Comments from Equestride clients around the world.
Khaleesi’s Story
300 days ago the only time I thought I would ride my mare again was in my dreams. Khaleesi, my now 6-year-old Dutch warmblood mare who I have raised since a yearling had a devastating injury. On a routine farrier visit, the farrier dropped his metal stand underneath her and it startled her. She stepped on the stand, flipping it vertical and severed her superficial flexor tendon on her right hind leg. This moment will haunt me forever. We came so close to putting her down, my husband and veterinarian encouraged me to wait. My Dressage Grand Prix goals for this mare were now reduced to pasture soundness
As an Orthopedic Specialist Physical Therapist myself, I quickly took to researching her injury, as I could not bear the concept of months of stall rest and casting. I likened it to an Achilles tendon rupture in a patient and was perplexed at the traditional rehab protocol for horses, as these would create incredible muscle atrophy, tendon wasting and an explosive stall bound horse.
Within 2 weeks, I had talked with Andrew Daly and Scott Rawson at Equestride in Ireland and had the Equestride Tendon Rehabilitation System shipped over to us in Michigan. It took just two days from order to delivery. A large wound and hyper- reflexia meant vet visits every 3 day for 5 months. Because of the severity of the injury, Khaleesi had to remain in the Equestride support 24/7. Andrew and my vet problem solved overall injury management. Andrew was on video call’s weekly in the beginning. Encouraging and advising throughout such a stressful time. My Husband and I built a shelter paddock the size of three stalls outside and put up small paddocks of varying sizes as she was gradually allowed more space.
As time progressed and the Equestride support level was decreased, hand walking began. We were still struggling with proud flesh caused by the initial injury inhibiting wound closure. Scott of Equestride recommended a topical product and within weeks, we were heading toward healing at the 6-month marker. We walked, and then trotted 30 -45 minutes daily, progressing gradually from high level support to low level support using the Equestride adjustable support system.
In April 2020 our Veterinarian, Dr. Matt Davis examined her again and expressed amazement at her rate of recovery and the exceptionally good quality heal. Now, 300 days later we are lunging 20 minutes, riding again, walk, trot and just beginning canter. My heart swells just to see her out in her herd, galloping across the pastures and behaving as a horse should. The riding is the icing on the cake and I cannot express enough gratitude towards Andrew Daly and his amazing brilliance in designing and managing the use of this unbelievable technology.
The rental cost of the Equestride Rehabiliation System was very reasonable. I knew that when I was ready to ship it back, Khaleesi would be ready to be done with it. I trusted Andrew’s advice and held onto it until we knew Khaleesi was ready to gallop without it. Thank you so much! We hope to travel from Michigan to Ireland to give you a hug! Ann
Diary of a tendon injury: 52-week strict rehab using the Equestride System by Farr and Pursey Equine Vets featured in Horse and Hound
You can read the Horse and Hound article here, and below Ricky Farr from Farr and Pursey Equine Vets in Buckinghamshire explains the use of an Equestride to successfully treat a tendon injury in an eventing horse.
Flexor Tendon Injury
“Tod was seen by one of my colleagues, Rita, with near full rupture of a SDFT in June this year. He is making fantastic progress, and when I scanned him in Sept the tendon is almost completely filled in, there is no fetlock hyperextension and the walking exercise in your fantastic boot is going well.
Emma is an extremely conscientious owner, and just wants Todd to live out the rest of his days happy in a paddock, riding him again would be a dream come true. “
Owner Emma Mathew and Vet H. Chloe Marsden, BSc BVSc CertAVP MRCV
United Kingdom 2020
Sesamoid Bone Fracture
“I would like to thank you so much for this rental. I now believe that we are able to get her back on the racetrack. The Equestride made a big and important difference for the healing of her injury, especially because she was quite fresh!”
Eliza Holt, Norway
Owner of Faksanka, a race horse who recovered from sesamoid bone fracture with the use of the Equestride 2020
Flexor Tendon Injury
“Ziggy’s recovery at age 24 has been quite miraculous. There was no SDFT to scan a year ago and now there is a very healthy looking tendon and also, a near normal looking leg!
One of the things that I really appreciated about using the Equestride was being able to provide Ziggy with turn out in addition to his controlled exercise, and knowing that the device would protect him when I wasn’t by his side. This made a fantastic difference to his quality of life, as well as to my peace of mind.
I would like to say how grateful I am to you for your Equestride. About twenty five years ago the horse I owned before Ziggy tore his suspensory ligament and the best we could do back then was injections and normal rehab which, sadly, was ultimately not enough. Twenty five years on and not much has changed with basic rehab – excepting for the way in which your Equestride device has now revolutionized controlled exercise and also turn out. Ziggy’s rehab has been so successful because of the use we have made of your Equestride. A heartfelt thank you Andrew.”
Viv Brooks, UK
Dedicated owner of Ziggy, a 24 year old success story! 2019
Chronic Flexor Tendon Injury
“Working closely with veterinarian Bert Seys we have used the Equestride successfully on a number of different cases over the last few years.
Our most recent case is a Belgian bred jumping mare, 9 years old. who’s owner, because of a lesion,decided to end this particular mares sports career and make her a breeding mare. That didn’t work so she came to us to try and get her on the right track to sport again.
We diagnosed a chronic tendinopathy with an acute lesion at the proximal aspect of the superficial digitla flexor tenon (SDFT). There was already a lot of scar tissue because of the long period of time. After treatments, laser and ultrasound therapy, we have built her up with the Equestride. The mare was very comfortable wearing the brace and the rehab has gone very well.
Currently she is working at 50% of normal flatwork and the tendon remains stable. She is able now to work without the Equestride and she will return home to continue the building up in training there.”
Penny Note and Bert Seys,
Stal Gremelso, Belgium 2019
Dropped Hind Fetlocks in a Pregnant Mare
“I used the Equestride on my pregnant mare Vienna with succes. I’m so grateful for the good recovery of my mare I wanted to share my story about the Equestride. My pregnant mare had a terrible accident in which she injured her right hind leg very seriously. She went to the clinic and was treated there for two months. During the treatments she put her full weight on her left hind leg. The overload and the mandatory stable rest resulted in the collapse of the left hind leg. Ultrasound showed a severe rupture of the tendon (musculus interosseus).
So now both hind legs were injured! Unfortunately the clinic could not do anything for this left hind leg. The only “treatment” is mandatory stable rest and support by bandaging the leg and hoping it will all turn out good.
The ruptured tendon plays a major part in the suspensory ligament which supports the whole bodyweight of the horse. Pregnancy hormones have a negative influence in softening the muscles and tendons. Generally not such a good prospect for healing and regenerating the damage tendon. I thought there must be a better way to support the left hind leg. So I searched the internet, which resulted most of the time in support stockings for horses that are generally used for lymphatic drainage. Not for tendon injuries. Fortunately I found the website of Equestride. I contacted Andrew Daly of Equestride and we talked about what the Equestride could do for my injured mare.
Our plan was to strenghten the left hind leg and prevent further fetlock dropping as she was gaining weight due to the pregnancy. The device was sent to me and we made a Skype appointment with my vet and Mr. Daly to fit the Equestride on my mare. It is very important that the device fits well and needs to be supervised by a veterinarian. We consulted on a training program for my mare which was monitored by me, my vet and Mr. Daly. After a few weeks walking my mare by hand with the Equestride, it showed results! The left hind leg showed less fetlock dropping. It was working!
After Vienna gave birth a lot of weight was lifted from the left hind leg. But during the pregnancy the Equestride was a tremendous support and success! So if you have a horse that has tendon injuries or fetlockdropping I really recommend the Equestride. I hope my story helps many other horses (and their owners) with this type of injury.”
Sabina van Duijvendijk, the Netherlands.
Owner of Vienna and her foal 2016
Suspensory Desmitis in Broodmare
“The device has done a great job. My mare isn’t in foal anymore, because she got a beautiful foal!
Thank you so much for your help. I was so thankful the Equistride was the solution and Andrews help was the best we could get!”
Marije Francis-Bakker
The Nethererlands 2019
Suspensory injury
“Just thought that I would give you an update on Tay as it now been over two years since he first injured his suspensory ligament and just over a year since he was confirmed sound after using the Equestride boot.
Bottom line … He is fab! He is now schooling better than ever before working at elementary / medium level at home and finding the work easy. He is back out competing and out of the 3 competitions and 6 tests he has done over the last few months he has won 4 of them and been placed in the other two. To say I’m pleased with him is a massive understatement!!!!
So I guess I just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU for your dedication to getting him right! “
Hayley Schenn The Netherlands 2017