tendon injury inquiry (long)

[Mickie Newnam <akelakhan@earthlink.net>]

OK folks, I need some advice, or at least the benefit of your collective
experience.  Some friends of mine have a 5-yr-old Arab gelding that they
bought for competitive trail (we ride under AHAO rules which are very
similar to IAHA, to give you an idea about pacing and such).  Last Fall
he got wound up in a fence and sliced his right hind leg.  Called a
local vet; she checked him out and said he'd nicked the superficial
flexor tendon.  Did an ultrasound a few days later but the resolution
wasn't good so couldn't tell much.  The vet said stall rest for some
ungodly amount of time, like 6 months.  Now we love our local vet and
he's been so busy he's brought in 2 associates, this one being the
second.  They do a great job with colicks and such, and the other 2
especially are top-notch reproduction vets, but none of them are really
leg experts.  No harm in that; everyone has a specialty.
But we didn't like the sound of that much confinement since our
understanding was that without exercise the tendon cannot strengthen.
So we asked a distance vet we trust, and she gave us a schedule of hand
walking and to said progress to turnout, with a protective boot.  All
seemed to be going well and we were ready to go on to the next phase of
rehab, which was leading him around with one of the kids on him after
he'd moved sound for a while.  Did it once, just a few minutes as
prescribed, and it seemed OK.  A couple days later were set to do it
again but when the barn owner put him out that morning he was very lame
again, for no reason we could find.
Shortly after this we saw our veterinary friend (who unfortunately
doesn't live close enough to be able to do more than offer advice),and
the barn owner discussed it with her at length.  She said that it
definitely should be checked out again since it shouldn't be continuing
this long.  She gave us the name of someone, but both that vet and
another great one we know of (Rood and Riddle in KY) are around a hour
drive.  Without the gelding putting full weight on that foot she didn't
want to haul him that far for fear of putting too much stress on him.
The owner happened to think of a friend of hers who does endurance and
asked her who she used and got a recommendation for someone closer who
was more of a lameness expert.  So last week off they went.
This vet did an ultrasound and everything was very clear this time for
some reason.  It turns out not only was there a tear in the superficial
flexor tendon, but there was also a tear in the deep digital. The vet
advised shoeing with an egg bar and wedging to take the pressure off of
those tendons.  (This would have been a good idea at the start, and the
odd thing is that the other 2 vets in the practice have referred cases
to this guy, so why this one didn't we don't know.)
So, what this is all leading to is, have any of you had experience with
this type of injury either as a rider or as a client for those vets on
the list?  If so, what level of performance can we hope for?  The vet
said he thought single day rides may be a possibility eventually, though
of course we'd like to be able to have him heal enough to do more if at
all possible.  He's bred from stock that heal well for the most part, if
that means anything!  He'd be competing with juniors riding.
Please reply privately since this is so involved, and then if anyone
wants to hear the consensus I'll be glad to pass it on.  Thanks in
advance!