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Hey everyone! My 5yr old thoroughbred gelding, who I bought a year ago with the intention of doing the jumpers, is having problems in his right stifle. A bit of background... we spent a few thousand on an extremely thorough PPE when I got him November 2023, including flexions and xrays of his stifles, knees, fetlocks, back, hocks, and feet, a neuro exam, and a general overall exam. We did not know the vet but were told by the owners that they were great and had never seen my horse before aside from routine vaccines. We bought him from a place 12 hours away so did not know anyone else in the area.
He raced 3 times total, once at 2yrs and twice at 3 yrs old. His owners then retrained him and had him jumping 3ft in his late 3yr old year (I know, way too young). I bought him just before he turned 5. I restarted him all the way at the basics because he lacked flatwork and was overall a very difficult ride. I only jumped him a max of 18 inches, maybe 4 times. He is UTD on all chiro/farrier work and has seen the vet multiple times for the injury I will detail below. He was wearing hind shoes but is now barefoot.
In March 2024, he hairline fractured his knee by kicking his stall door. It healed great and he was never lame on it, never needed stall rest - we did the full rehab.
In May 2024, a week after starting walk/trot work, he had a freak paddock accident and tore his lateral collateral ligament in his right stifle. We did not do xrays at the original appointment since meniscal damage would not be visible until a few weeks after the injury; we assumed stifle sprain until the 3rd appointment, where we did xrays and found the damage. We put him on stall rest and he improved significantly in a month. At the 2nd appt, he was only 1.8/5 lame. After another month of stall rest, he hadn't improved at all from that point. The vet did xrays and found the torn LCL ligament. He injected his stifle and said that if there was no improvement, there was likely meniscal or cruciate ligament damage as well. We did laser therapy and Bemer throughout his rehab.
However, when my vet did the xrays, we also found an OCD lesion which the vet who did the PPE did not pick up on (it is very clear on the xrays she did when you compare his right stifle to his left). Looking back on it, he always did show some signs of stifle discomfort on his back right leg, just in the sense that he would park out occasionally. He was never lame on it.
After months of rehab and no improvement from 1.8/5 lame, with his vets advice, we decided to retire him with hopes that maybe he will come back in a few months as a flat horse. Surgery was the best option but not feasible for us. He has been turned out to the paddock and he is doing incredibly well right now. He is barefoot and looks to be about 85% sound, but not in any discomfort at the walk. He is cantering around and playing so I don't think he is in any pain.
If you've made it this far... here's my question
Does anyone have experience with this type of injury? Has anyone had a horse be comfortable in the paddock even with an OCD lesion in their stifle?
I know that surgery would be the best option, but after pouring so much money into a young horse who I've had for a short time and was meant to be a performance horse, we have to put a stop on the budget at some point, and surgery is that point.
TIA! |
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TBH the stifle "fragments" are probably from the injury not OCD as OCD is pretty rare in TBs, its a young horse thing as the bones that are supposed to fuse, dont, generally because of growing too quickly. If XRays were done prior to the injury, they would have been visible then. The easiest thing to do is request the original XRays to confirm. Regardless, OCD or injury, "floating" bone will always be problamatic. I've worked with a horse who had OCD surgery on her knee, prior to surgery she'd be on and off lame, swelling was present most of the time. After surgery (done when she was 2) she had full soundness recovery. |
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Cappuccino said:
TBH the stifle "fragments" are probably from the injury not OCD as OCD is pretty rare in TBs, its a young horse thing as the bones that are supposed to fuse, dont, generally because of growing too quickly. If XRays were done prior to the injury, they would have been visible then. The easiest thing to do is request the original XRays to confirm. Regardless, OCD or injury, "floating" bone will always be problamatic. I've worked with a horse who had OCD surgery on her knee, prior to surgery she'd be on and off lame, swelling was present most of the time. After surgery (done when she was 2) she had full soundness recovery.
Thank you! It's actually an OCD lesion, not a bone chip. X-rays were done during the PPE which was prior to the injury, I have those xrays and the ones taken after the injury. My vet pointed out where the lesion is on both sets of xrays, I could see it right away after he told me. I'm glad your horse returned to soundness! :) |
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Blue moon mountain said:
Cappuccino said:
TBH the stifle "fragments" are probably from the injury not OCD as OCD is pretty rare in TBs, its a young horse thing as the bones that are supposed to fuse, dont, generally because of growing too quickly. If XRays were done prior to the injury, they would have been visible then. The easiest thing to do is request the original XRays to confirm. Regardless, OCD or injury, "floating" bone will always be problamatic. I've worked with a horse who had OCD surgery on her knee, prior to surgery she'd be on and off lame, swelling was present most of the time. After surgery (done when she was 2) she had full soundness recovery.
Thank you! It's actually an OCD lesion, not a bone chip. X-rays were done during the PPE which was prior to the injury, I have those xrays and the ones taken after the injury. My vet pointed out where the lesion is on both sets of xrays, I could see it right away after he told me. I'm glad your horse returned to soundness! :)
If its noticeable on the XRay and the PPE vet didnt say anything you might have some legal grounds there. (just saying!) Hope everything goes ok with your boy |
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Cappuccino said:
Blue moon mountain said:
Cappuccino said:
TBH the stifle "fragments" are probably from the injury not OCD as OCD is pretty rare in TBs, its a young horse thing as the bones that are supposed to fuse, dont, generally because of growing too quickly. If XRays were done prior to the injury, they would have been visible then. The easiest thing to do is request the original XRays to confirm. Regardless, OCD or injury, "floating" bone will always be problamatic. I've worked with a horse who had OCD surgery on her knee, prior to surgery she'd be on and off lame, swelling was present most of the time. After surgery (done when she was 2) she had full soundness recovery.
Thank you! It's actually an OCD lesion, not a bone chip. X-rays were done during the PPE which was prior to the injury, I have those xrays and the ones taken after the injury. My vet pointed out where the lesion is on both sets of xrays, I could see it right away after he told me. I'm glad your horse returned to soundness! :)
If its noticeable on the XRay and the PPE vet didnt say anything you might have some legal grounds there. (just saying!) Hope everything goes ok with your boy
Thank you, me too! I really appreciate your input :) |
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I ride cutting horses and we have horses all the time with OCD lesions. All are still competing comfortably but are well managed with different therapies and injections. It isn't an end-all diagnosis. |
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Ambrosia said:
I ride cutting horses and we have horses all the time with OCD lesions. All are still competing comfortably but are well managed with different therapies and injections. It isn't an end-all diagnosis.
That is great to hear! Thank you :) |
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