June 7th. Two weeks after the op and Fred is still doing well. She is now turned out in a small paddock with her best friend Emily. They don't charge about, thank goodness, but Fred is getting a lot of slow, walking exercise daily, with the odd trot. She is much happier in herself and has grown 2 hands in her mind since the operation - she is full of herself instead of being the quiet mouse she was before, always worrying about her stifle catching - much happier.

Medial Patella Ligament Cutting - FRED

On 24th May, 2013, Fred had another operation on both stifles. This time, the ligaments were severed completely.
It was done at home as she has become much worse as far as locking is concerned, since the tendon splitting operation in early March, 2013. It was locking at every stride and she could not balance in a trailer or lorry for transport to the Vet as she could not unlock her legs to balance around corners and would have fallen down.
When the stifle was opened, the ligaments were so tight that the Vet had a job cutting them! They had not been too loose at all, but too tight and this had prevented them from releasing the patella! The splitting operation had made them thicker, shorter and even tighter!!!!! No wonder she was WORSE!!!!
So, if your horse has an upward fixation problem, make sure that you find out if the Medial Patella Ligament is too loose or too tight BEFORE you operate to split the tendon!!!

Fred seems a lot more comfortable now and it is wonderful to see her walking around, striding out, no lameness at all and obviously feeling great again.
She has to have 15 to 30 minutes walking in hand twice a day for 2 weeks, then very limited turnout, (20 foot by 20 foot), trotting on week 4 and riding from week 6.

I will keep you posted.

Fred to have the medial patella ligament severed

After over 2 months, Fred's sticky stifle is worse than ever. It used to stick in the mornings, but would get better after working, but now it sticks all the time. The other one is also causing her trouble as well.

I have decided to get the ligaments severed completely as she can't go on like this. She can't even be transported to the Vet as the leg locks both forward and back positions and she couldn't unlock it fast enough to balance in a trailer. The Vet is having to come here to do it at home.

It is Fred's last chance, so keep fingers crossed. The op is next Wednesday, 15th May.

Fred's Sticky Stifle - 25/03/2013

The weather has been so awful that it has been difficult to excersise Fred at all. I have turned all 3 mares out together, so they have had a lot of exersise themselves as they compete for 'Who is Emily's Best Friend!' Unfortunateley, Fred is no better and has started to kick out with her 'good' hind leg as well, so it is upsetting her now. I had her on the lunge last Friday and asked her to canter briefly, but she 'bunny-hopped', bouncing on both hind legs at once and couldn't do it at all. At canter, she is a cripple. The Vet comes back from Holiday next week so we are going to look at our options then. It is so sad.

Fred's Stifle Problem - Day 12

No difference I'm afraid. Still catching every stride this morning on both hind legs this time. I can't help but think that the op is a failure. If she is not improving in another week, the Vet has agreed to sever both Medial Ligaments as the research that showed increased arthritis after this op was done on HEALTHY horses without stifle issues. Latest research on horses WITH sticky stifles to start with has found NO arthritis issues. They think it is because the affected horses have different stifle conformation to healthy horses and this limits the long term damage. I am not going to give up on her without a fight!!

Sticky Stifle - Days 10 and 11

Fred is still catching her off-side stifle on every stride first thing in the morning and if she has been standing eating hay for a while during the day. I lunged her Saturday and Sunday to free it off and then rode out on Bella (TB 6 yr old)whilst Beverley (a girl of 28, who has been coming here to ride since she was 11yrs old) rode Fred. Beverley didn't like to trot Fred as she could feel that she was "Lame", as she put it, but it was just the stifle catching slightly, so I told her to ignore it and push her on. We did an hour both days, but Fred is still sticky this morning. I am so dissappointed. The vet says to keep on, but he is not hopeful. I started to mouth Emily, my 8yr old 'Feral' Standardbred yesterday as she had her teeth done last week. I stsrt mouthing using a full cheek French Link snaffle and tie the head round to a roller - a small angle to stsrt with, so they can learn that they are restricted and cannot fight the bit laterally and win. This increases in angle, on both sides (10 mins at a time each day)for 4 days, untill they are almost touching the roller. This is only done for about 5 mins though. Emily was very good. She didn't resist much and started turning in a circle, which I like to see. She tries so hard to please that it almost makes you cry. If anyone could have seen Emily 2 months ago, literaaly climbing the walls of the stable every time someone went in, they would not believe how far she has come.

Sticking Stifle - Day 8

Fred's off-hind stifle was locked this morning. She was dragging it behind her, worse than I have ever seen. It is very cold here though  at -5 and I have noticed that it is worse in cold weather.

I had intended riding her round the 1 hour circuit and so I saddled her up and wlked her round a bit untill it freed off enough to mount. She has only had 15 rides in her life (she is not 4yrs untill May) and has not been ridden since November 2012, but she sttod stock still whilst I mounted - she is so honest.

Gavin, my husband, led Emily round and Fred's stifle eased off and was 100% fine after about 200 yards on the ride. She didn't put a foot wrong, bless her.

However, on returning to the yard and turning her out, it was catching again. Could it be that the extra effort put on the Quadrucep muscles helped during the riding?? That was my intention - to make them work harder and strengthen them more.

The farrier comes today to trim feet (all my horses are barefoot and fine on gravel) so I am going to ask him to trim back and square off the hind toes and lower the inside wall to try to alter the balance, as advised by the Vet. We shall see what happens.

I will lunge her this afternoon in running reins. Keep you all posted.