Suspensory ligament

["sherman" <shermano@prodigy.net>]

Hi all:
   Can someone tell me what is the function of the suspensory ligament?  Do
humans have a similar device?  what does it do on us?  My 22-yr old, unshod,
Morgan gelding did 35 miles (yup) of the Osceola 25 miler, in January...and
ended up with a swollen suspensory.  That has been 3 months now and the
swelling hasn't gone down, but he never did favor the leg, as in no head
bobbing.  He doesn't appear to be lame, but his 2 front legs are different
sizes now, at the suspensory.  The Vet gave me some DMSO gel with cortisone,
which I rub in once a day.  That is his only medication.
  Can anyone suggest why he does not seem to be lame, yet has this obvious
problem?  His leg is sensitive to bending as I noticed the vet experimenting
with him.  He doesn't like to have his leg bent up tightly.  I wonder if
this could be an older injury that has resolved itself, and that is why he
doesn't seem to be lame.
  Anyway, we plan to give him another 3 months off; that will take us
through the Florida summer.
  Thanks for any replies.
   Sherman, driving my other Morgan through the backwoods of north Florida.