Where would you find the stifle on a horse?

The stifle is the area where the tibia (the bone that forms your horse’s gaskin) meets the femur (the bone that extends up to his hip) and it can be compared to our own knees – when you pick up a horse’s hind leg, the joint bends forwards, just as your knee does when you walk up stairs.

How do you tell if a horse has a stifle problem?

When stifle trouble strikes, the symptoms include heat, swelling and lameness as well as back and croup soreness, which are similar to those of hock problems, initially making diagnosis difficult, says Dr. MacDonald.

Where is the stifle?

The stifle joint (often simply stifle) is a complex joint in the hind limbs of quadruped mammals such as the sheep, horse or dog. It is the equivalent of the human knee and is often the largest synovial joint in the animal’s body. The stifle joint joins three bones: the femur, patella, and tibia.

How do you help stifle problems in horses?

For mild locked stifle cases, exercise and a balanced hoof trim may help your horse. Lack of fitness may cause weak muscles and ligaments, so simply conditioning your horse can sometimes help solve the stifle problem. 2 For severe locking, ask your farrier to “rocker,” or roll, the toe of the hoof.

Can you jump a horse with stifle problems?

A stifle injury could prevent you from riding your horse. You must first identify which area of the stifle was damaged and diagnose the cause before deciding to ride your horse. The stifle is a hinge joint similar to a human knee, except the human knee is upright, and the stifle is angled.

How does a horse get a stifle injury?

The stifle is considered the most complex joint in the horse’s body with a similar function to the human knee. Stifle injuries can result from repetitive stress, trauma, excessive use, changes in direction and rapid deceleration. Horses engaged in jumping and barrel racing are most at risk of these injuries.

What would causes a horse to drag his hind feet?

Horses drag their hind feet for many reasons, but the main influences are the rider, the horse’s conformation or shoeing problems. Low limb carriage, which can cause dragging of the toe, can be due to low heel, long toe foot conformation. Excessive toe wall thickness can also be a contributing factor.

What does locking stifle look like?

WHAT DOES A LOCKING STIFLE LOOK LIKE? In severe cases, the horse will be unable to flex the affected hind leg and may even drag it behind him. The leg looks ‘locked’ and the horse may have to kick out or move oddly to unlock his leg. In these cases, a locking stifle is hard to miss.

How much do stifle injections cost?

The cost of joint injections depends on exactly which and how many joints are being injected, but expect to pay for sedation and somewhere around $80-$100 per joint for injections as this is a very time consuming and supply consuming procedure by the time you have clipped and surgically prepped each injection site.

How long does it take for a stifle injury to heal?

These injuries are caused by trauma, and can be localised to the ligament due to pain and swelling over the affected area. These can be further characterised with ultrasound. The prognosis for mild sprains of the ligaments is good with 4-6 weeks of rest and a further 4-6 weeks of controlled exercise.

How do you treat a stifle injury?

Treating ligament injuries in the stifle is similar to how they would be managed elsewhere in the body. “ Rest, anti-inflammatory medications and maybe stem cells if we can locate and access the damaged area,” says Frisbie.

How do you strengthen a weak stifle?

Walking and trotting in straight lines and over ground poles is commonly the first step. Tail pulls to the side can be used to strengthen the tensor facia latae. And cavaletti are eventually incorporated as well. Simple additions to care such as cold hosing and NSAIDS are often used to help progress the rehabilitation.

Can a horse recover from a stifle injury?

Kaycee Monnens. In the past, an injury to the stifle joint of a horse may have certainly ended his or her career or usefulness. Now, with the ever-evolving science of veterinary medicine, afflictions to the joint have a much higher chance of being treated or even healed.

How do you stretch a horse’s stifle?

Stretching. Step 1: I flex the horse’s hip and stifle by lifting the hoof upward and forward. As you flex the joints, help the horse maintain his balance by keeping the lower leg toward the midline and the horse’s weight centered over the supporting leg. Each stretch should be held for 10 to 20 seconds initially.