[RC] soft tissue injury question - Amy MartinMy mare was pulled from a CTR 3 weeks ago from a sudden onset lameness several miles from the end. She was going along great then after resting at a stopping point was quite lame. Ride vet thought stone bruise but when back to the trailer she swelled up with heat at the top inside right below the knee of her right front. Started ice and hosing and wrapping and when my vet saw her Tuesday she could find no evidence of tendon or ligament damage but said to lay her off 3 weeks then start back slowly. It is now 3 weeks later and she seems sound walking around the pasture so I took her in for a recheck. She was still grade one lame with the front right leg on the outside of a circle. He said this plus my description of where the swelling had been may indicate suspensory or check ligament issue. He also said my description of how she was most sore after standing still and resting and worked out of the soreness when moving at the CTR also suggested soft tissue issues rather than joint or bone. Her X-rays looked good except for mild bone spurs in her knees that he said were not the problem today but something to keep an eye on. Her ultrasounds were clear too, everything the proper size and no lesions or swelling. She also did well with flexion tests and hoof testers and manual manipulation. Sooooooo, and this kills me, he said to take her home and start her back to work. He said there was nothing definitive to suggest a cause to her pain, that she may be stiff and sore in that soft tissue area from the time off. That healing the area would take movement and gradual loading to keep it stretched and limber. He said that if I started her slowly back under saddle her lameness should get better. If it got worse to bring her back in and keep working her until my appt so that she would be hurting when she came in and then maybe we could diagnose her. Has anyone had a similar experience, I don't want to break my horse, am hoping to ride her for years to come. She is a 6 yo paso fino in her first year of competition. At the ride she was a flatland Houston horse at a rocky and mountainous Oklahoma ride (and it was rainy). amy =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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