Chronic Suspensory Ligament Desmitis
- Case Study 11
Recovery from Chronic Suspensory Ligament Desmitis
Patient Profile
Age: 12-year-old
Gender: Mare
Breed: French Warmblood/TB
Ridden History: Former Level 4 Event Horse
Date of Injury: November 2024
Clinical History
Mare was put in foal in May 2024. Shortly after, she had a traumatic pull-back incident, which caused medial suspensory ligament strain (RH). The mare has long pastern conformation and radiographic evidence of flat pedal bone angles. Corrective shoeing was unsuccessful and the horse developed compensatory Fibrotic Myopathy. Shoes were corrected. During pregnancy started to exhibit bilateral hindlimb fetlock hyperextension (dropping) and compensatory weight shifting. LH fetlock swelling was noted in the final trimester with suspicion of LH suspensory branch re-injury. Despite clinical suspicion of Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD), a diagnostic biopsy for DSLD markers was negative. Pain management with Previcox. PRP and shockwave treatment were conducted after foaling. Kicked in the field by another horse, which caused muscle damage around the LH hip, which healed with rest.
Fetlock Angles in November 2024
EqueStride Treament
Start Date: 07.02.2025
Clinical findings at the time of the fitting:
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No pain on palpation
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Moderate swelling around both hind fetlocks
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Good skin condition
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20 degrees of fetlock hyperextension on both hind legs compared to normal at walk
Protocol:
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Acclimatisation phase: 20 minutes/ day with the EqueStride device on, one leg at a time on the lowest setting ( setting 1 ) for 7 days
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Week 2-3: Increase duration up to 2 hours/day using the device on one leg at a time on the lowest setting ( setting 1 )
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Week 4: Application of two devices at the same time on both legs up to 50 minutes/day on higher setting ( setting 2 )
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Week 5-8: Increase duration up to 4 hours/day on both hind legs on setting 2
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Week 9: Increase setting support to setting 3, but reduce duration by 1 -2 hours on both hind legs
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Week 10 - 12: resume 4 hours of wear on setting 3 on both hind legs
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3.5 months into treatment: Increase duration and support setting to setting 4 on both hind legs
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4.5 month into treatment: 7-8 hours of wear on Setting 3 and 4 on both hind legs
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5 months using EqueStride: Setting 4 for 8-9 hours/day
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7 months using EqueStride: small skin irritation started to appear, duration/day reduced
Finish Date: 28.10.25
Clinical response:
4 weeks post - treatment start date:
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No pain on palpation
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Swelling reduced
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10 degrees of fetlock hyperextension on both hind legs when at walk, -5 at stand still
5 months post - treatment start date:
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No pain on palpation
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Swelling reduced, no weight shifting
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10 degree of fetlock hyperextension on both hind legs at walk, 0 at stand still
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8 months post - treatment start date:
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No pain on palpation
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No swelling around fetlock
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5 degree of fetlock hyperextension at walk, 0 at stand still
Follow up - 3 months post treatment finish date: horse is turned out and doing 10 minutes of in hand walk 3x/week. Mare is very active in the field. No sign of worsening of the fetlock angles, goal is to strengthen mare to be ridden again.
Fetlock angles 3 months after EqueStride treatment finished: 27.01.2026