I took my mare to the specialist hospital for an ultrasound and lameness work up. They could tell where the original injury was but said it had healed relatively well for the location, severity, etc. They said that the original injury was probably about a 35-40%tear in the lateral branch of the left hind. With the reoccurring swelling, they saw slight inflammation in the area but no new damage.
Dawn is on stall rest with hand walking for two weeks along with cold hosing before working up to full turnout again to allow for the inflammation to resolve. They said that in about three-four weeks, I can start back to riding at a walk. They gave me a much more comprehensive rehab program to follow.
I have to be super careful not to cause further injury (obviously) and have done research on iconoclast boots as well as Ice Vibe boots. Does anyone have experience with either or any other recommendations?
I feel much better now that we have a game plan and more thorough answers.
I’m happy to hear you took her somewhere else and got some good information and a program to help her along. Now you can move forward with a little less stress than being in the dark like you were before. I don’t have any experience with either ice vibe or the iconoclast boots but with my guy I used a back on track quick wrap over night for a bit of compression and to try and increase blood flow and promote healing and then I iced by hand when I iced. I know people who have the ice vibe and quite like them for after they ride their horses. Good luck!
I have the Iconoclast boots on order and I will report back.
I too used BoT wraps on my guy. Once back in rehab I used Pro Choice Ventech Elite boots for work under saddle.
I’ve heard of the BoT wraps and people rave about them. However, my mare is out 24/7, so I can’t leave them on her. IceVibe would be before and after workouts and then a support boot for riding. I know boots don’t actually provide enough support to make a difference but I want to protect her from banging herself up and also increase her proprioception after so long off.
I do some groundwork in iconoclast boots. My vet recommended them. They are a decent sports medicine boot. I also have th ice vibes but even in the XL size I can barely use them with the ice inserts on my horse. They are just too small. But I use the vibration without the ice packs from time to time and like them for that. For icing, I like the Equifit ones better.
@IPEsq My mare is a very fine boned, 14 hand pony (Welsh x Quarter x Arab). Even small sized brushing boots are large on her. Do you think the IceVibe would fit her? I can always order on smartpak and get free returns because they are sized items.
What is the difference between the iconoclast versus a professional choice sports medicine boot? What’s the best? I will definitely check out the Equifit boots.
I’ve been talking to the people who make the iconoclast boot because I’m thinking of getting some for my mare. The iconoclast have been designed to offer more support specifically for horses who have had injuries. The Professional Choice are just like every other SM boot. Frankly I have a pair and was never impressed by them.
Iconoclast offers two different kinds of boots. The orthopedic and the rehab. I’ve been told The orthopedic offers more support but can be used in everyday riding. The rehab has a wedge to support injuries, suspensory being one of the ones they talk about. It can only be used for walk trot. I’ve talked to them at length and will be ordering the orthopedic ones for my horse today. She’s almost two years out from injury and back in normal WTC work.
I also used BOT boots on my horse and love them, I used them while she was on stall rest and when she was in while we started turning her out. Now I use them whenever we travel because she comes off the trailer so much better. As for icing I used the ice machine me mother got when she had knee surgery. It had a soft pad that I could wrap around the leg.
Mine is a 17.1 (2, ++?) WB. While he doesn’t look particularly heavy boned (when he was younger, many thought he was TB), he wears XL Iconoclast boots on the fronts. I am not sure ProChoice even makes a sport boot quite big enough, but I have used them in the past on others. The Iconoclast boots also offer more pastern coverage if you are concerned about interference but they are basically a sport medicine boot with a double sling at the bottom vs single strap.
I would be worried about a neoprene type sports medicine boot adding heat to the suspensories. You don’t really get that much support in work from a boot, they are best for a horse that interferes.
Ditto. My vets don’t advise ‘support’ boots post soft-tissue injury (only something like DSBs if the horse interferes) because they don’t work, and do create a lot of unnecessary heat around the leg.
Hi ! Just wondering how your horse healed ? Was your horse rideable again ? I’m just going through this with my horse now. Just looking for some positive results !
