Issues after sesamoid injury heals?

[remadi]

I’m interested in a horse that had a sesamoid injury (don’t currently have more information than that), but was put on rest for 6 months. She’s been back to work for 2 months now without issue. The place that is selling her suggests a pleasure or trail home with very limited jumping (at most), which works for me because I just want to trail ride.

What I was wondering is what kind of issues may arise in the future because of the sesamoid injury? What do I need to keep in mind/worry about with her?

[NancyM]

Depends on the nature of the original injury, and the extent of healing that has taken place, and on your plans for the horse. Your plans for the horse seem to be light work only, and should the first two variables be favourable, the horse should have a decent chance of soundness for you.

If the injury happened because of conformational flaw (the classic would be a toed out conformation causing the horse to “dish in” with the opposite leg, which caused that hoof to hit the sesamoid bone and cause the original injury), then it would be worthwhile using protection (brushing boots that cover the inside of the ankle at the back) to make sure that this does not happen again. If the injury was not conformationally sourced, just bad luck or accident, less chance of re injury, but using protection to keep the healed area from being damaged again may still be a good plan.

[remadi]

Thanks for the advice. Pretty sure it was an accident and not because of a conformation flaw that caused the injury, but I’ll be looking her over when I visit the place.

Learned that it was a medial sesamoid fracture and the vet looked at it after her rest time and was very happy with how it healed (as told by the seller, but she has a very good reputation, so I believe her.) If I decide I like her I’ll have a PPE and see what the vet says then.

I’ve just heard so many different stories about sesamoid injuries, so even though I really like what I’ve seen/heard about this horse so far, I’m a bit wary about getting her.

[NancyM]

The sesamoid bones do not have a periosteum, the membrane that is functional in secreting new bone to heal most bone injuries. So when one is broken, it is not healed with bone, only a fiberous union. Since the sesamoid apparatus is the pulley on which the tendons and ligaments run to take the strain of motion, it can take a lot of pressure under working conditions. But if this one has healed adequately in a veterinarian’s opinion, and the work load is light, it would be a chance you would have to agree to take, if you like the horse in every other way. I’ve seen them heal surprisingly well at times, I had one that did that. Other times, not the case. If the horse is very young at the time of the injury, better chance for healing IMO.