Hello,

I have a 5-year-old gelding. Last summer he had a very slight limp in his right front. You could see it when I lounged him at the trot. I had a vet out to take x-rays, and the vet said he had a fractured splint bone at the fourth metacarpal bone. He went over the x-rays with me and showed me bruising and this was located close to his knee. He wanted to do shock wave therapy on him, but said that would only be a 50/50 chance of recovery. I asked the vet what other treatment there would be, and he said stall rest, up to six months. I have had him in a small paddock now for the past three months. I took him out last week to do a little lunging at the trot, and he is just as sore looking as when I started his stall rest. There is or never was, any visible swelling or inflammation in the area of the fracture. Last summer before I knew what was wrong, he would rub his leg with his nose, and trip on that leg when riding him. I feel so bad to make him stay in this small paddock area if it isn’t doing any good. This is MN and the ground is frozen hard in his paddock, so I wonder what good that is doing him. A friend told me to start giving him Glucosamine daily. I also purchased a magnetic knee wrap to try. Thanks for any advice you could give.

Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:

Brenda:

The best advice I could give you is to follow what your veterinarian has prescribed. 50% is better than 0%, so it may be worth doing. I do not have experience using magnetic wraps. Good luck.

 

“Can you advise what to do i.e. further rest or x-ray etc?”…

One of my students horses had a splint removed surgically and rested it 3 months. Just came back in to work 2 weeks and now showing slight signs of soreness i.e. nodding when trotting. Can you advise what to do i.e. further rest or x-ray etc?

Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:

Allison:

I think repeating x-rays is always a great idea, especially in this horse’s case as you know it was a bony lesion. Surgical removal of a fractured splint bone is curative, however there may be some lingering irritation. Also to consider is a problem not related to the surgery site at all, i.e., something lower in the leg. Nerve blocks will help discern sites of lameness. Good luck.

 

“I am looking at a pony that has a small chip in her coffin bone.”…

I haven’t seen the X-rays yet nor have I had a chance to talk to the ponys vet. I would like to know what type of soundness problems I could expect. I want the pony for my daughter to ride and show walk, trot. Pony is said to be sound walk, trot and for some cantering but not for jumping or riding on a hard ground. Would shows help with this?

Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:

Hi Amanda,

I would be very wary of this horse for purchase if she does have a chip in the coffin joint and is said to be unsound on hard ground and for jumping and hard work. I would only expect the problem to get worse in the future as the pony is ridden more and more and gets older. Continue looking for the right horse for what you are wanting to use him for. I’m sure you will find the right horse. Good luck.

 

 

“6 weeks ago our two Team Roping horses collided in the pasture.”…

 

One broke a leg almost off and had to be put down. The other horse has been in a stall with a bowed tendon and a broken fibula. Saturday he had a very pronounced Sweeney Shoulder. What can we do? Will he be able to heel for roping again? Is acupuncture worth a try, what about the chiropractor? This has been devastating, and like losing a family member. We don’t want to lose another one. What is our best course of action to save this horse?

 

Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:

 

Emily:

 

Oh my, I am so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how you must have felt when you saw that. The trauma is hard enough to deal with, but the speed with which that happened is even worse. It barely gives you time to gather your thoughts.  It does not sound like your other horse is faring much better, at least not right now. Have you had this horse examined yet? The best thing for him is stall rest (unless you were told otherwise). X-rays should be done to assess possible fracture sites and appropriate treatment for them. No doubt he will have some back soreness; massage will definitely help this, and chiropractic evaluation may be of some value, but you should go off your veterinarian’s recommendation first. Anti-inflammatories are in order, as may be muscle relaxants. Preventing further muscle stiffness (from the cold = blanket him if needed), keep him out of drafts, and definitely away from other horses who could stir him up. Each problem should be treated separately, and each have their own plan of therapy. The prognosis for return to roping at this point sounds questionable from your description, but I cannot say for sure without seeing him.

 

“…he was diagnosed with two broken ribs and a large separation in between two vertebrae in his withers from severe trauma..”…

 

Hi, I took my 7yro QH to the equine Chiropractor yesterday and he was diagnosed with two broken ribs and a large separation in between two vertebrae in his withers from severe trauma, probably a fracture that is old.  How long will recovery time be for the ribs and how with the vertebrae affect his ability to do riding?  Will the ribs heal themselves, and what if they are too far apart to heal?  I have only owned this horse for a short time and do not know how the vertebrae were cracked but someone told me he flipped in the cross ties with a saddle on once with a former owner.  It also may have happened in the pasture as he is on the bottom of the pecking order.

 

Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:

Hi Erika,

Broken ribs will normally heal well and not cause pain after only 3 or 4 weeks from the initial break. T he vertebral separation is more difficult to predict, especially if no x-rays were done as a way of positive diagnosis. I hope this information helps.