Hello everyone. I am new to this site. My horse tore his Collateral ligament of his pastern joint earlier this year (in jan). He is 21 and an old show horse. I was lunging him in indoor arena and he spooked. He took off at a dead run and basically twisted his right foot. The vet I originally took him too thought he sprained his pastern. He would do dmso wraps, etc and the swelling would subside and then it would return. I was suspicious that it was more than just a sprained pastern. I hauled him down to CSU and they did ultrasound. Come to find out he tore his Collateral ligament of his pastern joint. As far as treatment I chose to do stall rest of course and we did 3 rounds of HA injections of which did seem to help with his swelling. I took him back to CSU a couple of months ago and the ultrasound was showing that he was healing but not as well as they would like. So decided to PRP injection, more stall rest of course, and then hand walking 3 times a week for 15 min. I have also had polyeurthane shoes put on him on his front feet because the farrier feels it allows for more flexibility and will offset some of the strain on the ligament. He goes back the first part of August for another ultrasound to see how he is healing. People who have watched him hand walk think they see some head bob at the walk. Which is frustrating cuz I was hoping he would be somewhat better now. I try to keep optimistic as possible but it is so hard. I want to get him better and hope he is at least getting some improvement. Has anyone had this particular injury on their horse and if so what did you do and what was your outcome? Depending on how the next ultrasound looks it will be decided from there as far as continued treatment and rehab. Just some days I get to the point of tears with frustration and this week has been one of those weeks:(
When my horse had this diagnoses we did lots of rest and steroid HA injections. After six months still wasn’t right and we did IRAP and then we were able to rehab. The IRAP helped allot might be worth asking about.
For a collateral ligament strain in one horse’s feet and another horse’s stifle my vet did three rounds if shockwave. Something else you might ask about.
How bad was the tear? Complete rupture, or just partial?
How long did you stall rest?
Thanks for the responses. My horse’s tear was almost a rupture. He has been on stall rest since Jan basically. The vet I originally took him too said to handwalk him 20 min everyday and do stall rest. I however, felt something more was going on then what he diagnosed. Took him to CSU and they found the ligament almost ruptured. They felt however there is a enough stability within that joint that he should be ok with time. Did 3 rounds of HA, complete stall rest for 1 month and then handwalking for about 15 min or so everyday. The last ultrasound they felt he was healing but not as well as they had hoped so then decided to do PRP to try to kick start the healing process. Now I am just unsure of how he is. I look at him everyday. I think things look better but then other times I just not sure. Handwalking has been awful lately cuz of him wanting to blow up so I got some ACE and it has helped alot in that aspect. There a way to post pictures on here? I can post some pics of what it looked like before and what it looks like currently. He still does have a bump on side of his pastern but looks way better than it did back in Jan. Will that bump ever go away or will it stay there? Xrays were also taken but they didn’t see any bony changes. With it being July and this happened in Jan would shockwave or anyother type of treatments help? CSU did mention stem cell therapy but I know that is super expensive:( I want to do all I can to help him just finances are little rough too. I love my horse to death
Wait until at least the second follow up US to start worrying 
My horse had a complete rupture of the medial collateral lig of pastern. I was advised the rehab would be VERY long. She was a retired older horse and goal was just long term comfort.
Initial plan was 4 months strict stall rest, no walking allowed. At least your horse had some joint stability still though. Probably why he started walking sooner.
Advised mine would have problems with ring bone eventually, due to joint instability due to complete rupture/no support etc. We tried a cast on her, but it didn’t go well, so switched to a very thick firm supportive wrap to try to help stability a little bit.
Initially horse was super lame. After 3 months looked pretty good - couldn’t really see lameness. 4 months - started in hand walking. 5 months looked totally sound in walk and had follow up US. US showed good healing - some bridging fibers started, etc. Started small amount of trotting in hand. Looked totally sound in trot. Plan was to do HA/TA injections, but pressure sores from cast and overall skin “unhappyness” was too risky for infection at the time.
After that horse had a catastrophic injury unrelated to collateral ligament.
The bump you mention will probably remain. It’s just scar tissue - the body attempting to provide more stability and support for the ligament.
I would keep going with the Ace to keep him settled during walking. Anything to keep him calm in his stall as well - more hay, toys, a buddy, whatever.
The walking is good because some controlled amount of “stress” needs to be on the ligament so the body heals and fibers get laid down. But too much will cause inflammation and cause negative joint effects. I was also advised to walk on hard surfaces and in straight lines as much as possible. Avoid deep footing.
Since you haven’t had an US since the PRP, maybe wait to decide further action (Shockwave, etc) until then. Maybe he’s just a slow starter. Collateral ligs can take a long time.
What is your goal for him post injury? Is he completely retired and you just want him to be comfortable, or are you hoping to be able to continue riding?
Best wishes!
Thanks for the wishes! My hope is to continue riding. I just want to enjoy to be able to ride him and take him a few open horse shows here and there. Being able to do an AQHA show would be nice but I am perfectly fine with doing just open shows if I am able to get him back. Before his accident I didn’t ride him super hard or anything cuz he is an older horse. I showed his half brother back in my
4-H days and that horse had to be put down eventually due to navicular. We would always see the horse I currently have at the quarter horse shows and we wanted him then but he was a super expensive horse back in the day. I was lucky enough to get him for a reasonable price just a couple of years ago. So he really means alot to me and my family.
My 15 year old Morgan mare has a similar injury…She had bumps on the outside (lateral) of both of the front feet. She was fine at a walk, off under saddle, and dead lame after flexion. Xrays showed nothing. Ultrasound showed lateral (outside) collateral ligaments of the pastern were almost ruptured on both front feet. My vet told me “almost ruptured” means “almost torn” (rupture and tear the same thing) But the sprain is severe. She even has small evulsion fractures where the ligament has pulled pieces of bone away. Sweet. Mare is now on stall rest - but with a large protocol of supplements and hand walking (to keep her hind end from atrophying.) I actually am driving her in an equicore band to make sure that she engages her hind quarters. She is also on SmartFlex Tendon from SmartPak Equine, which has worked well for her int he past. And Surpass. And Previcox (which I don’t think does a thing for her) And I ice. A lot. And now I have my own therapeutic ultrasound that should help break up the scar tissue of the bumps…I also use Back on Track pillow wraps to help with inflamation.
I think my vet is terrific. But I also light candles and sacrifice the occasional chicken, just to make sure this much-loved mare can hit the trails with me again. 2 months down. 4 to go. I feel your pain.
Thanks for the response. He has his ultrasound on August 5th. Crossing my fingers that he is healing somewhat decent. Just wish I could fastforward this week to the appointment!
Well everyone I received excellent news today! My horse is improving!! The black holes that were in his ultrasound last time have been filled in now with fibers thanks to the PRP injection. Now I can handwalk him 4 to 5 times a week for 20 min to 30 min (which is huge cuz I was walking him 3 times a week for 15 min). I have to do this rehab part for a month then he goes in for another ultrasound and xray. They think his arthritis might be a little bit worse so they want to check his xray for arthritic changes. They think he may need a steriod shot every now and then but I am fine with that. Come winter I should be able to do a riding rehab program and come spring he should be good to go! I may look into doing a couple sessions of laser or shockwave therapy since they think that might help him too. I feel so much better! I know it is still a long road ahead but I don’t feel so bleak as I did before! 
So happy to hear the good report!
Last November, I went to get my 17 yr old horse, PJ, out of his pasture. His front right fetlock was really swollen. I had ridden him the day before and he was totally sound. So, we think he took a BAD step somehow.
First Vet took xrays, saw he had a very old injury to his joint, so thought it was his joint. Injected, allowed to be out w/a quiet buddy. He got a better, but healing stalled, swelling had improved, but stopped going down.
So, early February, took PJ to Merritt & Assc., one very good lameness expert. Five hours, Five blocks, a lot of ultrasounding, it was found that while his joint IS ugly, he actually had TWO tears in his front right Lateral Collateral Ligament in his fetlock.
Sooo, things changed, he was on stall rest. To keep him happy, I drugged him w/ACE. We did some corrective shoeing & shockwave. After a few weeks, I was told to ride him bareback for 30-45 mins A DAY in the arena, to allow him some movement. From early Feb to prob Mid May, I wrapped his leg w/DSMO, poutice, paper bag, plastic wrap, cotton pad, and standing wrap. IT SUCKED, but…
After going back in March, pj was 85% healed. The arena was killing me, so got the ok for road rides, needs to stay on flat and solid ground, so at least got to ride him outside again.
Went back end of May, PJ was HEALED. I did trot sets for a few weeks, then was ok’d to put PJ in pasture 24/7 I have taken him out trail riding several times. Merritt says I need to keep PJ out of deep mud or sand, so are some trails that PJ will never go again, but are plenty of places he can go.
I do put boots on him when I ride him, so several things of have changed, but knock on wood, he seems happy and sound. I took him out to a park a few days ago, and we cantered. He was a tad rough, but I think it is mostly due to him being out of shape, he felt sound.
I did get another horse the end of April, to take off some of the riding load off of him. I ride most days.
BE PATIENT, it can get better!! Luckily, I had a friend’s horse to ride last winter when PJ was really restricted. Isnt the same, but kept me sane.
There were times in freezing weather, I was so tired of wrapping his leg, but I knew there was a reason for it. Took a LONG time, but I finally have my horse back, even tho, he has some restrictions, but w/his age, that may have happened anyways. I have put a LOT of miles on him.
GOOD LUCK!! I had feeling of sadness, wondering if he would EVER heal, but watching him run around the pasture makes me smile. All the work I did, was worth it 100%!!
Glad to hear good things from other people about their horses. I do feel so much better now that my horse seems to be on the road to recovery. Shermy what type of corrective shoeing did you do for your horse and how many sessions of shockwave did you do? Was shockwave pretty expensive?
I am not a farrier, so am going by memory, tho, Merritt wrote down very specific instructions for my farrier. They were over my head. PJ has very little toe and is rocked back at the second hole of his shoes. So, the whole thing is for him to sit back, put his weight on the back of his heel, instead of his toe.
Shockwave…I think I did 4 or 5 sessions. I am lucky to live w/in a hour of University of Illinois, so took him there for most of the Shock Wave. I think was $100 a time. Merritt is close to Chicago, 3 hours away, so U of I was just very easy, was in and out in less than 30 mins each time
Well things were going great and now he is super lame again on his bad leg:( I handwalked him for 4 days last week for a half hour each. He got re-shod Saturday and did great. He walked great that night. I went to barn yesterday and he was super badly lame on his right front. I am so discouraged. I don’t know if he injured himself somehow in his stall or what:( Farrier came out yesterday to see if it was something shoeing wise and he isn’t tender at all with hooftesters and such. He thinks maybe bony changes are occuring and maybe a piece of bone flaked off and is aggravating him. CSU did seem to think the were bony changes occuring when I took him in last Monday. He did so well in testing last week. I cried a lot last night. I hope I can get him better.
[QUOTE=irishdncer;7126867]
Well things were going great and now he is super lame again on his bad leg:( I handwalked him for 4 days last week for a half hour each. He got re-shod Saturday and did great. He walked great that night. I went to barn yesterday and he was super badly lame on his right front. I am so discouraged. I don’t know if he injured himself somehow in his stall or what:( Farrier came out yesterday to see if it was something shoeing wise and he isn’t tender at all with hooftesters and such. He thinks maybe bony changes are occuring and maybe a piece of bone flaked off and is aggravating him. CSU did seem to think the were bony changes occuring when I took him in last Monday. He did so well in testing last week. I cried a lot last night. I hope I can get him better.[/QUOTE]
Sorry to hear about his setback. I wouldn’t freak out too much yet. Sometimes it seems like it’s 3 steps forward, one step back. Maybe the bony changes are what’s bothering him. Do they have you giving any Previcox or Bute, Surpass, etc to him? I would think some sort of NSAID is going to be in his long term future anyway.
Was there any increased swelling when he was lame? I would maybe place a call to your vet, see what they think, and just keep an eye on him for another week to see if it stays the same or gets better.
Hang in there…
The swelling looks the same as it has been. It is just a firm swelling. It didn’t look any different when I saw it yesterday. I am going to head out there this morning and see how things are. I did give him some bute yesterday. CSU did mention on last ultrasound they could kind of see some bony changes and they wanted to do another ultrasound and xrays to see how things are. If there are bony changes going on they were thinking of injecting a steriod to help him. Thanks for the thoughts.
Jingles. Sorry that you are going thru a bump in his recovery.
Well, my horse seems to be doing better. After that bout with him being super lame the horse shoer came back out and put wedge pads on him. He seems to be much better. Took him back to CSU a couple of days ago. His lameness has been downgraded to 1 out 5 and his prognosis has been upgraded from fair to good. So I am thrilled with that! The xrays showed that that the arthritis is worse. They gave him an HA injection with steroid and they are optimistic that should help him. They want to see him in 4 weeks to do another ultrasound, evaluate his lameness to see if HA injection is working and then work out another game plan. Hopefully come November I can ride at a walk…which I stoked for even if it is just at a walk lol. We are getting there I hope! 9 months is so long to deal with all of this crap lol
Collateral Ligament UPDATE
So took my horse back down to CSU yesterday. Horse was was lame in both front feet. My heart sank. However, they did all kinds of blocking and did some xrays. Vet feels the ligament isn’t the current issue so much anymore. He even blocked the ligament area yesterday and horse was still lame which suggested to vet that isn’t the ligament hurting him at this point. My horse’s feet are off balance causing pain. Just need to do shoeing corrections…allow a little bit of time for pain to subside and then continue to handwalk for ligament rehab for two weeks. Then after two weeks more handwalking and THEN get to RIDE at a walk for 5 min…lol but I will be on my horse’s back! FINALLY!!! I can then increase riding at a walk by 5 min every week until build up to 30 min. Then they want to see him again Jan re-evaluate progress then begin adding trotting under saddle to rehab program. I am getting there:)
