Breed: Thoroughbred (ottb)

In the beginning of October 15th my mare sliced the back of her left hind pastern whilst being lead through a field. We couldn’t find what cut her so its a mystery. Vet called straight away and treatment began. He cleaned wound, stitched and bandaged.

After 10 days the bandage and stitches were removed but the wound hadn’t completely heeled together. The day after the stitches were removed her leg filled and lameness had gotten so bad that she was barely able to put the slightest weight on it. She was treated for infection and the leg kept bandaged and pressure bandaged (cleaned everyday, cold hosed for swelling) This was my routine for the next 6 months, reducing to bandage change every 3 days and with regular visits from my vet.

He diagnosed that she had severed a portion of the ddft . He said she would be permanently lame, 2 out of 5 at best. The wound had developed proud flesh due to slow healing and although it had reduced from 2 inches wide to about half an inch it was reluctant to heal over and continued to seep synovial fluid.

By April 16th it had finally heeled a thin layer over the remainder but still seeped synovial fluid through this light flesh.

It was the middle of April before I finally heard of ArcEquine and I phoned to enquire and purchased the unit. I received it swiftly after and have not looked back since. Within 5 weeks of starting the ArcEquine treatment I was able to sit up on her and begin ridden rehabilitation in walk. In June 16th I brought her to an Equine hospital 3hrs away to get a second opinion. They trotted her up about 90% sound. They x-rayed and scanned the leg and could not find tendon damage but diagnosed adhesions in the sheath. They advised me to continue the rehabilitation plan I was following from ArcEquine, which involved slowly increasing workload. If that did not work then surgery was the next step. By July we got the go ahead to start canter work, by August we were including a small bit of jumping x-poles into our rehabilitation. Fast forward to Jan 17th and we have been continuing were we left off in October 15th and competing in showjumping and going cross country. We even got to the beach for a gallop in September 16th.

It’s amazing and I have no doubt the ArcEquine has brought her back to soundness. Having taken 6months to barely heal over before the Arc to taking just 5 weeks of using the Arc to be able to ride her again is unbelievable. My only regret is not having this device back in October 15th as she would have healed so much quicker in the first place. Due to photos being on my old phone, all I have from before using the ArcEquine are of when it was still slightly open and seeping synovial fluid. After starting the ArcEquine the wound had healed over, stopped leaking synovial fluid and proud flesh was reducing.

Last two photos are the barely visible scar as it is now and her back jumping.