I have been battling a front right lameness with my older mare for months. Over the last week she has developed two puffy spots right where the suspensory ligament branches on both sides. They are soft and squishy but very sensitive. I barely palpated it and she was lifting her leg in pain. What would cause these to suddenly appear? She’s been on vacation, basically retired, and is quiet in her turnout, no running around or acting silly. I have an appointment with the vet this weekend but in the meantime, is there something I can do to ease her pain? She won’t eat the bute so might have to get creative with it. Thanks for any suggestions on causes, what it is, and what to do until the vet.
I would ask the vet the question. That said, my go-tos would be ice and poultice, support wraps (both fronts) and keep her in a confined space.
I would ice and wrap, but I might not give a pain killer. I would ask your vet that question. My vet would want to see a horse off pain meds if we are diagnosing a lameness.
Well the diagnosis is in. The vet did an ultrasound and found a lot of fluid and injury to her suspensory ligament. Treatment: 6 months rest.
Now here’s the rub. This mare is 22 years old and was mostly used up when I acquired her a little over a year ago. I got her healthy again and brought her back to condition and had a very successful year last year jumping around BN horse trials with aspirations to go novice this year. She is currently boarded and I intend to bring her home at the end of the month if not sooner as I have space and a couple of horse buddies to hang in the pasture with. She seems happy and is healthy just not sound and I have the sinking feeling that she is not going to be sound again. I can give her the 6 months off and see where we’re at that time but if she’s no better I’ll be making her exit plan to the rainbow bridge. She’s a lovely girl and has given me a great year but the body is weak while the spirit is willing. Not asking for advice, just airing my thoughts.
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Injury 
What grade lesion? High or low?
She seems happy and is healthy just not sound and I have the sinking feeling that she is not going to be sound again.
Why are you giving up on her already?
I can give her the 6 months off and see where we’re at that time but if she’s no better I’ll be making her exit plan to the rainbow bridge. She’s a lovely girl and has given me a great year but the body is weak while the spirit is willing. Not asking for advice, just airing my thoughts.
Again, why are you already planning for the worst, when you’re just starting? I didn’t get the impression that this has been a major, 3-legged lameness that has been causing her immense pain. Do you know how many horses come back from various suspensory injuries with 6-12 months of Dr Green?
Treat her as if she will be sound. Don’t go each day with the attitude that she is done for. It matters to them
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“I have been battling a front right lameness with my older mare for months”
Did you have an US done when the first tell tails started showing? SOP with my horses in training. Spending a few dollars on a US specialist, not a general practitioner IMO is money well spent.
“What would cause these to suddenly appear?”
Based on information given. It didn’t “suddenly appear” its been on the come for months.
“injury to her suspensory ligament”
As JB said, exact location and “grade”. An US specialist should have told, showed you the location and the severity, usually given in centimeters. The ones I use down load the US to a CD or flash drive for my records and future reference.
IMO and experience a soft tissue issue on any competition horses is never a matter of if. Only a mater of when. Esp with a 22 year old horse. A well taken US will almost always show signs of “wear and tear” with older horses. Esp with suspensories. I always had US "surveys " done. Either at the end of the competition season or after a break/rest period before going back in to training legging up.
Once a suspensory is injured there is NOTHING that can be done to make it “good as new”. Nothing. It will be problematic for the rest of the horse’s competition life. It will have a very high probability of being re-injured at some point down the road. IMO and experience it is best to pick one’s spots. Cut it’s competition schedule by a 1/3 if not half. This should be discussed with a specialized Sports vet. A horse with suspensory issues should only be competed on firm, dry ground, conditions.
“Treatment: 6 months rest”
There are no quick fixes. There are a number of treatments and “therapies”. IME having paid for the “T-shirts” none make much difference in the end at this time. IMO and experience 6 months is not enough regardless of the “grade” of the injury. After the swelling and tenderness has decreased, usually several weeks in the stall with some daily hand walking. I kick them out in a field with a quiet friend and “forget” about the horse for a year. Maybe have a US done in 6 months and then another one 12 months after the injury. Then decide it is in the best interest of the horse and my time and money to put back in competition training. The suspensory will all most always be somewhat prominent to a trained eye and hand.
When back in training the horse will feel and act sound on the injured leg to the rider. IME the horse still “remembers” the injury, “favoring” that leg. It will subtly compensate by “using” it’s good leg a bit more. Setting up that leg for a tendon or ligament injury of some sort in the future. The clock will always be ticking down.
IMO regardless of discipline but even more so with an Event horse. It should be galloped to bring it to a proper level of fitness. Not much different than racehorses. Trained pretty much the same way as Steeplechase horses. IMO this can not be done properly in a “ring” or small spaces. The horse should be galloped in an area large enough, large field with decent footing. Long straight runs, 2 turns, like a “racetrack”. The rider needs to pay attention to the horses leads, the horse stays on the lead asked. Holds that lead until the turns and or asked to swap. It the horse tends to swap back and forth on its own, esp with short intervals. This is almost always indicative of issues.
As far as getting Bute into her system. Don’t play games trying to coax her to eat it. If IV is not something you are comfortable doing. Get a proper dosing syringe, mix with some water and give. Mix in something palatable if you want.
Your horse will be “sound” again. Maybe not sound enough to withstand competition training. Esp at 22 but should be plenty sound enough to have non competition fun with. Around my neck of the horse woods. Plenty of nice fox hunters go out a couple of days a week with old suspensory and or tendon injuries.
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“I have the sinking feeling that she is not going to be sound again. I can give her the 6 months off and see where we’re at that time but if she’s no better I’ll be making her exit plan to the rainbow bridge.”
Perfectly reasonable plan. Give her wonderful, terrific, fantastic quality of life, give her the benefit of as much good science as you can, and don’t get hung up on quantity of life.
My 20-yo may never be sound enough for more than walk-trot, after a couple of vague suspensory injuries in his previous situation. That’s enough for me at this point in my own life – especially since he is so adorable in personality and beautiful to look at at the end of a long day at work — but if I wanted more and resources were limited, I might be planning what the OP is planning.
Regardless of the outcome, her competition days are over. She retired this year at an event derby where she came up very lame. If she comes sound, she’ll just be doing easy trails. These swellings are very low, right above the fetlock joint and said that they were probably cooking for a while and just popped out. It was like one day they weren’t there, the next they were. He also said that poulticing or hosing is unlikely to have an impact. It’s wait and see.
Thank you SharonA, resources are becoming limited and I’ve already put a boat load into her ~$5,000 ± not that she doesn’t deserve it but there is a limit to what one can afford. Yes, it’s quality of life that I’m concerned with. If she’s still hobbling around after 6-8-12 months of rest with no improvement is it fair to her to make her live the rest of what would be the natural end of her life in pain?
