suspensory

[dpfreed@webtv.net (David Freed)]

With my little mare laid up right now with a suspensory problem  I read
the posts with great interest.   I was interested to note that Lois'
horse seems to have a greater injury than my mare.....My mare has no
swelling.  I didn't have x-rays but did have ultra-sound.....   it
seemed to my husband and I that the ultra-sound was more confirmational
than diagnostic....a couple of vets had suggested suspensory because of
lameness and the location of pain from palpation.   My vet said
"time-off"   with a little hand-walking to fight boredom.   She said
special shoes would not be helpful  since tendons,etc...seemed fine.
She described the injury as part of the suspensory ligament detaching
from the bone and speculated that teeny tiney bits of light on the
ulrasound could be from bone reflection....but all-in -all, my mare's
leg seemed prety normal.   So:  two months total rest, then back to work
with SLOW being the operative.......no trotting for three weeks,just
walking.  Then proceed slowly back up to speed over the period of
months.....

Lois' post made me wonder about a "class" of injuries attributed to
suspensory ligaments....degree of detachment/time for healiang,etc...  I
have also heard that "healed" suspensories are never as strong as the
original......

I'm interestd in othrs experiences with this.   I appreciate Tom Ivers
response and read it with interest.   jan