February 2003

Finding Hope For Suspensory Damage

Of all the problems that can affect a horse, suspensory damage is one of the worst, especially if it includes a syndrome called DSLD.

This is a 26-year-old Thoroughbred cross gelding with DSLD in both hind legs.

Like tendons, ligaments are composed of connective-tissue bundles made primarily of collagen with some elastic fibers as well. In a ligament, the connective tissue is arranged in parallel sheets bound together tightly. The strength of a ligament is the sum of the strength of each of these sheets. Healthy ligaments have a generous margin built in between the loads they normally withstand and what it takes to damage them. However, during a progressive training program, the ligament may undergo a series of minor injuries/disruptions that lead to the formation of a stronger and bigger ligament. …