Flexible Tendon Syndrome

[horsedude]

I am dealing with what I think is Flexible Tendon Syndrome in some foals this year, and am desperately seeking any information I can find on this, as fast as I can.

I have found an article that stated there was a great article written in the Miniature Horse World, in the August/September 1994 issue called "Whickey Leg Syndrome". If anyone would have this issue and would be able to fax a copy of it to me, I would be so greatfull.

Any information anyone can provide me would be extremely helpful. Please feel free to P.M. me if you like. Thanks in advance!

 

[Charlotte]

Unfortunately I threw away all my old Worlds when we moved.....dumb thing to do!

What you are talking about seems to be quite common in miniature foals. I can't help but wonder if a lot of them aren't a bit dismature. We used to have this quite a bit in our foals till we changed our feeding program and for the last 2 years our foals have had wonderful straight strong legs at birth and from then on.

We found the best way to manage it was confinement to a fairly small area till the tendons became stronger. We stall our horses at night and these foals were turned out just 30 minutes or an hour the first few days till we were seeing improvement. We also limited the turn out to a small paddock so baby didn't get too tired following mom all over creation. Getting tired seemed to make it worse. When the foal was a week old we would begin supplementing it with Rejuvenaid or Foal Aid (primarily vitamins ADE & selinium) and this seemed to help quickly. By the time baby was a couple of weeks old the legs were fine.

I hope our experience with this gives you some ideas.

Charlotte

 

[Little Bit]

I'm wondering if you are talking about tendon laxity? Where the foal is rocked back onto the bulbs of it's heels instead of being up on it's hooves like it should be? Some foals are born walking on their fetlocks instead of their hooves or rolling over onto the sides of their hooves. I have found that many times if these foal's hooves are trimmed correctly, they are able to get up onto their hooves, but some also need a little more help from the corrective shoes I make.

You can see lots of different pictures and stories of foals with leg problems on my website. Please feel free to contact me at:

[email protected]

The address for my website is in my signature below.

Charlotte, do you mind me asking what your feeding program is now?

 

[jlh]

you might also want to test your feed, hay & grass for selenium. lax tendons & muscles can be a sign of selenium deficiency, and contracted tendons a sign of selenium toxicity. because of the fine line between too little and too much, a vet consult may be in order to determine just how much supplementation may be needed. erratic weather conditions on the hay can also affect how much is absorbed by hay, and last year seemed to be a particular problem.

in my experience, particularly fine-limbed minis will show these effects more than stouter ones, as well.

we had a filly this year who didn't get straight until she was nearly two months old, and had received toe-trimmings about every two weeks, until her heels grew out to where we wanted them.

 

[Miniv]

In our area, lax tendons in newborns tends to be because of a lack of selenium in our soil. And we feed local hay. So we make sure our horses are supplemented with selenium in their feed. We also give each newborn a selenium and E shot.

We provide the newborns with plenty of room to play and run, plus trim their toes within a week of birth (or sooner if necessary). 99% of the time, foals with lax tendons will be up and normal in a matter of days.

MA

 

[HGFarm]

I had a foal born this year with very lax tendons on all four legs- he is now up and fine at a month old. It is actually the muscles that hold things in place that are weak, not the tendons. As the foals excercise and build muscles, up they come. I had had the mare 60 days prior to her foaling and she came from another part of the country that I am sure has different vitamin/mineral and feeds that we do here.

Nobody seemed to be able to pinpoint, in the articles that I read, why this actually happens for sure. I had contacted my vet- and she said to make sure his heels didnt get ulcerated, but give him as much excercise as he could stand out in the big lot... and what a difference!

I also noticed that this foal from birth, was trying to eat everything. Not just sucking on stuff like nursing, but trying to eat feed, dirt, and anything else he could find. Perhaps trying to make up for what ever it was he was lacking in?

You may want to analyze what you are feeding... have your vet help and take a look. Don't forget, Minis also need a bit more protein than the big variety- this was also in an article in MHW.

I will have to wait til I get home, to find that article..... unless someone here beats me to it and gets it to you.