When this promising 4yo Standardbred mare became suddenly lame during fast work her trainer was understandably quite concerned and contacted REVS immediately.
On examination she was found to be obviously lame in the front left and there was some swelling developing around the pastern and fetlock area. Several diagnostic tests were performed to investigate the cause of the lameness, as there were a number of possible diagnoses. Xrays were taken and showed clearly that the mare had fractured her pastern bone (or P1 bone).
Fractures of the P1 bone may occur in any type of horse used for performance, but more commonly in those that exercise at high speed. The P1 bone may fracture in a variety of ways including: chip fractures along the joint surface, sagittally or "down the middle" (as shown in this case), or comminuted(multiple fragments). The prognosis and treatment options vary depending on the type and extent of the fracture.
In this case, the fracture was able to be repaired by a specialist surgeon with the placement of two large screws across the bone. The screws act to stabilize the break and allow the bone to heal. With several weeks of box rest in a protective cast and bandage, followed by yard rest and a steady rehabilitation process this mare is expected to have a 70-80% chance of returning to racing.
