Tendon Injuries
March 24, 2009
The American Association of Equine Practitioners offers advice for a horse owner whose mare cut her tendon. AAEP is an AQHA educational marketing alliance partner.
Question:
My 5-year-old mare cut the tendon in the front of her hind leg. Will the tendon will ever heal, and will she ever be able to be ridden again?
Answer:
Extensor tendon lacerations in horses tend to have a good prognosis. It will depend, of course, on the severity of the laceration and the type of activity your horse performs.
There are a couple of reasons why extensor tendon lacerations are usually less serious than lacerations of the flexor tendon on the back of the limb. First of all, extensor tendon lacerations usually do not involve a tendon sheath. Tendon sheath involvement can result in serious infection and/or adhesion development.
Secondly, the extensor tendon simply does not have to withstand the same forces as the flexor tendon during motion. A thorough cleansing of the wound is extremely important. Usually, we will not attempt to repair the extensor tendon itself with sutures.
After a vet cleans and sutures the skin wound, a proper bandage is put on, often with the addition of a splint. The splint is used to help keep the horse from “knuckling over” during the healing process and to keep the limb in the correct position for proper tendon healing.
Keep in mind that this is a generalization. There are a lot of variables, dependent on the severity and exact location of the injury. Your mare’s chances of returning to riding are probably pretty good. Your veterinarian should be able to give you a more accurate prognosis based on the exam.
Dr. Damon O’Gan, Austin, Texas
Comments
19 Comments on “Tendon Injuries”
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March 26th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
My mare had this same kind of injury (severing the tendon). Although it was a long haul to recovery (approx. 1 1/2yrs), we were back in the saddle doing the same kind of riding as before (mountain trail riding, and occassionaly chasing cows). She is now almost 28 and now showing signs of arthritis but then don’t we all as we age
I believe the initial cleansing and wrapping by a vet was crucial since I had to travel a distance to get her surgery.
March 27th, 2009 at 6:27 am
i had a gelding to severely cut the tendon and damage the bone in a hind leg, he was walking on the front of his hoof when we found him. after an extended healing time of constant fresh bandages and much meds, he was able to jump again, he had a very ugly scar but he never showed pain or discomfort AFTER it healed.
I believe his care and treatment by OSU vet Dr Jann had to be a contributing factor in his recovery.
Lou Boggs/Oklahoma
March 27th, 2009 at 9:19 am
My, then 4 year old orphaned Quarter horse mare, kicked above the kicking panel of her shed. Kicked clear through the tin with her left hind foot. You could see the hair & blood where she had to pull in back through. Took her to the vet, had to run water on it for 3 hours as the vet was working cattle somewhere. He finally got there, noticed that her tendon had been cut also. Annie spent 5 months at a stables, in a box stall, with a cast. I drove the 20 miles every day to clean stall, give her meds. When the cast came off, I had to hose her leg for 20 minutes, then dry, doctor & bandage her injury, also every day. Daughter & I was showing her in western pleasure that June. That was 2 years ago this past January. She still has a slightly swollen ankle & scar, but has no limp. The vet is just so amazed at how well she healed. I, of course, was a basket case, paid on the vet bill forever. This horse spent 3 weeks at K-State after she was born, then my garage for 3 months with a French Alpine dairy goat, while my husband’s year old truck sat out in the weather. At 4 months, she was put in the pen with “Uncle Moo”, now 25. Orphan Annie has cost me BUNDLES of money, will never be worth what I have in her, but I sure love her! Thanks Doc Nels, Doc Matt & Animal Medical Center for fixing her leg & letting me make payments!!
March 28th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Our Appaloosa gelding Skips Charley had also cut his extensor tendon for 70% at the left hind leg and with time and a lot of TLC he recovered completely.
The actual accident happened in the pasture where he had run through electrical fencing and got caught in the bottom cord which was 8 millimeter callagher gord dragging behind him about 60 meters of cord and pulling out about 12 poles from the ground the cord would not break so,here a warning if you use or wish to use cord for your fencing apply cord cutters and don’t be mean about the amount of cutters you use because,and I speak from experience,the vet costs more.
March 29th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
An Arab/Paint mare of mine cut her tendon and was dragging her toe when we found her. It took all of 6 months and a lot of bandages and antibiotics, but she is sound enough to ride. She is string halted, but hasn’t ever limped after a ride. My vet had said she’d heal up well, but not to expect to do any slide stops or big turn arounds.
April 19th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
my paint cut is back leg and yes cut the tendon and he is on stall rest and we are going to put a shoe on,he isnt lame but the vet said no riders nothing just a pasture pal,
May 14th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Our appaloosa stallion cut his hind leg and extendor tendon last June. It is now May and when he walks he still lifts his leg a little high. He is able to breed fine and I have started working him in the round pen again. I’m thinking about gelding him and using him for a riding horse because he is such a nice horse. I hope I’m not making the wrong decision by gelding him. I will post again and let you know how his progress goes.
May 26th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
[...] Tendon Injuries America Horse Daily Posted by root 23 hours ago (http://americashorsedaily.com) My then 4 year old orphaned quarter horse mare kicked above the kicking panel of her shed took her to the vet had to run water on it for 3 hours as the vet was working cattle somewhere add a comment name required e mail required 2009 america horse daily p Discuss | Bury | News | tendon injuries america horse daily [...]
July 16th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
My 12 yr. old Belgian/Qtr. horse mare was playing roughly with her pasture buddy 2 weeks ago and cut the tendon on the back of her front right leg. Her knee swelled up and there was a little bump half way down her leg. There was no wound so I was shocked to hear the vet say she actually cut her tendon. I’m was given Bute for the pain and other meds for inflamatory as well as orders to wrap ice packs on her knee. She is a big horse and I could tell she was in pain when she started laying down for minutes at a time. I’m not sure how all will turn out, it sounds like a cut tendon on the back of the leg is worse to heal and there is a greater chance of her going lame.
August 1st, 2009 at 7:58 am
My four year old warmblood gelding lacerated his extensor tendon in an unfortunate fence accident. That was two years ago. Huge vet bill $9000 AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS in fact, lots of tears, four months stall rest with full length splint and tonnes of bandages. Has now returned to dressage training. He is fine to ride, not as flexible with the lateral work, and does occassionaly knuckle over when galloping about in the paddock. Monthly physiotherapy visits seem to help with improving the range of motion in leg as does a magnet boot i use daily. Given the severity of the injury and size of the wound i consider it a miricle he’s still with us. So for anybody out there managing a horse in this prediciment, be patient, persevere and your efforts will reap reward. Good luck.
December 15th, 2009 at 6:04 am
We rescued a three year old horse that had a neglected back leg injury. $3000 dollars later I think he might actually make a performance horse. The 6 month old barbed wire laceration had infected his bone and formed scar tissue in his fetlock the size of a bowling ball, and he had grown a sarcoid/proud flesh the size of a grapefruit on the inside of his leg. After finally finding a vet who was confident he could save him, and possible use as a performer, he debridled the whole front of the leg, just below the hock to above the fetlock, cleaned up the bone,removed most of the scar tissue and all of the extensor tendon was non repairable and removed. He had to learn how to use his leg, it took a couple of months. We continue to keep him in a very clean box stall and now only have to rewrap leg ever other day. We are now turning him out to pasture now and then…he is a maniac! He rears and walks on his hind legs, does magnificant flips and strikes the ground as he walks. He also loves to turbo run after the dog thinking they’re cows! I really think he is going to heal up with the possiblity of performing. He was orginally going to be shot and used for dog food before we saved him, oh and yes…it was worth every penny!! We got him in July 09′, found Dr. Marcotte and had surgery in Sept 09. It is now Dec 09.
August 11th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
some bowling balls are heavy and i accidentally dropped one on my foot. it is quite painfull.`.
August 12th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Have had a dramatic freak accident. Was grooming my 8 year old tb gelding, who was tied to the fence next to my mothers gelding, when her gelding all the sudden explodes at my horse like he’s trying to kill him. My horse rares and somehow gets his left leg tangled in his lead rope. After a quick panic and try to fix things we get him untangled. Has rope burns in back of knee all the way down the leg. My main concern was any tendon injury. It swelled so we put him in ice boots. The next morning his leg is double the size but he is not favoring at all. Was wondering if the swelling could possibly be just from being stoved up from being in the stall (keeping fingers crossed) Vet cannot make it out till tomorrow. The swelling goes down after i put him in ice boots but i still dont like the looks of things. I also used dmso to sweat out the leg and it did help. Any home remedies i can use until our vet gets here that could help?
August 13th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Hallie, bute in a situation like that is always helpful. Most likely that and possibly hydro to the leg to help with swelling. Need the vet to see it from there.
Good luck to you and your horse.
Leman Wall
AQHA Director of Corporate and Affiliate Partnerships
March 8th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
my mare cut her tendon but not badly my vet said give her 6 months off and try to ride her. is there any thing I can do to give her the best chance of recovery?
November 24th, 2011 at 10:20 am
My sweet, little quarter horse mare also cut the tendon on her hind leg when she was about six/seven months old. She some how got a fence wire wrapped around her leg and was standing there just sawing it up and down. It took a long, long time to heal thanks to a vet that didn’t know what she was doing! The vet sewed the tendon back together before stiching the wound closed. When the stitches holding the tendon together dissolved, it ripped the wound open wider. Plus the medicine she said to put on had a blood thinner in it so it was bleeding every day. You can imagine what this looked like and what it looks like now! But she is just as sound now as she was before the accident, praise the Lord! She loves running up and down our hills and dodging among the trees in our pasture. I wouldn’t trade her for anything
May 9th, 2012 at 11:34 am
Beautiful Rocky Mountain colt rolled into high tensile fence, severed rear leg extensor tendon last August. Had tedious surgery at CSU, in cast six weeks, soft cast through December while increasing size of pen every two weeks. Training under saddle in March proved he was completely sound, and a blast to ride for two really great rides…before he, yes, went out into pasture for one hour and did again, this time on the opposite hing leg. 40 acre pasture, no loose wire or hazards at all. Back to stall rest and tons of wrapping, worrying, hoping for the best. Anyone want a mile worth of high tensile fence in Hudson, Colorado? Free fence to a good home.
October 17th, 2012 at 11:04 pm
i saved a mare about 8years old owners were going to shoot(could not afford vet) back leg injury vet said torn tendon it has beed 3 months and 4 vet visits and i do not see any improvment. I know close to nothing about horses but i want to give her a chance. Dr say put her out to pasture.She is losing wieght even with ton hay bail and grain.. Iam i cousing her more pain for nothing. Or is the hope that she will walk without pain.
October 19th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Hi Linda,
We certainly can’t offer any medical advice here … your vet is the best source for that. But I do know that tendon injuries take a very long time to heal. Regarding the weight loss, you may be able to find some help from our friends at Nutrena (http://www.horsefeedblog.com/tag/nutrena/) and at SmartPak (http://www.smartpakequine.com/). Best of luck to you and your mare!