Horse has prior DDFT injury and after a year of turnout is sound and cleared to begin work. YAY!
Looking for recommendations of boots or wraps to wear during rides that would benefit a horse with this specific issue.
Polos, tendon boots, Professional’s Choice SMB, Eskadron Climatex, etc?
I had a young hunter with two tears in his DDFT on a hind leg. He wears Eskadron boots sometimes when we jump but it’s really nothing to do with his previous tendon injury. Healed is healed IMO. If the ultrasound looks good then you are good to get back to work. Mine had six months off after the ultrasound looked good so we just brought him back like any other out of shape horse. IMO the boots are more to protect them from stepping on themselves or overreaching. Now if we’ve been at a show for a few weeks and my horse has not been able to be turned out and he’s a little wild then he gets a little ace before he goes out in the pasture at home.
After my horse recovered from a similar injury, I put him in SMBs for turnout/riding just for some extra support/protection. He probably didn’t need it, but I was super paranoid.
^^^^ That’s me. Super paranoid.
[QUOTE=Sparky Boy;8370021]
^^^^ That’s me. Super paranoid.[/QUOTE]
I feel you. :yes:
The only problem with SMB’s is that heat can build up with neoprene, and heat is the last thing you need near tendons. Honestly, I think the forces generated by the weight/speed of a horse are far too powerful to be protected by any boot or wrap. They do give front legs protection from hind leg strikes, and all legs from injuries from hitting fences.
I was paranoid for at least a year after getting my guy back into work after a year’s rehab for a high DDFT tear in front. I always make sure I warm up really thoroughly - walk for 10-15 minutes until he’s really stretched out and reaching forward, and then 10 mins. easy trot on the rail in both directions, with a walk across the arena when changing directions.
So far, so good, and I know I’m probably over-cautious, but he’s older - 16. I also have him on a 5 week shoeing schedule (trim/reset shoes).
[QUOTE=Canterwell;8370218]
The only problem with SMB’s is that heat can build up with neoprene, and heat is the last thing you need near tendons. Honestly, I think the forces generated by the weight/speed of a horse are far too powerful to be protected by any boot or wrap. They do give front legs protection from hind leg strikes, and all legs from injuries from hitting fences.
I was paranoid for at least a year after getting my guy back into work after a year’s rehab for a high DDFT tear in front. I always make sure I warm up really thoroughly - walk for 10-15 minutes until he’s really stretched out and reaching forward, and then 10 mins. easy trot on the rail in both directions, with a walk across the arena when changing directions.
So far, so good, and I know I’m probably over-cautious, but he’s older - 16. I also have him on a 5 week shoeing schedule (trim/reset shoes).[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I was only hyper-protective about it for a while after he was back to regular turnout/regular work, then I got over it and would just polo all around while riding. I agree that a thorough warmup period is better!
IMHO, SMB’s are worse than nothing because they get so very hot.
Whatever you would normally use to protect against interference injuries is fine as long as it isn’t neoprene or something else that will cook the leg - sheepskin splint boots, Equilibrium Stretch and Flex splint boots, Eskadron Climatex liners with Saratoga bandages on top, etc.
Your best lines of defense against re-injury aren’t boot related: extremely slow conditioning, good footing, frequent/correct shoeing/trimming.
We also ice daily after work for at least 12 months post injury.
Thanks everyone. Sounds like polos are probably my best choice.
Somebody did some research awhile back and did not find any evidence a flexible boot a horse could wear while working provided any support at all. Just protection from trauma striking something or stepping on themselves. They did confirm they built a lot of heat though.
Save your money, just boot or wrap for protection if you want. Not for supporting supporting previous soft tissue damage.
You could just send her to me. I’ll bubble wrap her for you;)
I recently read a summary of a study that found that SMBs didn’t have an effect on extension but did slightly impede flexion to which my thought was, isn’t that the opposite of what they were going for with the design?
Hi there
Canterwell can I pick your brain?
My mare just had a small core lesion with mild tears in DDFT and a check ligament strain on same leg, at 17. Playing in the field….
Do you think the plan of stall rest, with hand walking 15 min twice a day sounds reasonable? Also my vet mentioned doing hot and cold therapy on the leg one after another. The heat is gone from her leg after a few days now.
I had been cold hosing daily for 30 min. And wrapping,
She thinks along the lines of 6 months rehab time. Which sounds maybe quick to me after talking to many people and reading so much.
Sigh.
I feel so bad for her. Slightly lame at walk one week out
Did you do any shockwave or PRP?
Thanks !
Woof zombie thread - this post is 8 years old and canterwell hasn’t been on in 5 years.
That said - trust the vet, especially if you used a high quality lameness/sporthorse vet. 6 months does seem short for that severe of an injury though, but it really just depends on the age of the horse and how they handle rehab.
Ice boots would be a good investment, they’re much more effective than cold hosing (and less wasteful!). I believe 20 minutes is the max you’re supposed to do cold therapy at a time.
You might get some good suggestions for other therapies here, but IME TIME is the best thing you can give them. And sometimes a little trazodone 
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