Injured Tendon

Hi, I'm new here. Just made an account so I can discuss this with experienced people and get their input.
On December 11th I adopted an OTTB that had a "minor disruption in the deep digital flexor tendon." I have years of experience with horses-not so much with injuries.
The vet that did his ultrasound prior to me adopting him said it is minor and that with about 3 months rest he'll be back to normal (increasing work slowly).
I've been doing everything I can to heal him the right way. I keep him in the stall over night and on rainy days. On nice days he goes to the isolation pen (just a small enclosure, not large enough to run).
At first, when there was just a little swelling left, I cold hosed his leg for 20 minutes each evening, put finishline sweat on it, and wrapped it in a quilt and bandage. I did that every day. Now that swelling is completely gone, I just unwrap it and leave it off for about 15 mins each evening then re-wrap it with just the quilt and bandage.
He has fluid build up on the back of his knee. And he has a lump on the inside where his tendon was damaged.
The lump isn't too solid, but it isn't too soft.
It's not holding any extra heat.
Some people have told me the lumps a sign the leg isn't healing, some have told me it's a sign of good healing.
I have no idea.
I'm getting another ultrasound done in about 3 weeks to see how it looks.
Any experience and knowledge? Especially about the lump.
Thanks!


Plenty of people have told me I'm "wasting time and money on a no-good horse." But I have hope that he'll come back from this and be a wonderful sport horse. Either way, he's my companion for life.

Honestly, I would have gotten a very thorough veterinary exam before adopting him. At least you would know exactly what you are dealing with and how to treat it. Can you get the vet records released from the agency, and then go over them with either the vet who initially examined him or your own veterinary? I'd want an ultrasound, and I'd want to know if it needed more aggressive treatment (anything from Adequan/Legend, to IRAP, PRP, or Stem Cell, or even Shockwave Therapy). Future prognosis depends on the extent and location of the injury and how well it heals.

Is the lump hard or soft? Probably just inflammation in the tendon sheath...

I spoke to the vet on the phone. And she sent me the images of his ultrasound. She said I can choose shockwave treatment, IF I was in a rush to ride. However, I'm not and if it's not serious like she says, then I decided to try rest first before anything.

Have you thought about speaking to the vet about corrective shoeing perhaps to reduce the DDF tension? There are several farriers on here that might be able to make suggestions.

The thing about a tendon injury is that there really isn't an exact time-line for the healing process. My mare severed her tendon (which is obviously a life-threatening injury) and it took a good year before I saw her final outcome. That lump you mentioned would concern me because I would worry that there was a tear or some type of scar tissue. I think what you are doing sounds good but I would have the vet check. If there is no heat or excessive swelling I think you can wait for that check in 3 weeks. If the horse is favoring the leg then you might consider standing wraps.

I think it's great that you took a chance on an injured horse and I really hope for the best outcome.

Hi farmpony84
I read your post from last year about the severed tendon injury you experienced. My horse also severed her ddft 2 months ago and we have her on stall rest and bandaging every 3 days. We have not done anything with her as far as special shoes or wrapping the other legs for support. Do you have any advice for us and how has your horse recovered? Our vet has just tried to be positive and says if we don't have really high expectations for her future use, she may be fine.
Any information is appreciated! It has been difficult finding info on a completely severed tendon.
We just started walking her a couple weeks ago in the barn. I am very anxious about spring as she has already started getting spring fever and jumping around in her stall!
Thank you !!

I've had a few ligament injuries. I've used stall rest, slow handwalking, wrapping, laser therapy and special supplements. I'm dealing with a ligament recovery right now and having good luck with the Smart Tendon supplements. I also use ceramic wraps, which seem to work well also. One horse never recovered fully enough to jump (although he was 17 and vet felt age was a factor), although the one I'm dealing with now seems to be recovering well. Hope that helps.

We went through a tendon injury as well. We did lots of slow handwalking, twice daily, cold hosing, application of Mineral Ice or EPF-5 once daily. Our vet recommended not wrapping, actually. Which concerned me at the time, but my gelding made a complete recovery after 2 months of complete stall rest, another 2 of stall plus very small corral, some light lunging during that time (walking and then building gradually to w/t/c). And a very regimented, slow conditioning program. He does have a small lump below his hock, which the vet said was scar tissue due to the injury and will probably never entirely go away.

This occurred in November of 2010, and by early summer (May 2011) he was back doing trails and in full work.

Depending on how bad the injury was is going to tell how much thickening there is.

In the UK it is very unusual for a horse to get hind tendon injury unless it was struck into by another horse.

You are doing the right thing. Really there is not a lot you can do until he has been rescanned. If all is good then he should be able to start work and the thickening, although is more than likely to remain will harden more and reduce.

When a horse damages a tendon, which is a strong elastic fibrous tissue which I liken to a lead rope. Damage causes the tendon the fray like a rope does and when it heals the frayed area will never mend correctly anymore than you can repair a frayed rope t being as good as new.

I recently went through this sort of thing with my gelding. We were pretty sure it was a bow and that it was the end of his career. Turned out to simply be a hematoma on the tendon. I iced for 20 mins in the mornings, and sweat for 12 hours over night. 4 grams of Bute. Every day for about 2 months. Finally I pulled his wrap, let the darn thing swell, and then sure enough it was fine. He was completely sound through this whole ordeal though, and the vet insisted that he remain in work while it was healing. Only now (nearly 4 months later) does it look relatively normal.
The first picture is of the injury right when it happend, after he had just been ultrasounded. The second picture is of the leg now... which I actually took yesterday after we had jumped around a bit.