Has anyone had experience with a snynovial joint injury in the knee (of a horse not people)? To make a long story short. My daughters horse, tb, tore his synovial joint and it took a while for us to notice (never was, nor had lameness from it). When we finally realised the funny spongy bump wasn't going away and the trainer hadn't any clue, we had a vet check it. It had blood and was runny ,(syn. fluid). He drained it, and gave injections of cortisone and adaquan. (twice and drained it). It cleared up, the fluid got back to normal, thick and not blood etc. He said he'd be ok, but needs to be on oral suppliments and injections occasionally. A year later we x-rayed it, it looked fine, except little bit of bone on back of knee. Vet said , that was no problem. Said eventually he'd get arthrithis in the knee .But was ok for some years ahead. My daughter (still recovering from wrist surgery and not being able to ride for 5 months, )just started riding him today. Mind you ,he hasn't done anything except walk from haypile to trough to barn. Sort of a "Ferdinand the bull" kind of horse (He just wants to smell the flowers: never know he was raced 31/2 years and was nominated for the breeders cup). She noticed it looked bigger again (it looks bulgy anyway and vet said , he'd just have an ugly knee.) He said it is like an overstretched balloon, will puff up and down, but thats ok.(I said ; not being rich of course ," what about surgery, they repair hernias don't they?" He said the surgery really doesn't make much of a difference and indicated it wasn't worth it. That vet isn't around anymore, so we are probably going to have a more experienced vet, with more miles on him have a look and see what he thinks. But if anyone has any advice or has any experience with these injuries please let me know. This is my daughters hunter and she really loves him. She wants to be a trainer , instructor and in the horse business. She is having to work her way up and in the business (not having rich parents) and we aren't sure we can afford to keep him as a pasture ornament. We have 4 to keep and she needs a sound horse to compete with and he is the most expensive of our lot to feed and suppliment.So this may be one of those heartbreakers. Last fall he was in hard to moderate work(for a hunter) and stayed sound and jumping 2.6.Her trainer said that was the soundest horse she'd seen(for hunters, and eventers). So we don't know if it is worse or just puffy from being not doing anything, like stocking up. Thanks Laurie and Rascal the fat.
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