Common Lameness Problems In Endurance Horses - Australian ...

It is beyond the scope of this review to fully discuss tendon injuries and their
management. However, prompt first aid to limit internal blood vessel haemorrhage when
core tendon fibres tear or rupture, or external trauma results in bruising, is paramount to
the long term repair and rehabilitation of tendons. Prompt application of cold therapy by
ice or a cold pack (cold water hosing is not ‘cold’ enough), under an elastic bandage,
repeated 3-4 times per day, and anti-inflammatories such as ‘bute’ even for minor tendon
‘bumps’ or ‘bows’, will help control internal haemorrhage and inflammation and limit the
extent of long term structural damage to injured tendon tissue. Rest and confinement to a
stable or yard, with support bandaging of the opposite limb, and ultrasound scanning of
the injured area, are important management procedures to reduce the risk of repeated
injury and assist in formulating an appropriate rehabilitation program over a 9-12 month
period. Routine icing of tendons within 5-10 minutes after exercise to remove heat and
inflammation is considered a useful aid to reducing the risk of tendon injuries in long
distance horses. Ensuring the horse has adequate heel height and avoiding long toes will
help to reduce abnormal tendon loading.
Hock Conditions
The hock joints and associated tendon and ligament structures are prone to concussive
injury, especially if inherent conformational weaknesses such as “sickle hock” or
“straight hocks” increase the direct loading or sprain forces on the hocks. Working
horses on hilly terrain increases the loading of the hock joints as horses climb, with
development of initial internal inflammation and increased joint fluid (referred to as ‘bog
spavin’), which can develop in time to out growths and bony arthritic change within the
hock joints, or ‘bone spavin’.
Hock joint arthritic changes are usually slow to develop and have an insidious,
progressive onset with restricted stride and ‘scratchy’, uneven gait which warms out on
exercise. In a horse with a hock injury, it is unwise to exercise the animal on an inclined
treadmill or swim to maintain physical fitness as the injury may be exacerbated.
Sacro-Iliac Sprain
Although back injury only accounts for 1% of lameness in working horses, back
problems are a common diagnosis for a restricted stride, lack of lateral flexion, tensing
of the backline, tail swishing and dragging the rear toes under saddle. However,
studies indicate that sprain of the sacro-iliac ligaments accounts for 50% or more of back
related lameness, followed by bruising and injury to the vertical spinal processes on the
spinal column under the backline muscles.
Strain of the sacro-iliac ligaments that attach the spinal column (sacrum) to the pelvic
girdle bone (ilium) can cause a noticeable ‘bump’ or raised area (commonly referred to as
a “Hunter’s Bump”)on the midline just behind the pin bones or ‘os coxae’ (see
illustration). When deep pressure is applied around the edges of the bump area just
behind the high part of the rump with the fingers, horses with sacro-iliac strain will dip
and attempt to ‘squat’ because of discomfort.