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Horse Care and Comfort

Suspensory ligament

By:
Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Date:
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Dear friends
In a horse of a friend has been diagnosed by ultrasound a lesion of the suspensory ligaments of both forelegs. The horse should now be moved only once a day, only at walk for two months. Problems have started immediatly. The horse has become very nervous, is difficult to handle during the walk (6 year old stallion).
Any experiencies in a similar case?
Rudi

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
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Sorry to read this, Rudi. A tough one especially when he is so young. Sorry I have no experience of this so can't help out hope others can.

vicci - UK (North Wales)
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Hi Rudi, what a very difficult situation for your friend and the horse. The horse will undoubtedly experinece intense frustration and potentially become "stir crazy" with such confinement. While I am never really in favour of sedation there are very rare circumstances where a general mild sedation may be necessary but I don't know how viable that is. What is the prognosis for this condition? What is the thinking behind the reduced movement? What are the concerns that they think too much movement will do? Sorry to ask so many questions but it's an interesting issue that I'd like to know more about. I have no experience of this particular issue but have known a lady work with a horse of a similar confinement (a mare) for 3 months with 3 short walks daily - she came through it in the end but it took immense stamina and patience on the part of the owner.

Kicki -- Sweden
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Been through this with my horse. Not an easy time for anyone.
Is there any way your friend can create a small confined space outdoors for the horse? preferably on gravel so it's easy to clean out every day. Lots of straw and possibly a feed ball or similar to play with. (Plastic gallon cans, water bottles and such things hung up in ropes can amuse stallions both indoors and outdoors.
I'm with vicci on the mild sedative. It is vital for the horse to stay calm or it may have an ulcer to handle as well.
Make sure the walk is as interesting and *menatally*challenging as possible so he is a bit tired and relaxed when returned.

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

For vicci
Prognosis: very good, there is no rupture.
Reducing movement: Let the ligament heal avoiding too much stress on the structure. By the way: I have found a publication saying that moving the horse does not influence the course of the illness.
Several walks per day: a good idea.
For Kicki
Thanks for the ideas. Actually he has a small paddock. I am playing everyday with him (shaking head, lower the head, lift up a rope, and so on). He has a haynet, but we could add some toys.
At the end I think we will need a sedative. I will keep you informed.
Rudi

vicci - UK (North Wales)
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There is a definite divide in opinion about the pros and cons of box rest and how effective it is. Here is a link to an article for example.

http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/pros-and-cons-of-box-rest.html

beryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

I for one am not in favour of box rest for lameness as horses are born to move & if not allowed to, apart from the mental problems, their blood circulation rely's on movement to be efficient so it doesn't speed up healing. "Turn them out for a year" was the old method to keep them moving.
Of course it depends on how serious the damage is & in the case of a tear, it's not going to mend on it's own & usually needs surgery. Incidentally, i had a torn meniscus in my knee which was operated on i the summer - i had to get up straight after the operation & walked out of the hospital with no crutches, i was told NOT to limp, but walk properly, you just take smaller steps & i had to start physio straight away too. This was very different to when i had a similar op on the other knee about 30 years ago, then i was kept in bed in hospital for 4 days then on crutches!!! Guess which one recovered better & more quickly? The 2nd one.
Rudi, rather than a sedative, you could try him on Hormonise to calm him down, it works just as well on male horses as female horses.
I agree, several short walks a day in hand will help him mentally & meet his need for movement.
Best wishes Beryl

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Dear friends, this is the update of the problem discussed.
I have added a video on "Equus Online Uni Group" on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=496982377078360&set=o.115522818628261&type=2&theater

Text: Wieger is a 6 year old Fresian stallion who has been at rest in the box for 8 weeks because of a problem of the anterior suspensory ligaments. The video shows some games to keep him a little busy. There are some rules: he has to go to the posterior part of the box before a game is starting. He has to free the carpet in the first game. With clicker training he has to wait two seconds before he gets the treat.

I know that Clicker training with treats is not much accepted by Monty. The owner of the horse has always given treats. So I am following the rule: treats for tricks and working on the ground, no treats in the saddle.

Rudi

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Dear friends
Another update: 10 weeks of box rest have passed quite well. When we started to go out with him he was very excited. After some weeks it is getting better but he has still the tendency to escape when ridden. The vet does not allow yet a training in the roundpen.
Now I have started for a couple of times to measure his puls rate. The result was not the one I expected. When he seemed very excited his pulse rate went only to 60-70. If he would really be in panic, the rate should go to about 150, or even more. So I started to correct his attitude, asking him to stay calm in those situations which works quite well.
Rudi

vicci - UK (North Wales)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

Glad to hear he is doing well Rudi, it may be the difference between excitability i.e. wanting to get going as opposed to panic which will set the heart rate high, what do you think?

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

dear Vicci. That's exactly what I think. If the horse is really afraid you cannot expect that he is able to do what you ask. When "excited" you may be able to ask something to do. In this paerticular case: stay behind and calm!
Rudi

beryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Hi Rudi, there is no reason he should be panicking with you, as you say, he's just excited to be out - who wouldn't be?
It is difficult at this stage when he needs to be going in straight lines for the injury, but his head needs to burn off the energy & excitement, but you can only do your best by asking him to do various groundwork exercises to keep his focus on you, same with your ridden work, walk , halt transitions etc, just as you are doing. Hope it continues to go well for you, stay safe.
Beryl

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Thanks Beryl for your advice.

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