An equine catastrophic (breakdown) injury refers to a severe musculoskeletal injury in an athletic horse, resulting in an acute lameness. These injuries happen during racing, training or eventing.
The main signs of a breakdown injury include
- the horse suddenly pulling up lame (often 4/5 or 5/5 lame)
- a crack possibly heard at the time of injury
Most commonly, these injuries are found in the lower limb, in the fetlock region and/or the foot but also occur in the knee, hock, pelvis, or upper limbs. Such injuries include fractures, a ruptured suspensory apparatus, ruptured tendons and/or ligaments.
"My horse can bear weight so there can't be a fracture".
This is a common misconception; until the limb has been assessed by a vet, it is important that first aid be carried out.
What to do
- Ideally, there will be a vet present at events, who will be able to attend quickly
- If not, call a vet as soon as possible and in the meantime:
- Apply a well-padded, large, firm Robert Jones bandage (see below)
- Confine the horse to limit movement
- Do not give any medication until you have spoken to your vet - If you have to transport your horse a short distance to the nearest vet clinic, the Robert Jones bandage is a suitable support bandage for transport.
How to apply a Robert Jones Bandage
- Apply multiple (2-4) layers of padding (usually gamgee or cotton wool)
- Between each layer of padding, apply a firm compression bandage (usually Vetwrap or Elastoplast)
- The bandage should be of even thickness from top to bottom.
- Ensure the bandage extends to include the joints above and below where the
likely damage is. For example, in the case of a pastern fracture, the bandage
must extend from the hoof to the knee (carpus).
- If the limb is unstable, splints can be placed medially and laterally within the bandage, for added support.
This is best done by a veterinarian as an incorrectly applied bandage can do more harm than good.
