I have an 18yr old mare that was just diagnoised with deep digital flexor tendon tears in both front legs. Mainly just wear and tear over the years has finally caught up to her. Vet recommended wedged egg bar shoes with Previcox everyday. Has anyone else had this problem and have any tips on alleviating pain? She hasn't been rode in years, just a pretty pasture ornament. I just want her comfortable. 

I spent a solid 6 mo rehabing my mare.  We iced the leg every day for as long as the boot stayed cool.  20-30 minutes.  EPF5 topical for pain relief.  We didnt do any corrective shoeing or daily pain meds after the first two weeks. 

Good luck getting your mare comfortable again. 

Mine was 7 years old.  We did PRP and the whole rehab thing- stall rest/ hand walking/ gradual bigger turnout, lots of walking, progressed with exercise and given a year off of barrels.  She has made 3 runs sound so hoping she is good to go!  We did not shoe different but i have heard of reommendations for it for DFT strains/tears -but it wasnt recommended for my horse. Good luck hope you can get your horse comfortable and sound!  That should help.

I have a mare who kicked a metal wall of a barn. She managed to cut her DDFT. It was not found on the initial ultrasound. I took her to Elgin and Dr Johnson found it on the repeat 6 months later. She was on small pasture (we didn't have a barn built at the time, and we paneled off a small area with shade) for 12 weeks. Then I turned her out with the 2 others. I started riding her at almost 18 months post initial injury, a year after the finding. She was doing well, and then foundered (she's a fattie). We finally got through that and I have her back sound. She has made 7-8 exhibitions including 2 being pushed and is still sound. She is 13. Best of luck. All I can give for advise is BE PATIENT! 

Thanks for everyones input. I pray we can get her healed up. The vet made me feel like it was not fixable only hopefully managable but the more I read the more hopeful I am. Not saying anything about this vet. He is awesome but I am secretly hoping he is wrong and with time and maintenance she can be decently pasture sound again. I don't care if she is ever rode again as long as she is happy and pain free. Shes my "heart horse" and owes me nothing!

I have one thats torn both tendons in both back legs, superficial in front right and a ligamnet in front left. He's pasture and light riding sound without any drugs or special shoeing etc. He had a decent career afer he tore 2 of them still. Then I got my other horse and let this guy be my trail horse. All the other tendons/ligaments were done by himself acting dumb in his turnout in his 20s turned out out with rambunctious young ones. If you can find a product with collagen in it, it will help repair it faster and stronger. MVP Re-Inforcer EQ works well, I've used that for 2 different tendon tears on horses now with good luck. One sliced his as a 2 year old. He was cleared to be riding sound but risky to run, so I found him someone who just needed a companion and light ride horse. He was too nice to put through the risk of tearing the scar tissue. But his was fully healed in 3 months and it was cut a little over half through. I think SmartPak also has collagen products. Just have to give them while they're "rehabbing"