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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
 
Location: IL | So, in a nutshell, my mare has been off since August. Farrier we had had her angles all jacked up which caused her suspensories to swell up all the way down through her susp. branches (suspensory desmitis). She has been with an awesome farrier since August, feet look amazing, and after treatment to calm her suspensories all winter, my vet has cleared her to go back to work.
But I'm a little worried about how I should go about legging her back up. How should I start with her? Anybody have a routine or rehab workout for a horse with old suspensory issues?
Also, I figure she will be a little sore after starting back but any idea what I should expect? My vet gave me a sweat to use periodically if they seem a little puffy after going back to work. I'm only to use it if there's not heat in the legs of course. She didnt have any tears, just strained, and her right branch is permanently larger than it should be, but she is sound on it and her fetlock still has really good range of motion.
Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!
Just looking for some advice as I've never dealt with suspensory issues and I want to make sure I dont cause anymore strain on them while trying to leg her back up.
Edited by TACKyPaints 2014-05-13 11:37 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 1210
Location: Kansas | I had a mare that tore her suspensory, and after her stall rest and hand walking, I started lunging her at a trot. After a week or so moved her up to a lope, then took her to the vet to make sure everything was still ok. Once he said she was good to go, I started legging her up like I would after a horse had been off all winter, just didn't do any hard stopping or tight circles until I felt like the suspensory had had time to strengthen itself back up. I always kept her magnetic wraps on after I rode her and I've put extended heel shoes on her since the injury for more support. |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | I rehabbed a 9 time world champion western pleasure mare with a similar injury. She had been on 22 months of stall rest. We started by walking under saddle... then added trotting by 2 minute increments per every other day. We long trotted to build up muscle. I didn't lunge her because of the strain it could put back on the tendon. After every work she wore the Ice Horse Ice Boots (evendura and hoof boots) for 45 minutes. I started riding her in February and June of that year she went to Pinto Worlds and won. She has been sound ever since. The vets said she might only ever do showmanship, but she came back from that injury and came back stronger. The owners were thrilled and for me.... well my daughter did her first lead line class on a heck of a horse! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | Thank you for the advice! My vet was very confident that she would be able to run barrels again and has done an amazing job getting her sound again. The last thing I want to do is cause her to strain those suspensories again and of course be out all the time and money. I want to keep her comfortable but help her strengthen those suspensories too. I am a firm believer in cold hosing so after each ride (on any of my horses), I sit on a bucket and cold hose their legs. I have been keeping magnetic quick wraps and bell boots on her as much as possible too. Your stories of your horses coming back from suspensory injuries sure gives me hope that things will be alright. I do know it will always be in the back of my mind, not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing! Haha!
ETA: should I work her in long straight lines most of the time? How long should I do that before starting to add circles?
Edited by TACKyPaints 2014-05-13 12:35 PM
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | Here is a picture of the mare in 2012 after the 4 months I rehabbed her...
 (Genny.jpg)
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 Genny.jpg (14KB - 242 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | TwistedK - 2014-05-13 12:34 PM
Here is a picture of the mare in 2012 after the 4 months I rehabbed her...
Wow!!! She is BEAUTIFUL!!! And looks fantastic! |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | The reason we didn't lunge was she was taught that lunging was play time. This mare never got turn out as a western pleasure horse. The owners and vets were afraid that if we used lunging as a rehabbing tool, she'd play around on the line and re irritate that tendon. I highly recommend investing in the ice horse boots... hers are now 3 years old and working perfectly. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | TwistedK - 2014-05-13 12:46 PM
The reason we didn't lunge was she was taught that lunging was play time. This mare never got turn out as a western pleasure horse. The owners and vets were afraid that if we used lunging as a rehabbing tool, she'd play around on the line and re irritate that tendon. I highly recommend investing in the ice horse boots... hers are now 3 years old and working perfectly.
I'm going to look into them! :) I'm willing to try anything that may help! Yeah my mare isn't very well behaved on the lunge line either haha! Sometimes she's going along great but gets a wind up her rear end and takes to tearing around. So we'll probably by pass the lunge line as much as we can! :) Thank you so much for the advice and I will look into those ice boots!! |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Do you have some Iconoclast boots? I bought a horse that bruised his suspensory and the owner gave him two months off more than the vet suggested and he came back fine. I can't say how slow he was brought back, but I know he was taken extra special care of. The original owner suggested that he stayed in Iconclasts and I am. I'm not sure how much they help, but I think they're supposed to be better than the other brands. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | Longneck - 2014-05-13 2:23 PM Do you have some Iconoclast boots? I bought a horse that bruised his suspensory and the owner gave him two months off more than the vet suggested and he came back fine. I can't say how slow he was brought back, but I know he was taken extra special care of. The original owner suggested that he stayed in Iconclasts and I am. I'm not sure how much they help, but I think they're supposed to be better than the other brands.
Thanks for the suggestion! I was wondering about Iconoclasts actually, I'll have to do some research on them! |
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| I use the Iconoclast boots on my mare after suspensory issues on her rear legs. Vet recommended that she wear them every time I ride her for at least a year. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | rodeoveteran - 2014-05-13 4:07 PM
I use the Iconoclast boots on my mare after suspensory issues on her rear legs. Vet recommended that she wear them every time I ride her for at least a year.
I'm going to look into them. I had switched to polos from sport boots as I never found a pair that seemed to fit well enough to provide any real support. But the Iconoclasts seem to be designed a lot better! |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | TACKyPaints - 2014-05-13 4:37 PM rodeoveteran - 2014-05-13 4:07 PM I use the Iconoclast boots on my mare after suspensory issues on her rear legs. Vet recommended that she wear them every time I ride her for at least a year. I'm going to look into them. I had switched to polos from sport boots as I never found a pair that seemed to fit well enough to provide any real support. But the Iconoclasts seem to be designed a lot better!
I found a super cheap L set on facebook so I bought them to try because I wasn't 100% sure on size and didn't want to spend $150 and not know if I liked them or if they fit. Best $50 I spent (I am a bargain shopper!)! My horse surprising can wear a size L. I think a size M would be her best size but she is a smaller framed horse so I was shocked at how well the L fit her. They have a nice amount of stretch like the RES boots but have more fetlock support which is what I was after. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | Just Bring It - 2014-05-13 5:29 PM
TACKyPaints - 2014-05-13 4:37 PM rodeoveteran - 2014-05-13 4:07 PM I use the Iconoclast boots on my mare after suspensory issues on her rear legs. Vet recommended that she wear them every time I ride her for at least a year. I'm going to look into them. I had switched to polos from sport boots as I never found a pair that seemed to fit well enough to provide any real support. But the Iconoclasts seem to be designed a lot better!
Thats awesome! That is exactly what I was considering doing! I'm a bargain shopper too, especially after all the vet bills I've paid getting my mare sound! Haha! My mare is built more like a pony so I'm guessing she will need a small set, maybe I'll get lucky and someone will be selling a used small set! :) |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| If you get a chance look into the Ice Vibe Boots. I use them and mg Theraplate. Really helps suspensories and tendons. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | readytorodeo - 2014-05-13 8:27 PM
If you get a chance look into the Ice Vibe Boots. I use them and mg Theraplate. Really helps suspensories and tendons.
I will do that! Thanks! |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Just Bring It - 2014-05-13 5:29 PM
TACKyPaints - 2014-05-13 4:37 PM rodeoveteran - 2014-05-13 4:07 PM I use the Iconoclast boots on my mare after suspensory issues on her rear legs. Vet recommended that she wear them every time I ride her for at least a year. I'm going to look into them. I had switched to polos from sport boots as I never found a pair that seemed to fit well enough to provide any real support. But the Iconoclasts seem to be designed a lot better!
I think their sizing might run weird. My gelding is a Large as well, but my classic equine medium bell boots fit him. So strange and anything else that wears those bells is a Medium in the classic equine legacy sport boots. |
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Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | TACKyPaints - 2014-05-13 6:44 PM Just Bring It - 2014-05-13 5:29 PM TACKyPaints - 2014-05-13 4:37 PM rodeoveteran - 2014-05-13 4:07 PM I use the Iconoclast boots on my mare after suspensory issues on her rear legs. Vet recommended that she wear them every time I ride her for at least a year. I'm going to look into them. I had switched to polos from sport boots as I never found a pair that seemed to fit well enough to provide any real support. But the Iconoclasts seem to be designed a lot better! Thats awesome! That is exactly what I was considering doing! I'm a bargain shopper too, especially after all the vet bills I've paid getting my mare sound! Haha! My mare is built more like a pony so I'm guessing she will need a small set, maybe I'll get lucky and someone will be selling a used small set! : )
Make sure to measure her. You may be surprised at how her measurement fits on their size chart. My mare is about 15.1h but built very light framed and she measured between a M and L. Here is the sizing chart. http://www.performanceequineusa.com/iconoclastsportboot-front.aspx |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | Just Bring It - 2014-05-14 8:50 AM TACKyPaints - 2014-05-13 6:44 PM Just Bring It - 2014-05-13 5:29 PM TACKyPaints - 2014-05-13 4:37 PM rodeoveteran - 2014-05-13 4:07 PM I use the Iconoclast boots on my mare after suspensory issues on her rear legs. Vet recommended that she wear them every time I ride her for at least a year. I'm going to look into them. I had switched to polos from sport boots as I never found a pair that seemed to fit well enough to provide any real support. But the Iconoclasts seem to be designed a lot better! Thats awesome! That is exactly what I was considering doing! I'm a bargain shopper too, especially after all the vet bills I've paid getting my mare sound! Haha! My mare is built more like a pony so I'm guessing she will need a small set, maybe I'll get lucky and someone will be selling a used small set! : ) http://www.performanceequineusa.com/iconoclastsportboot-front.aspx
Thanks for the link to the chart! I'll measure her today. :) |
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Expert
Posts: 1210
Location: Kansas | I can put a SMALL on my mare in Professionals Choice boots and the Iconoclast MEDIUMS were so small on her that I had to return them because there was no way that they'd fit. So definitely order up a size! |
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