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Sue, there is hope :-)) My 12 year old Arab, Tony, had what sounds like an
identical injury in March last year (96). He was in the pasture till last
August - he was totally sound in the pasture around late June. He also has
the two nodules at the base of the cannon/top of the fetlock where I guess
the actually injury occured....
I began by walking him almost every day 30 or 40 minutes and then just eased
into some trotting, etc...always watching for signs of problem. He has never
once had any swelling, heat, or tenderness in that leg. I gradually
increased his workload over the next 2 months going on to finish a 25 and a
very flat easy 50 last November (he was in condition for a 50 before the
injury). I gave him time off over the winter and am riding him this year
planning on a pretty normal schedule. So far I completed one 50 this spring,
and in prep for the OD have ridden him on training rides in some tough,
rocky, hilly terrain (with a couple of 30-40 minute solid climbs on rocks)
with no problems. I don't know if his recovery was exceptional or if the
original injury was not as severe as we thought.
When I first started riding him I hosed him after each ride, used SMB's for
each ride, etc...That lasted about 6 weeks :-). There seems to be two
theories on bringing them back from an injury - 1) you'll have to forever
"baby" the leg, hold back, hose, ice, DMSO, absorbine, stay out of mud, hold
your mouth right and live your life right for them to stay sound or 2) my
theory - bring them back sensibly, take certain precautions as you are
trying the leg out, but at some point you can either condition them or you
can't :-). I mean even in what I call easy conditioning you get slips or
trips or spooks or whatever that will make your heart soar into your throat
for the next few strides. I don't know about you but I would not get very
far if I had worry about every step he takes. I feel like Tony is as sound
as he's gonna be and I ride him as such. Not that I haven't done my fair
share (and will continue to for some time) of worrying, tizzy-ing <g>, and
fretting about whether it would stay sound, etc...
I now ride/treat him as I would any other horse - of course I keep the
injury in mind and I am riding to complete this entire year and will always
keep an eye on it but as far as terrain and speed in conditioning I don't
baby it in any way.
There is hope for this kind of injury - just always keep an eye on it. If
your horse is stiff at the beginning of a session I wonder if he is ready to
be ridden? I don't know - Tony felt the same the first day I got on after
the injury as he did before it - no stiffness, hesitation, etc....
Is your horse totally sound and at ease in the pasture - running, bucking,
etc..with no trouble?
Tina Hicks | Huntsville, AL
Southeast Endurance Riders Association - http://www.hsv.tis.net/~slilly/
hickst@nichols.com
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