90% rupture of check ligament

[SharonA]

So, the fella was trying to tell me something – or rather, he was trying not to tell me, but his body was. The little man has a 90% rupture of his right hind check ligament. I thought he was guarding that leg when just standing around, but under saddle this past week he was being stoic and felt the same as always - just maybe alittle quicker at the downward transitions, and very quiet, in an “I don’t feel like talking” way, whereas usually his body language is bombarding me with happy statements like, “I like to work, Mom!” and “I like this exercise, Mom!” and “Look how well I do this, Mom!” and “What’s next, Mom?”

Naturally, the diagnosing happened on a Friday when I was traveling for work, leaving the weekend for tears and hand-wringing. The little man is 22 and already has an old suspensory injury on that leg. He has Cushings and, as a busy Morgan, hates being on stall rest when all his friends are out on all-day salad bar. He is wrapped and on drugs now and therefore feels much better, and is pissed as hell at being kept in. I have never seen him so annoyed – normally he is the most cheerful of fellas. I took him out yesterday to cold hose him, and he was so happy even with that change of scenery and ability to watch the barn activity. Once put back in his stall, Mom got the “pinned ears” face again. Jeez. Tell me how you really feel, little man!

Now, I’m not doing 6-8 months of stall rest and incremental rehab for an older horse with metabolic issues who hates stall rest and who, per vet, has a 30-40% chance of being pasture sound and able to do very light trail riding, in 6-12 months. I will talk more with vet tomorrow about what is best for the little man, but, vet seemed to be trying to be too gentle with me. Spell it out for me, O COTH: Assuming his check ligament ruptures completely, what does that mean to his quality of life? Will be he in constant pain, vs. “alittle stiff some days?” Could he still be reasonably comfortable in turnout retirement, or would his hoof be flopping around such that he would trip, or such that he could not get up after rolling?

[Fharoah]

My horse had a severe check ligament injury in 2017. We did PRP and two months stall rest, followed by four months with small paddock during the day (30x30). He seemed to heal well. I would have followed up with prostride if it was an ongoing issue. The surgeon said if he did not heal he would have considered check ligament surgery which is fairly uncomplicated. I am very glad he healed without surgery but if yours is severe enough you may want to look at that option. Balancing his feet with be very important. https://thehorse.com/149465/check-ligament-surgery-helps-racehorses-with-sdft-injuries/

Good Luck!

[PNWjumper]

I had a similar situation. My 23yo WB mare starting stopping at a show with my daughter (something she has NEVER done). But she wasn’t “lame” and there was no heat, no swelling, etc (and the stopping was not a “I won’t jump” thing, but more of a “if the distance is bad I can’t bail you out, but I’ll come right back around to it”). We came home from the show scratching our heads. But a week later her leg blew up. In hindsight, I think she stressed the check ligament at the show and ruptured it upon return home (she’s the alpha in my herd of mares and often does the “spin and chase” move). Ultrasound showed her check ligament was 90% gone.

During all of this (and actually prompted by this), we tested and discovered that she had full blown Cushings. That wasn’t a total surprise since I’d had to body clip her in June for the first time in her life. And boy did I kick myself for not addressing the Cushings sooner.

I asked my vet what my options were and his answer was, “fix the Cushings, period.” The check ligament is not a major issue itself. And my mare never took an overtly “off” step on that leg. So we put her on Prascend and then gave her a few weeks off (no stall rest, but I did keep her in a smallish pen). After that we put her back to work…walking only for a month and then trot and canter added back in after that (not in a particularly rehab-ish way).

That leg has really not been an issue since. Often DDFT/suspensory issues come hand in hand with check ligament tears, but if the DDFT and suspensory are not also injured, the check ligament itself shouldn’t pose major issues down the road (assuming that, like mine, your expectations aren’t super high due to age, etc).

[PNWjumper]

Missed your last paragraph when I read through the first time - the check ligament is the “back-up” mechanism to keep the fetlock from over flexing. It serves no “direct” purpose in the mechanics of moving. Horses cope fine without it…IOW, no feet would be flopping around without it. And if the injury bothers him, cutting it is a pretty simple and straightforward surgery.

[purplnurpl]

My horse ruptured his check lig.
I had my vet do a check desmotomy.
It was nicely healed within 3-4 months and he was back to work.
He was back to doing all the things but does have jewelry on that leg that looks much like a side bowed tendon.
(Training level eventer)
The check surgery cost $950.

[kande04]

It’s common to do check ligament desmotomy on club footed horses, although that’s done on young horses to try to fix the club foot. I had it done on my yearling and I remember he was on stall rest for a few weeks, then handwalked, then he went right to turnout. So at least with desmotomy it’s not a long recovery.

If I’m remembering right, the total was about $2000, 14 years ago,

[SharonA]

Thank you all! Vet collaborated with some colleagues over the weekend, and vet’s recommendation is now much different – a month of paddock rest, then seeing how the little man feels and see how the suspensory or other innards have been affected, then hopefully fine for very light riding, then light riding. For now, will put him in a medical paddock in a busy spot so he can feel included/supervisory of All Things Barn.

[quietann]

Medical paddocks are a wonderful thing! Feronia would have gone nuts without hers when recovering from surgery. She still required a little acepromazine, though.

This happened at a busy barn; while she was on stall rest, she’d be moved to a stall where she could see everything. And when she was able to go to the medical paddock, barn workers kept an eye on her and brought her in if she started getting silly.

Best of luck to you and your adorable Morgan!

[joiedevie99]

I had a horse with a very annoying chronic check ligament issue up front. We would get it healed up and she’d feel great, but not really hold up to hard work on it - then we’d be back to square one. From what I understand, she was the exception. And even with her, she could hold up to basic w/t/c and turnout no problem. Many horses do fine without check ligaments. At one time, it was relatively common to cut the check ligament in yearlings that were developing very upright, clubby feet.

[skyy]

17 yo at the time had a bad check ligament injury and that’s how we discovered the Cushings. I opted for “benign neglect” - he had normal turnout, no meds, no treatments, nothing. I groomed him and fed him treats for 9 months but that was it. He came back 100% sound and went back to WTC and jumping.