Full Horse
Saturday, November 20th, 2010Can a horse make a full recovery from a stifle injury?
I am getting a horse in September and he has a stifle injury. I don't think it is very serious. I needed to know if anyone knows if a horse can fully recover from a stifle injury. Will he still be able to run? I don't do racing or anything but I just want to know if I can still ride him at a gallop. Also, does anyone know some exact exercises for horses with stifle injuries?
A horse can make a full recovery, but since most of these injuries involve tears in soft tissue, there may be permanently weakened areas since scar tissue is not as strong and resilient as the original tissue. There can be other residual issues such as overscarring with limitation of range of joint motion, or the inflammation associated with the injury can sometimes become a chronic condition. The joint can sometimes lose stability if, for example, the patella has been dislocated.
I would want a full disclosure of the details of the injury and what has been done in the way of diagnosing and treating it, and then to confer with my vet about it before considering a purchase.