Discussion on Adopting Ex-Racehorse who had prior Front Suspensory Strains
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Janice C Chadola
Member
Username: Jchadola
Post Number: 32
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, Dec 31, 2005 - 6:47 am: |   |
I am adopting from a thoroughbred retirement foundation a 5-year-old gelding who when raced had front suspensory strains. He has an amazing disposition - calm, not spooky, friendly, very affectionate and safe. I am having hip surgery and he seems like the perfect horse to ride once I can return to riding. My understanding is that he had rehabilitation after the front suspensory strains. His last placement, as I understand it, involved him being jumped 5 days a week. He was returned not because of his front legs but because he was supposedly sore in his hind legs. The equine massage therapist who handles adoptions and treated him said his problem wasn't his hind legs, it was his back. She thought he was jumped in draw reins as he was overbent when they got him back.
He is sound and apparently hasn't had soundness issues. My trainer road him and he does seem to have lovely high movement with his front legs. He thought that would be good for dressage. My question is whether there would be limitations on what I could do with him assuming the suspensory strains in his front legs healed? Could he be jumped (as I said he was jumped consistently for a year and got sore in his back and not his front legs)? I probably should say that I am 52 years of age and certainly not planning on going to the Olympics in show jumping but, if I get brave enough (had a bad fall off a spooky horse and badly broke my arm in March), it would be fun to start jumping again.
I did read Dr. O's article on suspensory injuries. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 14397
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Saturday, Dec 31, 2005 - 8:52 am: | |
Hello Janice,
It all depends on the severity of the strains Janice, some lesions do not heal back 100%. If there are no visible or palpable lesions I don't see why light jumping cannot be attempted. If there are swellings or thickenings, good radiographs of the sesamoids and then ultrasound of the proximal and distal suspensory branches can help answer these questions.
DrO |
