# Possible hind suspensory injury - help please!



## carolinebarber (20 April 2009)

I think my horse is really broken. We have been treating him for a sore back and had the vet out to see him as well as a physio. I am convinced though that we are treating secondary back pain and that there is something more sinister causing it. as far as we think he hasn't had a fall or anything. The vet thought he might have got cast which would explain his sore back. I don't think that he is right and wonder if its got something to do with being silly in the field

He is: landing toe first (I think) on off hind, not picking hind feet up properly causing scuffing to the toe on the road and just feeling as though there isn't as much power as usual underneath you from his bottom. His back seems almost back to normal but he is still showing the other signs. Could this be a possible hind suspensory injury? If so, how long does it take to mend? Or is that how long is a piece of string?  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 What are the chances of returning to full work - eventing in the summer and hunting during the winter. He's had a few weeks off due to unforseen circumstances and each time he's ridden again he will be fine for 2 or 3 days and then lapse back to how he was before. He is still very keen to be ridden. He has what looks like 2 very small swellings above his fetlock where you'd get windgalls on his near hind (very small as in fingernail size). I'm sure they are something to do with his suspensory. does this sound right?  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I am intending to ring the vet later today and discuss with her what I think and arrange a full lameness work up. To trot him up he looks completely sound but as with these things its usually the rider who spots them first. I have such a bad feeling about this  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Can anyone explain what symptoms their horses showed with hind suspensory injuries or if these symptoms show something else. 

Thank you


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## Halfstep (20 April 2009)

There is no way you can know if its suspensory or not without a lameness workup and nerve blocks and scans.  

To be completely honest, what you are describing could be a hock or stifle problem just as much as ligament damage.  The windgall like swellings could be nothing at all or could indeed indicate a problem.  You can't know until you get it looked at.  But if the horse is showing signs of discomfort as you describe, get it checked out fully.  

Fingers crossed it'll be ok.


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## Nailed (20 April 2009)

IF your horse was landing anything but toe first, id be worried!!!!

Im inclined (with out having seen the horse) to agree with the vet first impression, that the back injury has been caused by the horse getting cast.

Back pain can actually cause lameness in the limbs, and is usually more viable through this route!

The hind suspensory Ligament is actually quite an uncommon injury in the scheme of things.

If he was mine, i might be inclined to turn him away till mid summer and then bring him back into work gently, Id continue with his physio, I might also be interested in getting a Mctimoney chiropractor out to give him the once over.

Lou x


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## BobbyMondeo (20 April 2009)

To be honest it doesnt sound like a suspensory injury to me, would think it was more to do with his joints rather than the ligaments but obviously you will only know with a full lameness work up. 
As to your question about how long it take to heal..it really depends on the horse but will never get back to its full strength again unfortunately. 
I hope everything goes ok and it is something far less sinister than you imagaine =)  fingers crossed and keep us posted


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## dieseldog (20 April 2009)

Hind suspensory injuries are actually a lot more common than people think, but are normally misdiagnosed as a spavin.  I also think that most back pain is caused by a problem with the legs.

There is no visible sign that a horse has a problem with their suspensories as they are encased within the leg, also sadly they do not respond to rest alone, they will need treatment.

If I was you and you are concerned I would get a lameness work up down with flexion tests and then nerve blocks and either scans or xrays, depending on the results of flexion tests and nerve blocks.


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## carolinebarber (20 April 2009)

What then are the actual clinical symptoms of a hind suspensory injury?


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## Booboos (20 April 2009)

I think that if you are worried you are right to pursue this and whatever it is keep 'pestering' your vet until you get to the bottom of it.

I also think it is unlikely to be higher suspensory ligament and would think it more likely to be hock or stiffle if you think the pain is not actually coming from the back. The vet should be able to use nerve blocks to get a better idea of what is causing the problem and then scans to confirm.


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## dieseldog (20 April 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
What then are the actual clinical symptoms of a hind suspensory injury? 

[/ QUOTE ]

There are no visibble external changes to your horses leg.  They are a bit lame, don't seem right and will fail the hock flexion test - this is for PSD.  The vet would then need to either nerve block the hock and if they are still lame then nerve block the bit for PSD.  If they come sound on that then scan the ligament, if they dont, keep looking.

If they come sound after the nerve block to the hock, then xray to see if it is a spavin and treat that.


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## fingers_crossed (20 April 2009)

Dragging toes and loss of power behind- my horse did this with PSD. He had a niggly sore back for 2 years before the vet took it further due to loss of performance - Ask for the lameness work up, its not worth not doing it!


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## angela_l_b (20 April 2009)

My horse was diagnosed with PSD at the beginning of the year; I took him in for a lameness exam because i thought he wasn't right in front - apparently it often seems that the lameness is on the opposite fore leg. He never seemed or looked lame on that hind to me, although the vet can see it (I'm not very good at telling!). It came sound by nerve blocking and so they scanned it, but still couldn't see the damage on the scan - apparently because of the position of the ligament it can be hard to see as it is hidden behind another structure (can't remember what). So sometimes there is no definitive proof. We have done 15 weeks rest and shockwave treatment, the vet came last week and said it's much better, we can have some paddock turnout and increase the work... but the prognosis generally isn't good. I think you need to have the full exam done to be sure as there are lots of other things it could be.


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## gemmahodgkinson (20 April 2009)

my pony is currently turned away due to hind suspensory damage caused by a fractured splint bone.
She was cleared to ride following the fracture and was sound and vet advised bringing back into work. 
I began to notice a strange beat to her walk when riding and she was not strong or balanced in her canter work and had a 4 time canter. I was convinced it was me being a tool and not schooling her correctly so she went for professional schooling and the person training her told me to get back person/physio to check her over as something wasn't right. Got physio out who told me it was still a problem in the hind leg and so got different vet out to scan and he found the ligament and nerve damage resulting from the original fracture. I should have trusted my instincts so if I were you I would get your horse scanned &amp; lameness work up. 
My pony is not lame so only a scan would have showed it up so I'm thankful I did it or I would still have been riding and non the wiser!


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## gummybear (20 April 2009)

Sounds very similar to the problems I am having at the moment.  I can ride my horse, but just in walk and trot now.  Initially thought it could be kissing spine, but xrays proved it wasnt thank goodness.  he has since had bone scans which have shown up hotspots under his saddle, around his pelvis/sacroiliac (sp) and in both fetlocks!  My vets have said a lot of back pain can stem from lower leg problems, so he has had cortazone injections in both fetlocks in the hotspots (where there was also windgall-type swellings) - the swelling has now gone done and there is definately a slight improvement, plus fortnightly physio treatment.   We also think that he got cast.  Obviously this is a v. quick overview of what has happened, but if you want to have a chat, please do PM me.


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## MrsMozart (20 April 2009)

My first horse had chronic damage to both hind suspensory ligaments.

The symptoms such as they were initially: resistant to working in the school; hard to get into trot and keep there; odd lameness where it was hard to say which leg was wrong; altered pelvis (secondary issue); she would fix her neck and grip the bit, even a Waterford; head shaking. 

I bought her in October 2007; had back lady and vet out in January - then on and off over next six months as she went intermittently lame; in September 2008 she could not walk properly up a very slight incline - her shoulders were straining to pull us up, I got off and it was the last time I ever rode her. In October she went to Newmarket for a full lameness work up. The vet was shocked by the level of damage in so young a horse in so little work (I bought her just after she was backed).


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