Ask the Vet - Suspensory ligament injuries

In this excerpt from the September 2018 episode of Ask the Vet ( • Ask the Vet - How to b... ), Dr. Gray and SmartPaker Sarah delve into the world of suspensory ligament injuries, including where the suspensory ligament is on a horse, why they are challenging to diagnose, the short- and long-term prognosis for recovery, and why it’s really important to get your vet involved as soon as you suspect a problem.
To see more from our Ask the Vet video series, you can check them out on the SmartPak blog ( www.smartpakeq... ), SmartPak's Horse Health Library ( www.smartpakeq... and www.smartpakeq... ), or on our Ask the Vet playlist ( • Ask the Vet individual... .
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Happy learning and #haveagreatride.

[@isabelkent1452]

A few years ago my horse was having a lot of issues with picking up the right lead at the canter. At the time I thought it was an issue with me not asking correctly, but he soon came up lame and after months of our vet trying to figure out what it was, we found it was an issue like you were talking about in one of his hind legs. I can't remember which one it was, but once we took him up to the veterinary hospital they found it was an issue in both back legs. I don't know all the technical terms, but he got the surgery in both back legs and after six months of stall rest and recovery, he was back to riding as normal and playing with his buddies in the pasture! I found it interesting how low you said the success rate is in the hind legs because when he got the surgery done, we were told he had high chances of a good recovery and being back to normal work. I'm just glad he was able to recover like he did and now it doesn't take multiple tries to pick up the correct lead:). Sorry this is so long but I thought it was worth sharing my experience!

[@muskduh]

thanks

[@ShellAlbachi]

Iv just viewed a horse im considering buying, she is an ex eventer, 11 years old, and had suspensory surgery 5 years ago. She was showing only mild signs of lameness and the lesion was caught early, and she was brought very gently back into work and has apparently shown no signs of issue since. I had planned to do some jumping with her (only up to 30), lots of hacking, a little schooling and had hoped to work towards lower level endurance. I will of course be having her vetted before proceding and will discuss it with my own vet, but in the mean time i wondered if youd recomend skipping this horse or if i should go ahead and pay for a vetting before making a decision?

[@elyimail]

What about if there was an injury long ago and the previous owner did not take a good care , can I help that horse recover a bit her normal movement ?

[@belalomenick805]

Your videos are so helpful! Thank you so much! These mean so much!

[@crissa1984]

Recovery rate for a racehorse rupturing a front suspensory in a race? Severity level around a 8/10 I know his racing days are over, but could he ever be a riding horse. Just trail riding. Maybe a bit of pony club in the future. Far away future...?

[@lillycorrell4838]

If you are talking about the front part of the fetlock or the part that is facing the front then he should be very lucky! Normally those horses can return to full work, being a racehorse though I wouldn’t return him to that work, but if he has done the front part of his leg, then pony club should be fine. Don’t quote me I am not a vet hahaha but I had my horse rupture his front and the vets said that he could return to full work. How’s the horse doing now?

[@shellyedson]

I have a horse whose rear fetlocks are dropping. Is there anything that can be done at that point to reverse it and tighten the ligament? She was a previous event horse but only 14 years old. I just trail ride her right now but hesitate to do so as I don't want to make her condition worse.

[@elyimail]

Hello ,what if the horse was stab on the front leg and they touch the ligaments ? And if the injury it is old ,older that 2 years and the horse is limping what can be done ??? Other than euthanasia ???

[@kerrydolan2641]

Can a horse get this in the hind from light trail riding ?

[@elliesparks8943]

What about a hind ankle cracking. have a horse that everytime she walks forward or backwards it sounds like a person cracking their knuckles should I be worried that it's a ligament or should I be worried if it's something in the bone

[@bizzling_7990]

Ellie Sparks sounds like something in the bone, but either way you should be getting a vet or chiropractor out super soon

[@elliesparks8943]

@@bizzling_7990 thanks. I will be.

[@bizzling_7990]

Ellie Sparks np hope your horse feels better :)

[@lillycorrell4838]

How's the horse going?

[@elliesparks8943]

Well 6 bone spurs and a small bone cracked so he's fully retired now.

[@davidduffy9806]

I don’t know what this vid has to do with Croatian habadashers and generally re habadashery matters.

[@Normderbyhippy]

What do you do for it ? Stand in the stall ?