Scapular body fracture

[IPEsq]

Thanks @beowulf. To be fair, before things really started going off the rails, he tried to cast himself in the stall rolling. Scrambled up right away, but that clearly did not make the low back stuff happy at all. It’s been well over a year now since we finished treating and rehabbing the SI the first time, so not totally surprising. But still not going as well as I had hoped considering how much the trot work improved.

A month or so ago he did actually jump one of the ground poles. And it felt ok! I just need help staying encouraged as we go through this. On the one hand, this injury is healed. And the vets think he’s sound. My Equisense tracker also thinks he’s sound (and sounder again since these injections). So why is it still such a struggle? And then a Facebook memory pops up to remind me that less than 6 months ago he took his first few hand walk steps in the arena (vs barn aisle), and so I guess we are doing ok.

[IPEsq]

Today I wanted to do only w/t with ground poles. And he was quite forward (for him), even jumped one of the poles from a trot and also had a bit of a scoot buck fart yeehaw moment which he normally never dares to do under saddle. I laughed until I realized that it kind of pissed off my broken hand a little bit (but less so than if I’d been holding him from the ground I’m sure!). He also wanted to play with the poles when it was time to put them away. And he’s been off Equioxx for 2 weeks. Someone must be feeling better!

[IPEsq]

We tried our first flying changes last weekend. Starting with the direction I think he’d feel safer doing (R to L). I just kind of went across the diagonal and rode straight to see what he’d do. Did a couple each way and now he thinks he’s hot stuff. And it backfired a little bit. So he is now comfortable enough to try to get out of getting stronger on the right lead that he will throw in an expressive change to the left lead.

Going to do some hind flexions I think next week just to be sure. I’ve been doing some more bodywork because it was starting to feel like he was getting adhesions around that shoulder. It’s loosened up a good but but when I did magnawave yesterday, his left stifle was pretty sore. He does not have a history of any stifle stuff or show any lameness in trot, but he did slice that one open (superficially) during the accident so who knows. Seemed very low priority at the time. Would make sense with the right lead struggles if his front end feels good enough to leap into unwanted flying changes.

We have passed the 1 year mark.

[IPEsq]

We had a setback with a mystery lameness in the other front leg this winter that meant we had to back way off the exercise for a few weeks and then start again.

But now we are back to w/t/c, he can do more poles exercises, and we can trot little cavaletti occasionally. The canter is still difficult, as he gets concerned about making the smaller turns in the indoor. Part of this is that the back and hind end need more strengthening. Part of it is that he requires a bit more rider support / more contact but doesn’t want it due to getting worried about his airway and things like that.

Last recheck, the vets noted that he looked the soundest he’s been in a long time, and his back also palpated the best it’s been maybe ever. Still showing some edema behind the scapula and over some of the caudal ribs on that side (we never found rib fractures but it’s possible he had some). And I’m sure he’s got a variety of permanent fascial damage in there. Right lead is still more hesitant feeling to me, but when I last did some small cross rails, he would land either lead on his own pretty equally.

After 2 months of good rechecks following the other lameness, we are starting turnout in a smaller pen for a few hours in the afternoon, weather permitting. I built up to that by taking him out for hand grazing for 15-30 minutes for several days. This step has coincided with the outdoor arena being too wet, but I’m hopeful we can get to riding outside soon now that outside is a little less exciting, so that we have more room to work on the canter. I’m doing all the handling for now, and he’s being a very good boy so far. I think in a couple weeks we can take the partition out of his paddock and maybe by the end of May he can be out on the normal schedule. And then after that maybe we can start walking some of the hills on the property.

He’s such a good boy and has exceeded expectations all along that it makes the whole accident even more unbelievable. Still TBD on what his ultimate return to work level is going to be, but he still has to lose weight and work on general fitness as the goal for the rest of this year.

[beowulf]

I’m sorry to hear you guys had a setback but very happy that your vet made the comment he looks the best he’s looked!! That is a big milestone and you know there are horses that never come back from this, much less in ridden work.

It’s so good he’s been a good boy through this, especially since sometimes they are their own worst enemy with these things.

Do we get pictures of the good patient?? I bet he’s been enjoying his new turnout pen.

How has it already been a year and a half almost? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I never responded to your last check in.

[IPEsq]

Thanks @beowulf. Here are a few recent photos of him living the good life

[IPEsq]

After the above front leg setback, he was going out a little bit more, cantering outside, walking on some of the hills in hand, and then I’m not entirely sure what he did, but he pissed off his right stifle and appeared to have pulled a muscle in that region as well around the end of May/early June. Clear ultrasound but 4 rounds of IRAP and going back to rest and walking later, he still has a little bit of a hitch when he first gets trotting, but he works out of it by the time he’s done with a long side. And now it actually feels like it’s probably more his low back and SI stiffness than the stifle area anymore.

But we are now on full sized pen turnout for not quite a full day depending on the pasture schedule for other horses and the heat. He’s now walking on the less steep parts of the property under saddle super relaxed and eager to be out. He has no interest in doing any of the steep hills yet. I got him doing harder lateral work at the trot, and now we are back to cantering under saddle, and this time he’s doing the best he has so far. The weather has been more cooperative in terms of his airway, which helps. He’s much more balanced and willing to keep the hind legs under a little bit better. Less prone to being earth bound and tripping in front.

Still a ways to go with strengthening after the lengthy setback, but attitude wise, he’s much more his “normal” and more confident, less spooky. I know he always gets spooky when he’s uncomfortable somewhere, so this part has me feeling the best for him.

The only downside is now he thinks my other horse is his new turnout bestie and particularly loves that other horse will let him shred all of his fly gear! I have to keep an eye on them or separate them some days because it was getting expensive!

[IPEsq]

[Lunabear1988]

That nose! I love it. Glad he’s feeling a little better.

[2tempe]

I read this all with some interest; at barn where I board a mare broke some part of her shoulder during turnout - no one saw what happened. One minute she was fine, doing some cantering around as other horses brought in. 10 minutes later she was 3-legged and they had a project getting her into the barn. Close to zero weight bearing and shaking with pain by the time the vet arrived maybe 60 minutes later. Xrays and consultation with the nearest major clinic and it was determined that she would not be able to make the roughly 90 minute trailer ride, prognosis bad due to location and so it was decided to put her down. I dont know the specifics of where the break was, but it was a sad morning for sure.
It is nice to read more positive outcomes, these darn animals have a way of doing us in…

[IPEsq]

Yes location in relation to the shoulder joint makes a huge difference in options/prognosis. We had the radiologist on FaceTime at one point.

[IPEsq]

Sweet boy has been doing a lot of walking hacks before winter hits. And then the arena work has been shorter but a little more intense unless it’s a bad day for his asthma, in which case more intense might be more lateral work at the trot or something like that but no cantering.

He’s been doing really well with canter poles including related distances and bounces. And I have occasionally trotted individual small raised cavaletti, up to maybe a foot high.

Today we also trotted a small X and then cantered a bending line to canter the cavaletti. And he seems to be having a blast and a little bit spicy. He will land either lead and feels pretty surefooted. We are closing in on 2 years and I’m finally feeling a bit of relief.

He’s also out on a normal turnout schedule instead of half days. I did have to separate him and my other horse, but now he’s surrounded by girls and totally fine with that!