RC: Re: suspensory ligament and blistering

[Magnumsmom@aol.com]

Deb,

I can't believe your vet would recommend blistering and
then turning out.  Once again, this is the UC Davis tendon
injury regime.  Flat is very important as is not over doing
it, not turning the horse out, and making sure you hand
walk once or twice a day for 20 minutes... especially in
a 15 year old horse with endurance it his background.
Do this and your horse should be good as new for a new
home next spring.

The UC Davis tendon regime (this works):

All Flat! No Hills!  Period.

6 to 8 weeks total rest in a 20 x 40 flat paddock
and hand walking 20 minutes once or twice a day.
Paddock must not allow the horse to run in circles.

If horse trots fine and ultrasound is clear after
6 to 8 weeks (depending on vet) start:

Week 1:  Walk 20 minutes under saddle 4 times a week.
Week 2:  Walk 25 minutes...
.. add 5 minutes of walking under saddle per week
until horse is up to walking for 1 hour under saddle.

*if* horse goes off, back to square one.
If horse is still sound:

Start adding trotting under saddle 5 minutes.
Add 5 minutes of trotting under saddle each week
until horse can do unlimited walking and trotting
under saddle on the flat and is still sound.
(I figure for most people 30 minutes of trotting
is "unlimited" trotting).

*if* horse goes off, back to square one.
If horse is still sound:

Add back the canter on the flat.

*if* horse goes off, back to square one.
If horse is still sound:

You can add back hills, turn horse out, and horse
is considered recovered.

This works.  It takes patience.  But if you try
to rush a tendon injury you risk having it not
heal and then having intermittent lameness issues.

Kathy Myers
in Santa Fe, NM