Case Studies
Case Study A (Rupert) Superficial digital tendon injury
Rupert, a 6 year old race horse, stopped training due to a little bit of heat and swelling in his fore limb. Following a ultrasound scan, which revealed a big rupture in his tendon. (picture A).
After discussion between owner, Vet, and Daisy, Rupert was put on a strict rehabilitation programme to give him the best possible recovery. This involved 24hour care and physiotherapy using pulsed magnetic therapy, ice boots and magnetic bandaging, as well as box rest.
After just 2 weeks, a further scan revealed great improvement, the rupture had halved in size and healing was quicker than anticipated (picture B).
Rupert continued his treatment and started controlled walking, the forelimb was re scanned after a further 3 weeks revealing the rupture was virtually healed (picture C).
The treatment continued for a further two weeks to ensure that the rupture continued to heal. when rescanned it was found that the rupture was healed. Further discussion between Owner, Vet, and Daisy, agreed a programme to strengthen the tendon to return back to full work.
Case Study B (Gracie) Bi-Lateral lameness
Gracie, a winning show pony, regularly competes at a international level, became lame after a show. The vet saw Gracie a couple of times and did different lameness work ups. Gracie was not making improvement and the Vet then referred Gracie to Daisy for physiotherapy.
Daisy found Gracie was very tight throughout her whole body, and had a lot of tension through her gluteal muscles and hamstrings. After a full body session and one session working specifically on her hind quaters with electrotherapies improvement was starting to be seen.
After just two further physiotherapy sessions Gracie was sound and was back competing. Gracie completed her treatment with a further two sessions to ensure she was working to her best of her ability. She continues to have regular physio sessions to keep her performing to the best she can.
Case study B Mia past injuries and confirmation.
As a yearling Mia had a stable accident which resulted in damage to the stifle ligaments which required surgery.
At 4-year-old Mia went to start her ridden education, and on her first day she fell over backwards in the stable resulting in her breaking her withers. When she came back to the yard, to start her ridden education, Mia was very weak. Her stifle injury on the right hind, caused her to have severe right hind rotation. Mia then had a break from work.
At the age of 6, her owner was told that Mia was very difficult to deal with and was unsure how far her ridden education would go. Mia was very sharp with a tendency to do a lot of napping and continually wanted to work on 3 tracks, with her hind quarters tracking right, due to her rotation in the stifle.
With the help of Daisy, Mia started a programme involving lot of work on the long reign, lunge lines and working on straightness, strengthen work and working on getting Mia to move forward. A lot of time was spent correcting Mia’s movement and working on ways for Mia to correctly work comfortably. Mia also has remedial farriery and started regular physiotherapy sessions.
All this training has enabled Mia’s ridden education and temperament to improve dramatically. However due to Mia’s conformation with a stifle rotation, she easily becomes very tight and sore through her back.
Using regular physiotherapy and a lot of hard work by her owner, Mia was able to start unaffiliated eventing. The following winter she was able to start British Dressage and now competes up to novice. Mia then started to compete at British Eventing, in her first season she got placed 3rdin BE90 and was placed in BE100.
Since then Mia had a slight set back with gastric ulcers, causing secondary back pain and discomfort which affected her performance. Alongside ulcer treatment she had extra physiotherapy to resolve her back pain, enabling her to improve. Mia’s recovery has now enabled her to continue competing at BE novice level, aiming for 2* and competing in dressage up to BD medium.
Due to Mia’s past injuries she continues to have regular physiotherapy which enables her to compete at the high level she does.
