HORSE HEALTH Cutting’s signature moves earn high scores, but can sometimes lead to suspensory ligament injuries.
not very good. Which is good for strength, but bad when you want things to heal.” The suspensory is a support apparatus for the fetlock joint, Arnold said. Its job is to keep the fetlock from hyperextending, preventing the fetlock from dropping all the way to the ground. In cutting horses, the stressors of working in deep sand can sometimes lead to its injury.
Staying Sound
Suspensory injuries are a serious issue. Learn how they can be diagnosed, treated—and possibly prevented. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABIGAIL BOATWRIGHT
T
o perform at their peak, cutting horses need to be sound and healthy. Unfortunately, the nature of our sport means the potential for injury to the suspensory ligament area. Cutting competitor Kenton Arnold, DVM, explains how this part of the horse can be injured, how it can be treated and how to reduce the chances of injury in the first place. SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT: STRENGTH AND SUPPORT In the front legs, the suspensory ligament runs from the carpus—the knee—to the 44
CUTTING HORSE CHATTER • JANUARY 2021
fetlock. In the back legs, the ligament runs from the hock down to the fetlock. “There’s a tendon complex that incorporates the superficial digital flexor tendon and the deep flexor tendon,” Arnold said. “The suspensory is just in between the tendon complex and the cannon bone.” The suspensory ligament does not have a tendon sheath with fluid around it—so it doesn’t move like a tendon. This ligament is incredibly tough, but it takes more time to heal. “The suspensory is one of the strongest soft tissues in the body,” Arnold said. “The fibers are very well aligned. There are not many blood vessels, and the blood supply is
INJURY TYPES Arnold primarily sees two types of suspensory injuries in cutting horses. Front end injuries stem from the explosive pushing off and landing that epitomizes working a cow. They usually involve one of the branches of the suspensory ligaments, Arnold said. In the hind legs, he often sees high suspensory injuries. “In cutting horses, we really want those horses to shift their weight to the rear end, whether they’re stopping hard or picking their front end up to move across the cow,” Arnold said. “That puts a lot of strain on the upper suspensory in the hind end, which ties in with the hocks.” These high suspensory injuries are much more difficult to diagnose than the front end injuries, Arnold said. Arnold said it’s important to note that there’s a difference between a sore suspensory ligament and a suspensory injury—and it’s crucial to know which issue you’re dealing with. “With a sore suspensory, you can do a cold saltwater therapy and shockwave treatment, and you can continue to show your horse, unless he’s truly lame,” Arnold said. “But if you have lameness due to an injured suspensory ligament, you’re liable to ruin the rest of his career [if you continue to ride]. Those things are very serious. A veterinarian should always be involved if you think there’s an issue with the suspensory ligament.” DIAGNOSING INJURY A lameness exam is the first step to a correct diagnosis. Beginning with determining which leg is lame, your vet