Slab fracture?

[spacytracy]

I’m on the hunt for a new horse, and OTTB’s are very available in my area.

I admittedly am not well versed in OTTB’s, which is why I am going to go through a rescue/rehab type place, and I have knowledgeable people to help me as well.

I saw a horse on Mid Atlantic Horse Rescue’s page that looks like it would fit the bill, except, for this “After one start he suffered a slab fracture in his knee. It was surgically repaired with a screw and properly rehabbed. Recent xrays show no arthritis or other issues”

Horse would be used for local showing, up to 2’6", all around kind of horse that I can do dressage one weekend for fun, maybe a h/j show the next, or trail ride. Really just a weekend warrior who can cart my 41 year old butt around.

From what I can find out, this can be a non-issue, and also from my reading, I have read nothing but good things about Mid Atlantic. Just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts, experience, etc with this type of track injury.

[vxf111]

I knew one with the same injury, treated VERY well on the track and rehabbed properly, he lived a long useful life as a flat-only horse and never had any issues (his rider did low level dressage). I would have a PPE done by my own vet if I otherwise liked the horse. Maybe call your vet now and ask if this is a total rule out?

[spacytracy]

@vxf111

I knew one with the same injury, treated VERY well on the track and rehabbed properly, he lived a long useful life as a flat-only horse and never had any issues (his rider did low level dressage). I would have a PPE done by my own vet if I otherwise liked the horse. Maybe call your vet now and ask if this is a total rule out?

Thank you for the input, its much appreciated and I’m happy the horse had a good prognosis. Yes, I do think I’ll be getting a vet opinion. Thanks again

[LaurieB]

I personally would not get a horse with a healed slab fracture in a knee if I wanted a horse I could jump.

[Calzini16]

I would have to agree that I would not buy a horse with this injury if I planned to jump. I just wouldn’t trust it. Especially in a knee. Plus - with the amount of time and effort it will take you to get him to the point of showing etc, he may not even stay sound for his job. There are SO many OTTB’s out there…

[x]

i have had two horses with healed slab fractures. I jumped both with no issues. One of them was healed with a screw in his knee, I rode him up to 8 hours a day (on trail) and I showed him over fences. Never took a lame step because of it. The other was one that healed with no surgery, and he went on to race on it with no issues, and I had him later and jumped him with no issues. If the horse passes flexion on it (both of these would) I wouldn’t worry about it.

[NancyM]

If it xrays well, it should be OK for what you want to do. I knew a horse who had a slab fractured knee, who went back to racing successfully for years after his knee healed up (no surgery, just stall rest). Good luck! Buying ANY horse involves the assumption of risk, which must be accepted if you want to buy a horse. You find out after the fact if it worked out well for you, or not. No amount of vet work will foretell the future with 100% accuracy, it’s just an opinion. Different vets will often have different opinions of the same horse. Those who look for “perfection” in pre-purchase vetting exams will look for a long time and pay a lot of vet bills to find what they want to purchase, and it still may or may not stay sound. This is the reality of buying horses.

[SonnysMom]

Mid-Atlantic is great to work with. I know a few people that are involved with supporting that rescue

[DMK]

I’m with Laurie B on slab fractures, but the only caveat is not all slabs are equal. I would not only consult a vet, but a (racehorse) vet with a lot of experience with this injury, as that is not the typical injury a non-racehose vet deals with!

[TXPiaffe]

I would contact Rood & Riddle or Hagard in Lexington for an opinion on the horses x-rays and prognosis. I had a race mare that totally slabbed her 3rd carpel in her left knee, Rood & Riddle put 2 screws in it, I rehabbed her for a year and she raced back sound on it and better than before she slabbed fractured it. But, like others have said, every horse is different. What one can handle with galloping and jumping another may not hold up to.