Suspensory Injury - causes? how common?

[mydogs]

I’ve never had a horse with a suspensory injury and will be confirming this potential diagnosis on Thursday with my vet.

Until then, I have a ton of thoughts, questions, and worries going through my head. Of course, I’ll talk to my vet but 2 more days of waiting is killing me and I don’t want to bother my vet via email too much.

So how often do horses experience suspensory injuries? I’ve only known two other horses who had a suspensory injury.
How are they typically caused?

What kills me is that if this is what we find on Thursday, I have a pretty good idea of the cause which could have all been prevented. Thankfully, I have since moved barns with better much better care. I also have been leasing this horse for about 2 years now and am filling my thoughts with major guilt that this happened under my watch. I am overly precaution whenever possible and feel as though I have failed the horse and his owner.

[2tempe]

https://www.horsejournals.com/suspensory-ligament-injuries-advances-diagnosis-and-treatment

Read down through this, it touches on the many ways a suspensory injury can occur. Lots of different reasons, too many to type.

[Ibex]

Some horses are just prone to them, but like 2tempe said, there are too many causes to list. My mare caused hers by being stupid in the field :mad:

[FatCatFarm]

As above. There are many causes. Suspensory injuries are as individual as the horses who get them. Some injuries seem mild but never completely resolve while others worse seeming, heal and never cause another problem. Some disciplines like show jumping and dressage are more prone to them. Deep footing is often a culprit. Returning a horse to work too soon can set one up for recurring problems so proceed with caution.

[goodhors]

As mentioned above, they can just be stupid in the field. We have had 2 different horses hurt themselves doing that this year. Just was the way they were acting, nothing to change for prevention except never turn them out! Of course then their brains would fall out. What a choice!

One has been off except for some walk work since May. He is looking very good, probably helps we have been too busy to use him, though that should change as cooler weather arrives. Vet could find no problems during a July exam, look-see. The other will be off a full 10 months, per the Vet. He said there actually is no “faster healing methods” that have proven really effective to him, for suspensories. Best to save the treatment money, let her rest and heal long enough that she won’t re-injure when put back to work. Husband the Farrier sees horses treated with shock waves, stem cells, other methods for faster healing. Invariably the horse breaks down again quickly, back to getting treated again, healed, though maybe not healing as well this 2nd time, needing a longer healing. May not be sound for the use he did before.

Vet said Dr. Green and tincture of time wil work wonders on our girl. Won’t cost us an extra dime! I think he will be very happy with just the 3 months progress at her Oct appt. Not lame or sore moving already! But she will still be off until spring.

[mmeqcenter]

https://dressagetoday.com/horse-heal…ressage-horses

I have a friend who had a horse sustain a slight suspensory injury after a trip-and-fall (fell all the way down) galloping (not at a jump) while practicing cross country. He bounced back sound, I believe, after about 3-4 months off, but it was very, very minor inflammation.