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Elite Veteran
Posts: 865
  
| Has anyone experienced this locking stifle due to growth spurts in a young horse ( or any horse) and if so what surgery or treatment have you done?
Thanks for any input |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
 
| My husband treated numerous horses with locking stifles by severing the medial collateral ligament of the patella. They went back to performing with no after effects. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 865
| So is that basically called splitting? Same thing? Thanks for info. This came on out of no where on a 2yr colt who is in shape and going well under saddle. He is a big guy though and I was told it could have been due to growth spurts. Anyways I'm so upset and just trying to do my research before his surgery. Thank you for the info! |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| I don't know if spliiting is the same as what my husband did. The ligament is completely severed in his procedure. The lateral collateral ligament has been damaged so the medial collateral exerts unequal pressure on the patella pulling it to the inside of its natural place. When you cut the medial you equalize the tension on the patella. You would have to ask your vet how he does the procedure. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1526
Location: Texas | How often is he locking? I would do an internal blister. I have had great success with blisters. |
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 "Hottie"
Posts: 1373
Location: Okemah,OK | I've been down the splitting, estrogen, blistering, etc road with different horses. But I did have a young mare (less than 2 years old) that had one catch out of the blue. After I'd been down the stifle road so many times, I panicked and rushed straight to the vet. This mare turned out to be going thru a growth spurt and grew out of it with no residual problems. Hopefully that's the case with yours too. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 865
| whiplashranch - 2015-11-07 2:21 AM
I've been down the splitting, estrogen, blistering, etc road with different horses. But I did have a young mare (less than 2 years old) that had one catch out of the blue. After I'd been down the stifle road so many times, I panicked and rushed straight to the vet. This mare turned out to be going thru a growth spurt and grew out of it with no residual problems. Hopefully that's the case with yours too.
Whiplashranch that is EXACTLY what happened to my colt who is 2. Completely out of nowhere this occurred. Freaked me out! He has been going well under saddle, fit and strong and never a lame step. He is a big boy though 15.3 and he is only 2, but very correct and level for his age. So I'm hoping it's just a growth spurt. I had never seen this fixation before so at first I thought he broke his hip. One minute he was fina and then bam- can't walk! |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | I don't know where you are, but there is a vet in Dayton that does a really good job with catching stifles. If your issue is due to a growth spurt, I would rather try this first, you can always do the ligament splitting or cutting later if you have to.
It takes about three visits, three weeks apart, and you have to follow his instructions for working your horse, but your horse will actually build the proper muscles to stabilze and support the stifle. I wish I had taken pictures of the one I took to him, the difference in the muscles around his stifle was amazing.
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
Location: Lone Star State | If it's occurring in a young horse and related to a growth spurt, I would first just try lots of up hill work to strengthen that area. Could outgrow it. I had a 6-year old with upward patellar fixation due to conformation alone (horribly post legged). I have no experience with blistering nor fully cutting the ligament...but my vet recommended a procedure where they pierce the ligament numerous times. Idk the name of the procedure but the ligament fills with scar tissue and therefore tightens up. Worked wonderfully and back to his old self after that.
Edited by River 2015-11-07 10:28 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 865
| River - 2015-11-07 10:22 AM
If it's occurring in a young horse and related to a growth spurt, I would first just try lots of up hill work to strengthen that area. Could outgrow it. I had a 6-year old with upward patellar fixation due to conformation alone (horribly post legged). I have no experience with blistering nor fully cutting the ligament...but my vet recommended a procedure where they pierce the ligament numerous times. Idk the name of the procedure but the ligament fills with scar tissue and therefore tightens up. Worked wonderfully and back to his old self after that.
Yes that's the Procedure my vet wants to do. |
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  The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | If he were mine, I wouldn't be so quick to rush him into surgery. I have seen plenty of youngsters that out grow it and are fine for the rest of their lives, with NO vet intervention. (AND go on to have performance carreers.) |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | RacingQH - 2015-11-07 1:54 PM If he were mine, I wouldn't be so quick to rush him into surgery. I have seen plenty of youngsters that out grow it and are fine for the rest of their lives, with NO vet intervention. (AND go on to have performance carreers.) I agree I would wait on the surgery, he's only two, give him a while and wait and see how he does next year, unless hes really locking up and in a lot of pain and is having a hard time with it.
I have one that did this at 5 years old, it would lock up and he would drag his toe as he got older not draging but he chatches ever so offen, hes 11 now but I dont do anything really but check the back fences on him, I would like to get him going on barrels but hes not in any hurry to get anywhere, I thought about the spliting of the ligament, if he does look like hes going to like barrels I may have it done on him, but hes in no pain and like I said its just every so offten he will catch.
Does your horse lock and drag his toe?
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2015-11-07 7:40 PM
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"Hottie"
Posts: 1373
Location: Okemah,OK | RacingQH - 2015-11-07 1:54 PMIf he were mine, I wouldn't be so quick to rush him into surgery. I have seen plenty of youngsters that out grow it and are fine for the rest of their lives, with NO vet intervention. (AND go on to have performance carreers.) OP I sent you a pm but I absolutely agree with this poster. I wouldn't rush to intervene too quickly on a young one. It could very well be a one time thing that is due to your horse growing and won't be a problem later. I know it can be shocking to see them lock up out of the blue but I'd give the horse some time to come around.
Edited by whiplashranch 2015-11-07 2:25 PM
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 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: Where we're waiting for spring! | I'm new to this issue.. but had a 5 year old hit a significant growth spurt this summer. Around late summer her stifles started to catch. Both will grab, but her left will occasionally hang on her for half a beat and she will drop her hip to unhinge it. She was checked head to toe by an excellent lameness vet and we decided this was likely growth related and we would avoid surgery and opt for an internal blister and strict strength training.I took two months and worked on strength training up and down hills and I have noticed a significant difference in her overall balance. She's regularly massaged and before and after each ride I've started using a cheapo hand massager (you can buy it at any drug store) running it along the muscle attaching into the patella on both left and right sides. I then stretch both the right and left out forward and to the rear. The goal there is to lengthen those shortened muscles pulling the patella to the outside and causing the ligaments to catch.It's a long process but I am definately seeing progress.I should also add were now going back to the pattern and I'm going to experiment with using equi-tape as a support aid to see if that helps.I am by no means an expert on this topic, but with the progress I'm seeing I'm hopeful we can sort this out without the surgery. Ultimately, time will tell I suppose. I appreciate any and all experience on this tho... doing a lot of research it's a far more common issue than I thought. |
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The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | OP, is your colt stalled or turned out 24/7? |
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 Veteran
Posts: 235
Location: Huntsville, TX | I use the vet in dayton. If you are within a reasonable distance he is well worth the trip. His stifle "treatment" is great, it all makes sense after he breaks it down for you. I use him for everything but people make very lengthy trips for him to fix stifles |
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Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | arouse - 2015-11-07 8:07 PM I use the vet in dayton. If you are within a reasonable distance he is well worth the trip. His stifle "treatment" is great, it all makes sense after he breaks it down for you. I use him for everything but people make very lengthy trips for him to fix stifles
Yep, I drive 3.5 hours one way, leave at 4AM with two kids in tow if I have to. I sure wish he would share his method but until then I will go to him every time for that particular issue. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 865
| He is turned out |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 865
| RacingQH - 2015-11-07 7:57 PM
OP, is your colt stalled or turned out 24/7?
He is turned out |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | BMW - 2015-11-06 11:48 PM
I don't know if spliiting is the same as what my husband did. The ligament is completely severed in his procedure. The lateral collateral ligament has been damaged so the medial collateral exerts unequal pressure on the patella pulling it to the inside of its natural place. When you cut the medial you equalize the tension on the patella. You would have to ask your vet how he does the procedure.
Splitting is different than transecting the medial collateral ligament. Splitting is where they either to stab incisions or use a needle and poke holes in hopes that the ligament will thicken |
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