Damaged suspensory ligaments

Does anybody have any experience of horses with damaged suspensory ligaments?

Well, yes...in a way. Our Morgan was injured in the line of duty (police horse) and had to go to a special equine leg doctor with a torn suspensory and had to be put down because it was so bad and he was older. I've nursed younger horses with suspensory injuries back to health, but it's no picnic.

It might help if you tell us what you want to know.

Thanks for your reply, the horse in question has obvious suspensory ligament damage, his fetlocks are very low and he is stiff in his back end, he was worked (hacking) in his previous home, but I am concerned as to whether he should be doing ANY level of work or retired to the field, also is the problem likely to deteriorate further until he is no longer able to be kept comfortable at all? Or will it generaly remain the same?

My STB gelding came to me with a pulled suspensory (pulled about 2 months before I got him) that was not allowed to heal properly with his previous owners (they raced him a month or so after he pulled it).

When I got him I hosed his legs daily and put him on stall rest for many months. He got better but it was a very slow process. He had back issues for a while, likely due to his hind leg issues (suspensory was on the hind leg). It took a few years before he was sound enough for work.

Funny that this topic came up as this is what my horse is going through. Pulled Suspensory ligaments is a long healing process, but they can be healed. Mine is put on 45 days of stall rest, anti inflammatory cream and medication. We also have had a chiro out and 2 equine massages as the horse's whole body will be out of whack. A horse can pull the suspensory ligaments just playing in the pasture. It's a very common injury. Also putting on sports boots on the legs will help, but remember ther can only wear them for about 8-10 hours a day and then they need to come off. Hydroing the legs is good for them as well.

Has the horse been diagnosed with this by a vet doing an ultrasound?

No he hasn't yet been diagnosed by a vet, he's only been with us a short time, he shifts his weight constantly between his hind legs always resting one, his fetlocks are very low to the ground, he is quite stiff right through his back end, the farrier said his fetlocks were thick and hardened.
Do supplements help at all?

Sounds a bit like dropped pasterns. But anyway, you should have a vet look at it. There are many different kinds of injuries that can occur and it depends on severe they are in what kind of treatment they get.

I agree with AlmagroN. You gotta get a vet to figure out what is going on to know how to treat it! There could be several things wrong...

As for supplements, I have mine on SmartFlex Repair...you can go read about it at the SmartPak website....