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Re: [RC] question for the vets: pinfiring/freezefiring - carolynI'm not a vet, but I'm the current owner of two OTT Standardbreds and have owned three total (all OTT). Do not be concerned about pinfiring because of the pinfiring itself. My 7 y.o. STB mare has the cryo marks on her front legs. She never had any tendon problems, they did it to prevent problems. Many, many STB's have this done as a preventative. My mare has done a few rides, if they noticed, the vets never said anything about the cryo marks and she has her completions to show it. She has competed in CTR and that is an even tougher venue than endurance and her second ride she placed as high point rookie horse (in a 30 mile CTR). If you are interested in a particular horse, ask lots of questions about the history, feel comfortable with the answers, then get a vet check. If you can do it, get a vet that knows endurance and Standardbreds. I don't know where you live, but if you are in the northeast, contact me off list and I can give you a name of a vet that is both a Standardbred (track vet) and an endurance vet. Good luck. Do not pass on this breed because of this small issue. They are wonderful, strong, stoic, fast and loving horses that make wonderful endurance mounts. Carolyn Burgess ----- Original Message ---- From: "aarenex@xxxxxxxxxxx" <aarenex@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 10:10:03 PM Subject: [RC] question for the vets: pinfiring/freezefiring Gentle readers,
I recently looked at a batch of OT standardbreds, many of whom had "cryo marks" on their legs. I'm told that freeze firing is standard practice when a horse has a tendon injury, and that the tendons thus treated will heal up cool and tight.
My questions FOR THE VETS--the rest of you may state your opinions and I will read them, but I don't promise to believe you <G>:
1. What does the "freeze-firing" procedure actually entail?
2. Is there evidence to support or disprove the claims that freeze firing actually speeds and improves the healing process? I found anecdotal evidence to support this, but no real research. I found the same ratio of anecdote-to-research when I was searching for information about pinfiring. Is it superstition, or does it actually promote healing?
3. What is the soundness prognosis for a tendon-injured horse which has returned to soundness (either with or without freefiring)? Is the formerly-injured tendon significantly more prone to re-injury?
4. If a horse with "cryo marks" shows up in your vet line, are you (intentionally or not) more likely to pull that horse for lameness?
Just for the record, I'm not shopping for another horse. But 'satiable curtiosity is a weakness of librarians, doncha know <G>.
And if discussing my question will distract people from being nasty to Susan Favro, all the better.
--Aarene
-- Distance tests the endurance of a horse; time reveals the character of a person. --Chinese proverb
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