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TheHorse.com THE HORSE February 2016
FARMCALL
TheHorse.com/Farm-Call
This column features readers' questions on specific illnesses, diseases, and conditions, with answers from American Association of Equine Practitioners members or their designates.
Send questions to FarmCall@TheHorse.com, or The Horse, 3101 Beaumont Centre Circle, Suite 100, Lexington, KY 40513. Questions will be edited for publication and must include
the author's name, address, and daytime telephone number. Farm Call is compiled by Managing Editor Alexandra Beckstett.
Q
I have a 4-year-old unraced but
race-trained off-track Thorough-
bred (OTTB) gelding who was
given to me after he bowed his right
front tendon (it was a 30% core lesion). I
rehabbed his tendon with hand walking
and wrapping, then controlled turnout,
and was rewarded with him being cleared
by the vet to go to rehab work sooner
than expected, but I gave him an addi-
tional three months of controlled moving
to large pasture turnout time off.
When I restarted him under tack, we
followed veterinary instructions about
slowly easing into things. I've always kept
a close eye on his legs, and they have been
cold and tight since the original tear.
We have started over crossrails about
two months ago now, and he has taken
exceptionally well to jumping and his
new career. Now I am looking into mak-
ing him an eventer, and I want to keep
him healthy, happy, and sound for as
long as possible! He is already on a joint
and tendon supplement and gets lini-
ment after hard works or shows, and is
poulticed and wrapped if needed. What
else can I do for my boy to help him stay
sound?
Andy Armstrong
Via email
A
Many Thoroughbreds are retired
from racing due to a bowed front
superficial digital flexor (SDF)
tendon, and fortunately with correct
rehabilitation and management most
of these individuals are able to pursue
successful second careers as pleasure and
show horses.
When a Thoroughbred racehorse de-
velops a bowed tendon, I think it is essen-
tial to fully evaluate the horse in order to
determine any predisposing factors. The
most common secondary finding in my
practice is a chronic and often low-grade
or undetectable lameness problem in the
opposite front limb (typically fetlock or
knee pain) that has caused the horse to
persistently overload the healthy leg and
eventually cause breakdown of the SDF
tendon on the good side. Conformation
and shoeing can play a role in injury
development in any equine athlete, so
consider these factors as well. Identify-
ing and addressing these predisposing
problems is critical for both the immedi-
ate post-injury period and for long-term
successful management of a recovered
tendon.
Initial tendon injury management
should always include rest and cold
Staying Sound Post-Tendon Injury
After rehabbing her ex-racehorse gelding back from a bowed tendon, Andy is taking steps to ensure
his soundness as a sport horse.
COURTESY
ANDY
ARMSTRONG