How would you manage this (bad news in stifle)

[Lunabear1988]

Well I just sent the ultrasounds to CSU to hopefully get another opinion. He had a really light week of ground work but the day after the farrier came (and he was not as behaved as usual for whatever reason) one of my trainers rode him and said he felt amazing. She said he really felt like he wanted to do more and felt really powerful in his trot but she did not canter or do anything much at all, In fact this ride was all about keeping his enthusiasm in check. My daughter is sick so my dressage trainer also opted to hop on him today. She said he felt funky and did not feel comfortable working him through it.

Darn it. I wonder if it was all just a little too much for him the day after the farrier.

Part of me is leaning towards just giving him time off but I know there’s a big element of fitness and also motion if there is any osteoarthritis involved. I think the question is is there a soft tissue element. The two different vets have disagreed so far. I’m hoping CSU can help give me more confidence in whichever direction we go.

[starsandsun]

Reminder that you may want to consider Jec Ballou’s 28 day stifle program, modified for injury rather than rehab. It’s made a difference for us.

[Lunabear1988]

Oh yes I’ll be looking into it right now. We have mostly been doing stretches like belly lifts, butt tucks, tail pulls. Walking poles and small hills (those are kind of just around the barn and we have to go up and down them regardless.)

I’ve been much more conservative than both of the vets that have consulted / seen him told us to be. So it’s frustrating. They say oh yeah you can ride him 3 days a week. I say but what should I do? What’s the best to do, not what “can” I do.

I’m wondering if he was feeling so good that the trainer pushed it just a little bit too much and now he is sore. I’m definitely going to try to be the only one riding him from now on. Just to cut out any doubt.

[IPEsq]

How’s his back up? If he can pick up the leg well when he backs, add that to your routine also.

[Lunabear1988]

We do backing but he likes to shuffle (both feet really.) So I’m not sure how useful it is yet.

[starsandsun]

Highly likely. It was my experience that is what happened with my trainer.

[starsandsun]

Backing up is a great exercise, but it’s most important to do only the # of steps that can be done straight with his head lower. We started out with a big sweeping move of the left hind towards the midline and that wasn’t great. He does now back up straight with both legs - hooray! Jec will have you start out with a few steps, and then increase to more than you would think. If you acquire her program, you do have access to a call with her to discuss how to modify the program (I say this but double check before you buy).

[Lunabear1988]

I think the real benefit of that program would be having everything spelled out clearly. We got told to back up, do poles and hills but I struggle with knowing how much to do!

[Lunabear1988]

Update again: I sent the ultrasound to a sport medicine vet I’ve worked with at CSU. She said she was fairly confident that there is no evidence of a meniscus tear or anything serious of soft tissue nature. But yes maybe there is a mild injury last year put right now the concern is the OC and the osteoarthritis that’s beginning. She said in her experience it is actually better to work him, go gradually but that being fit will be his best bet.

I’m almost thinking I need to up the frequency of work now not the intensity but work him a few more days a week. Right now it’s been averaging 2 days a week. I think we need to up it to a consistent 3 or 4 days a week. Either way we will stay at just walk trot. We have actually only been doing a maximum of probably 10 minutes of trot a ride.

He’s getting some body work next week and then I might get his SI checked. There was talk about that being involved in the original injury last year and I’m still suspicious about it given his posture.

[fivestrideline]

Just jumping in to say stifles tend to need consistent work - like, 5-6 days consistent.

The infrequent workouts may be a big part of the issues you’re having, and I’ll say my stifle horse can’t have more than a week off without having to go backwards on his fitness regime and build back up. It’s the biggest struggle we face, as I’ve had him through college and multiple jobs where I just had NO time. Even 24/7 turnout isn’t enough to keep him in shape.

It sounds like you can probably pick any good rehab program (I saw a few being tossed around upthread), and start at the beginning of the trot phase. Keep an eye on him, but consistent work, 5-6 days a week, might be the key here.

[Lunabear1988]

Originally he was inconsistent work, then after the vet visits we dropped him down. But previously it did seem like the more consistent the better for him.

It seems like he quickly lost tone in that stifle (and supporting muscles.)

[Lunabear1988]

I have continually noticed that he is standing square and more comfortably. That to me was the biggest indicator that something was a mess as he was standing pretty funky before.

He had a rolfing session on Wednesday. He has gotten massages and chiropractic before but this was the first rolfing. To me it seems very similar to massage but also a little similar to chiropractic without the cracking the bones. He seemed to really like it and let her in to his muscles better than he typically does the regular massage therapist. At one point when she was working on his inner thighs he was leaning back and almost rocking into the pressure.

I also picked up a Jec Ballou book so that’s exciting to start using. He will get chiropractic with acupuncture and some PEMF in October. I’m not hoping for any miracles but I do think the bodywork is a nice check-in with a third party feeling his body.