[Elizabeth Hamill]

Thank you, Caroline. Riley saw his primary lameness vet today and she was very pleased (and surprised by) with his progress. She said to continue with the trot work as prescribed and if he’s still making progress in 30 days, he may even be cleared for a little canter work. I’ll keep taking it very slowly. He’s my little china horse. Thanks so much for your kind words. This has truly been a roller coaster for Riley and for me.

[Elizabeth Hamill]

My horse had a subtle lameness that I mentioned to my regular vet many times. Her response in every case was “you need to strengthen that stifle.” I followed all of her suggestions and the problem only got worse. In the end I consulted with a lameness practice and he has been seen at one time or another by all the vets in the practice. I believe the original problem that set the whole horrific cycle in motion is a developmental OCD lesion in his left stifle. My horse was turned out 24/7 and I think his overall fitness from being out masked the problem somewhat. He had a toe drag on the left hind. 2 1/2 years ago I moved him to a different farm where he was to be stalled with 12 hours of turnout. The turnout didn’t happen on a regular basis and the paddock they put him in was a paddock that was nothing but an extreme hill. His problems got worse quickly. After diagnostics it was determined that Riley had bi-lateral proximal suspensory desmitis (chronic). Riley had 3 shockwave treatments and months in a rehab center. After very slowly working him back in he was NQR. It got worse. I called the vet and the hind limb lameness was obvious without flexion, especially on the left leg. Riley had a neurectomy on both hinds in September, 2018. After 90 days he was only slightly improved. He had 2 prostride injections into his stifle, the thinking being it could help with the cyst. I started walking him under tack in January, 2019 and he was checked again in March, 2019. I asked the vet to take a closer look at the stifle and an ultrasound was done — bingo. He had a torn meniscus. My only goal for my sweet horse at this point was to get him sound enough to be turned out with other horses with a goal of retiring him. I continued tack walking him, but he was turned out 24/7 in a gently rolling medium size paddock. Riley was re-checked by vet in September and, miraculously, all the hacking and living out 24/7 produced marked improvement in Riley’s way of going. The vet cleared him to begin a small amount of trot work under saddle. The vet said that he will never be 100%, but for the first time since he went under saddle he is not dragging that left hind toe.

My question is this: My sense was that it would be better for his stifle to keep him more put together when trotting. After watching your video, I’m not sure this is correct. His left leg does not track in a straight line and probably never will. The only reason I am working him at all is because this is a horse who loves having a job and he likes to move. He does feel even on both reins, isn’t tipping me to one side. I used to be sore in my right lower back (and he used to be sore on the right side of his SI), but my soreness is gone (and apparently his is too). This week Riley is having an A2M treatment in his stifle. My goal is to prevent osteoarthritis as long as possible. Am I risking doing more damage by riding him? Riley is 11 years old. Thank you.

[Author]

Posts