Suggestions on excercise.......Horse is standing in a 12 X12 Box Stall, indoor at night, outdoor in the day. I have concerns about the horse wanting to trot out the barn when being lead 50 feet to the other stall. I believe that he would take off like a bolt of lightning if let go off the lead, this would not be good at this time.

The plan is to double the size of the out door box stall , just to give him a little bit more walking room. At this time this is the only thing I feel we can do to eliminate some of Spartans boredom. If this works over the 4 months of stall rest then hand walking will begin.

any thoughts on this rehab program,

David

irishcas wrote:
Sounds good ,have a good time!!

David Hayne wrote:
Take him out of the stall and let him move around. If you keep the horse confined the injury will heal to the decreased movement.

Of course I've only just been through this so what do I know

I'm here to say that Finn is indeed sound--he is boarding at my house until Kimmy gets here and has been casually evaluated by the vet tech next door and cleared as sound to ride.

Ruth Hamilton

I have a 6 yo TB gelding that I started training for polo last fall. After I brought him home in Jan. he strained his Per. Ter. on his right hind. I stall rested him, gave him anti inflamatories, and lasered the area. After 4 months stall rest, I had the area ultra sounded, which showed the lesion was healing but not quite finished. I was thinking about shoeing him like Ron suggested earlier but the vet did not think it would help.

I hand walked him for afew weeks, and just recently turned him out in a small paddock, so far so good. I will turn him out with my 7 other horses this weekend and hopefully no one will chase him. Then I will start ponying him for a few weeks on hills before I start riding him. I will probably shoe him with something that lets his heels easily dig in but the ground is hard here so it probably won't matter. I hope to get him playing again this summer, but it will be a slow start.

Steve Kraus, CJF

I have worked with two of these injuries in my practice. One was a school horse in a hunter barn. He received one month of stall rest and hand walking 3 times daily, paddock turnout was recommended for four months, but I saw him going back over fences about 3 months after the injury (not on my recommendation
The other was an aged dressage horse and he remained in his regular private turnout paddock and returned to light dressage work in four months.
Both horses remained barefoot with just a good trim as they usually received before the injury.
Both horses were complete ruptures with the same signalment as the pictured horse in this thread.

M. W. Myers, D.V.M.

Thanks Doc,

For your input. It gives me hope that I can return this horse to training and keep him sound.

Steve Kraus, CJF

Horse has been hand walked for about an hour everyday for the last couple of months. Once we let him go last week he took off like a bolt of lightning where we had concerns and put him back on the lead line. With know signs of lameness the next day we hand walked him on the lead. As we expected off the lead he takes off again and we simple let him go.

Today July 31, with know sign of lameness, I put #00 Kerts on him and saddle him up and with a rider, WALKED him for about 15 minutes. So far we are all feeling good about his future.

I thank everyone for their interest , I will keep you posted if we have a set back.

David

Hi All,
great website!
I have only seen one ruptured peroneus tertius. You never forget what they look like! It was an 11 yo TB x eventer. We pulled its shoes and trimmed it with a squared toe and boxed the horse for a month then turned out in small paddock as the owner couldn't manage the boxing any more. It didn't evidence pain upon palpation nor extension (and what hock extension!) at any time, though the horse seemed a bit confused about how to manage that hind limb. At the end of 2 months, he was trottting around the paddock and she put him into slow work. He is now rocketing around and at six months is back jumping and has had no recurrence. Adams Lameness in Horses has good discussion.
Best wishes.
Lizzi
Elizabeth Thompson (nee Eston), DVM, MACVSc

I found this on the Merck Veterinary online manual. Under disorders of the Tarsus. I wonder now how many horses that I have worked on that exhibited a jerking motion while it is brought forward probably had this injury and went undiagnosed. Glad to hear your horse is doing better and thanks for sharing. Enjoyed following the thread and studying up on the lameness.

"Injury to the peroneus tertius muscle affects the stay apparatus of the hindlimb and disrupts the reciprocal action of the stifle and hock joints. The most characteristic diagnostic feature is the ability to extend the hock and flex the stifle simultaneously. The horse is lame but usually able to bear weight on the limb. The affected hindlimb exhibits a jerking motion as it is brought forward. Conservative treatment consisting of prolonged rest (usually 4 mo) is indicated; the prognosis is favorable."

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/90776.htm