trail ride she'll be fighting the bit and trying to get ahead of everyone.

No, I think we're done for the year.


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## goodhors (Oct 4, 2010)

Husband is a Farrier, he said he would cold hose if there is heat.  If just sore he would poltice the injury.  

He goes against the vet in saying the horse should be stalled.  Soft tissue injury like that should be stalled with hand walking for six to twelve weeks.  The soft tissue injuries take MUCH longer to heal, and the longer time will allow better healing and less chance of reinjury.

You don't say if this is the same leg injured in both cases or two different legs.

He also suggested you get an ultrasound now, to have for comparing later as she appears to be healed.  The one now is your benchmark, starting point, for later shots to show improvements.

He does lots of horses with leg issues, horses who have to get healed well to work.  He doesn't think turnout, even with low grade lameness is a helpful choice in a suspensory injury.  Even walking, horse keeps using the leg, stretching and pulling on the parts.  Most horses on turnout do LOTS more than that, causing more damage.  Horse will be stressing the partner leg too, putting more weight on to save the "bad" leg from pain.  Just closing horse up with stall rest usually helps a lot in healing.  Sorry, I asked twice on time, he said no shorter time to get good healing.  The ultrasounds to compare is probably going to tell you more about healing progress than how horse moves, looking at the interior of leg parts and if they are actually healing.  Horse often ignores little twinges, doesn't move lame or sore.

Glad you have already reconsidered the ride, sure not going to be good for your horse.  Maybe you could borrow a horse if you really want to attend.


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## patandchickens (Oct 5, 2010)

Yes, I should add that I was assuming this was a different leg than the earlier suspensory injury since you'd have probably said if it was the same... but if I'm wrong and it IS the same leg, then I would absolutely have an ultrasound done to see what's up AND ALSO do a very much more serious treatment/layup/rehab program.

The decision whether to stall and handwalk, or leave out, is a tough one and depends a lot on the particular horse. IMO if he'll be reliably quiet the whole time I'd leave him out, given that this is apparently just a very minor suspensory strain. The thing about stalling-and-handwalking is that with a lot of horses it is hard to manage in such a way that the horse does not get stupid when he does eventually get turned out again, and then even if the injury is fairly well along in healing you can still damage it again. It is sort of "da*ned if you do, da*ned if you don't" and comes down to what you expect the particular horse will do.

Also now that this horse has had suspensory problems 2x, even if it's in different legs, you might want to doublecheck your nutrition and conditioning programs, and also be extra picky about footing in future rides (maybe stick to places that have good solid even footing).

Pat


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## michickenwrangler (Oct 5, 2010)

Rght now I can't afford an ultrasound (brakes and wheel bearings just went out on the truck and I had to spend over $300 on that today) and please don't give me the "if you don't have the money for an ultrasound you don't have money for a horse" nonsense. S--- happens and it happened to me a lot in the last few days. I don't need any more guff than what fate has dealt me.

This injury is not as severe as the last. The footing at Pine Marten was not deep sand--_which is what I condition on at South Branch_. There were a lot of half-hidden roots under leaves and Izzie tripped a few times. She was sound at the 13 mile vet check. The other riders I rode with didn't notice anything until I did the trot out--IN HAND--at the final vet check. In fact, the deep sand is why I don't use boots of any kind. Very few Michigan riders use them, they tend to trap sand under them and rub legs raw. When the AERC had its 50 Mile Midwest Championship ride near Newaygo in 1999, a lot of the western horses had to be pulled because their legs were rubbed raw underneath their splint boots.

Izz was out for a month last time it happened and went on to compete again and finished 6th out of 15 10 weeks after the injury.

I apologize for my seeming anger, but right now I can't afford a vet to come out and this has been a VERY LONG DAY.

Hosing--not doing the stall thing since she'll just get cranky and start pacing.

Izzie is 18 years old and while she doesn't have the miles on her that some other endurance horses have, I know that she's at a point things start breaking down. I plan to do fewer rides next year. I kinda figured year would be the last hurrah for her. We made it in year end awards, next year if we complete 3 rides she'll have her Legion of Honor. She'll be fine to semi-retire by then. Although many horses do compete into their mid 20s.


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## patandchickens (Oct 5, 2010)

Honestly I wouldn't have an u/s done either for just a minor suspensory thing, especially in a horse nearing retirement anyhow. Unless I had money coming out my ears.

But, IS this the same leg then?

A month's layup is not long *at all* for a suspensory injury, I still think you should consider being more gradual and conservative on this one, particularly as it's not the first time and the horse is no spring chicken.

Best of luck, most likely you should be able to get her back just fine but the best way is to be in no hurry,

Pat


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## michickenwrangler (Oct 5, 2010)

Like I said, we just need to complete 3 25 mile rides next year, not even place in them and then I'll be happy.

yes, it is the same leg. Again, it was the same ride vet as the last time it was injured. Several horses came up slightly lame on this ride (which is why I managed to be 2nd with a not totally sound horse) including one that regularly conditions on these trails.

The vet usually comes out in late fall/early winter for teeth floating on the horses so I'll probably speak with him then.


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## w c (Oct 6, 2010)

I don't blame you for being upset.  It's awful having your best friend get injured. 

 And I'm sure you know, and maybe this is why you're on a raw nerve, that with a second suspensory injury to the same leg on an older horse, the odds aren't all with you getting him sound to do endurance rides.  I'm not talking about will or won't, just, that with a second suspensory injury on an older horse, you already know that's not so good.

it's just the old 'it depends' again.  It really depends on how severe it is.  Is the tendon somewhat torn or just strained?  And how bad?  And how bad was the first injury.  That's really the question.  

That and how good the horse is at taking it easy while it heals.  I have to go with goodhors on the idea that turned out, horses do tend to re-injure a healing tendon and that for some injuries the horse really needs stall rest for a certain amount of time.  Often when the horse is turned out the layup is very, very long, and really consists of a series of re-injuries that then have to be healed.

My horse got his leg caught in the fence and strained a tendon - huge swelling and heat.  He was SO LAME.  He did not even want to move.  And he's usually very active every moment.  So we were really scared to death.  But it turned out it was a mild strain, no tearing, and a complete recovery.  But a younger horse and not injured there before.

Sure it would be nice to have an ultrasound, but usually, the signs you see from the outside are just confirmed by the ultrasound.  You would see heat, swelling and the ultrasound shows same.

An ultra sound is sometimes better for when it really is not at all clear what is going on, such as when there are several structures close to each other and it's not sure which one is involved (and the treatment and outcome would be different depending on which structure it is).

But it seems this time you've already found out what is wrong.  

And ultrasounds are good for answering your question immediately, which is what does it look like in there.  An ultrasound can help tell that.

But without it, what you can do is just rest your horse and keep him from hurting it again.  Some horses will stay quiet enough out in pasture, and others won't.  

If I have a situation where the horses are biting and kicking at each other in pasture (so the horse is pivoting on the leg) or the horse just isn't that quiet, or the pasture is rocky or full of holes, I'd stall the horse, give him a sedative and hand walk him each day so I could control every movement he made on it.  A few weeks of that might be worth it in a given situation.  

In the 'good old days', the old timer that taught me, would not do ANYTHING to take away pain or swelling.  Nothing.  Especially no anti inflammatory medication.  She'd say anything like that would make the horse feel better and he'd start straining the injury again.  She'd go buy broke down horses at auction and bring them around.  

She'd usually stall the horse and sedate it, insisted that was the only way she could be sure the horse didn't re-injure that leg.  We kids would be hand walking it several times a day.  She just seemed to know when to start moving them around and getting that tendon working again.  Sounds like 'tough love', but she was a wiley old thing and could very often get a horse sound.  I've often thought that if I was broke I could do just what she did.


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## goodhors (Oct 6, 2010)

You can do whatever you like.  Even get an ultrasound later on when you can afford it for benchmarking later.  18 years is not that old for a competitive ride horse these days.

Your care of your horse is your choice, no one HERE called you any names or said anything about how rich you should be to afford horses.

Stalling is the best method, with the best recovery rate, to use horse successfully again that we have seen.  Husband sees quite a few suspensory problems over the course of a year.  The longer they are stalled, HAND WALKED, the better they recover to stay sound in the long run.  Both old and young horses can recover well.  Owners choice, because it does involve extra work and time.  

It usually is not the rides themselves that put the strain on legs, it is the proper conditioning miles needed to prepare the horse.  So a total of 75 Ride miles is not much.  But the hundreds in conditioning will add up.  

I am not a boot person for riding distances either.  They do collect dirt, will rub holes quickly, especially with sand.  Daughter takes off her splint boots after a run in speed classes at shows, cleans the horse legs and boots.  There is ALWAYS some dirt inside, rubbing away.  So not wearing boots on a 25 mile ride or conditioning ride, makes sense to me, no critisism here.

If you wish to know more about suspensory problems, rehabing a horse from one, Chronicle of the Horse has a very good article in the Oct. 1, 2010 issue.  Covers a lot of ground about suspensory issues.  You could order that single issue by calling their office.  They also have a contact button down at the bottom of their website.

http://www.chronofhorse.com/article_landing/news


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## michickenwrangler (Oct 6, 2010)

I know no one here insulted me, I was just expecting someone to say, "Well if you can't afford the vet bills, then you shouldn't have a horse." Well, normally I can, just not on a day that the brakes and wheel bearings go out after coming back from a trip where I spent $200 in gas. 

Goodhors, I have been competing in distance rides since 2000 and I usually win. She has only been pulled from a ride once (we were in an accident on the way to the ride and while she vetted in sound, her knee must have been banged up pretty bad) and only that one suspensory injury last year. I also did compete in a few rides on another horse who finished all of her rides sound. I know how to condition a horse. Izzie's registered name is Party Party if you care to look in UMECRA or GLDRA archives. www.umecra.com or www.gldrami.org 

Like I said, she's done for the season and next year we'll be taking it easier. I suppose now I'll have to start saving up money for a replacement for when she fully retires. 

It's a sad thought, I've ridden Izzie for the past 12 years since she was six, and I've owned her for 11. That she's 18 now has really hit home and she's no longer the sassy little 6 year old that she was when we first started out. Nor am I the crazy, independent 17 yr old that I was then. That horse and I have been through so much together: boyfriends to husband, Holly Michigan to Rhodes to Goodrich back to Rhodes to Prescott to Tecumseh and back to Prescott, college and my daughter, going from a minimum wage pizzeria worker to a teacher, trails from the U.P. to the Ohio border, rivers, hills, lakes, roads, forests, fields, dawn rides, evening rides, camping with her, going to shows with her, the ribbons and t-shirts and coffee mugs we've won, Izzie nickering at 5:30 am on the dot when we're camping, the road trips while listening to Bob Seger's "Roll Me Away" (since we always ARE just a few hours out of Mackinaw City like the lyrics in the song) with just me and her. the way she lifts her head when she hears me whistle. It's not something I'll ever be able to replace, no horse will ever take her spot and I know it. It will be hard trying to bond with another horse after her.


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## w c (Oct 6, 2010)

Well we may not have to write that chapter just yet.  Lay her up and see what Dr. Green and Dr. Time do.


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## michickenwrangler (Oct 6, 2010)

I know. I'm just coming to grips with her mortality and age. She's a horse I've grown with and ridden so much that riding her is just instinctive, like a centaur.


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## patandchickens (Oct 7, 2010)

So how is her ankle now? 

Thinking good thoughts for you,

Pat


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## michickenwrangler (Oct 7, 2010)

She seemed OK when I was out there last. Her fetlocks were still slightly puffy from the long trailer ride home. She didn't react when I lifted her leg to "probe" her with my fingers the way the ride vets do. I don't have a chance to get out there today, but I'll probably go out tomorrow morning.

Thanks


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## w c (Oct 7, 2010)

Maybe you could just kind of keep updating this as time goes on.

Just some general musings - As horses get older, a lot of competing horses have 'stuff going on' that their owner/trainer or rider has to be careful of.  Sometimes just natural wear and tear, sometimes an old injury that one is always keeping a hawk eye on.  

In most good quality horse sports there is some veterinary oversight at the competition, and in some it's very strict that the least little uneven the horse can't compete.  So even the cold hearted ones can't run a lame horse.  In some sports no drugs are allowed, in some you can give a little bute, but it's limited so a horse with a serious problem can't compete.

A lot of older horses are campaigned very strategically, such as keeping them 'up' over winter so things don't have a chance to get loosened up and weak and get an injury again, and picking and choosing very carefully which competitions they go to.  Some will be very careful where or when or how they turn out, others will refuse to compete if the footing is deep, or hard, or whatever would aggravate.  Then the horse is in a 'program' - wraps, liniment, monthly adequan.  It may not get a lot of vacation days as the work may be what keeps the horse performing comfortably.  

Everyone has a different idea about this.  I have seen it taken too far, where I'm just kinda saying, 'come on man, give it up', but there is in a lot of horse's lives, a period where you manage strategically and fairly.

But after that the horse's life is still very useful.  He might be in charge of teaching the younger generation or allowing an older retired rider to enjoy a happy ride once in a while.  A horse like Party Party is just a good horse, and is always worth her weight in gold to the right person.  It took time to find 'the right person' for a couple of my horses but they went to a very, very happy life for a long long time, after they couldn't compete any more, and they were very well loved and cared for.


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## michickenwrangler (Oct 7, 2010)

I think from here on out we'll just be doing a few of our favorite rides a year--Grand Island, Hopkins Creek, a day or two of Shore to Shore since it is so close, and then a fall ride (I like 'em all for different reasons: Tin Cup Springs is close, Pine Marten and Brighton have beautiful trails). 100 miles a year will be plenty for her for the next 4-6 years.

Again, I realize that she'll be done competing in about 5 years. My plan is to get a horse for DD in a few years when she's about 8 or 9 years old. Getting her a nice, sound trail savvy horse between 10 and 16 and have Izzie "mentor" the two of them. After a few years, it will be time for Izz to retire and DD's horse will by then be more seasoned so that horse will be able to help mentor my 5-6 year old that I will get.

Granted, plans probably will change slightly, depending on finances and DD's interest, but we'll see what happens.


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## goodhors (Oct 7, 2010)

Well that sounds like a good plan and takes her up to about age 30.  Regular work keeps an old horse going, putting them "out to pasture" is what does them in.  May not be what they used to do, but it gives them purpose, keeps them interested in life.

I quit taking my old horse on the Cross State after she was about 23 because the son had her signed up in Pony Club.  Just not up to the 20 mile days anymore.  She had already worn out two trucks hauling to shows and activities!  Had done lots of miles to stay fit too.  She then did regular PC riding meetings, was the demo animal for showing the Club kids how things were done from grooming, trimming, to fitting saddles.  Stood like a rock as long as needed, easily handled by the little kids for grooming clipping.  She was also extremely well put together, but gave an impression of being smaller than she was because she was not real tall.  A fun game was "guess her size" in bit, girth, headstall, blankets, height.  Then the kids had to measure her to find the truth!  Seldom did ANYONE ever guess it correctly, even experienced people.  Was real helpful in teaching that "generic" size bit or blanket might not fit.  Measure first, THEN go shopping for your horse. 

She was trustworthy to make sure son did his riding correctly!  Had to ask correctly or she would sometimes pull a trick on him.  She got him up to the 2ft jumps, both in Show Jumping and Cross Country, then we had to move to another horse for higher heights.  Doing the horse years equal 3 people years, she was still an antique person age trying to jump!  I said 2ft was it for height, and she always went clean, even at that age.

She still was the "go to" horse for his PC Games riding.  Turned speed on and turned it off as needed.  Have one photo where you see his heel above the saddle seat, his arm with fake sword scooping up a pop bottle on the ground, going at a canter.  He and she always did pretty well in Games.

Had some folks come over to "make me an offer I couldn't refuse" when horse was 29yrs at one of the Pony Rallies!  They said they could see my son was outgrowing her, wanted to be first in line to get the mare!  I was quite surprised, asked if they knew how old she was?  They guessed her at about 17-18 and I laughed when I said they needed to add 12 years.  They didn't care, still wanted her pretty badly.  They had seen how well she took care of son, needed a horse like that for daughter.  I had to refuse their VERY NICE cash offer, made their kid cry.  However the old horse was never for sale, raised her from a foal, had no idea of ever parting with her!  Very flattering though.  

Horse then moved to my very young daughter, they rode by the democratic method.  Horse got a vote on where to ride around the farm!  DD put on plenty of miles just cruising around, was the main fence checker for quite a while.  We did some family trail rides, had lots of fun.  Daughter had to eventually move up to son's other horse after son finished school.  The old girl was just getting elderly.  She did pony the old horse from the other one, still got in her exercise.

I also grew up with my horse, did a TON of things with her, she made me look good, won more ribbons and trophies, awards, than I had places to hang it up.  Might be petty, but winning just was deeply satisfying, the success mark of all the effort put into developing her and myself as a working team.

Had the mare until age 35, when she was so frail that I didn't want to have her face another winter.  She had started having trouble getting up at times.  Mare hated being kept in a stall very long, liked being outside every day.  A slip or fall on our snow and ice would have been too much, so we had her put down on a nice day, before she was hurting.  We all cried that day.  

You enjoy them while you can, do the best for them you are able.  Funny how I still expect to see her at times when I go in the barn.  Took a couple years to quit automatically going outside on cold rainy days to bring her inside to dry off!


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## w c (Oct 7, 2010)

I think when an animal has been such a big part of your life that's natural to expect to see them like that.


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## michickenwrangler (Dec 4, 2010)

Just an update for everyone.

Izzie's been doing well. After a few weeks, I began handwalking her and then worked up to DD riding her at a walk on level ground. After that for a few weeks we worked up to a trot. Took her on one last long trail ride to South Branch Nov. 12 before Rifle Season began. She did fine that day.

So, she'll have a fairly easy winter since I'm busy with work and we'll start again in the spring.

I have some financial issues--have to pay back $2700 in unemployement (dang UIA!  ) and had some repairs on te truck that took up some money and maxed out the credit card so DD's horse will have to wait.

But ... one day!


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