Slab Fractures

[Annie B]

I am looking at a 3 year old Tb,that had a slab fracture this spring.
He seems to be moving very sound.
He is free,I don't ever intend to jump him,I ride dressage,and I have a horse I like to jump,when the urge overtakes me!
Of course as we all know,there is no such thing as a free horse.
I talked to the vet who treated him,and he cleared him for dressage.
I would like to hear from other people about their experiences with this type of injury.
This is a nice horse and a lovely lofty mover,I just wonder how he would hold up.
Thanks.

[Roxyllsk]

I think it depends on where the fracture is and how bad it was to begin with. Maybe you could get a 2nd opinion from another vet about this (with xrays!) ?

[Buffyblue]

My friend got one some years ago with a slab fracture that did not have surgery. He followed his vet's rehab advice and the horse was fine. Good luck!

[Annie B]

Bumping this up,hoping for some more opinions!

[NancyM]

I had friends who had a slab knee fracture in a 3 yr old racehorse. Months of stall rest, and he raced on until he was about 10 years old, winning regularly. Adequately sound to do that. Other than size and location of the slab, how sound it comes in time is very much a "wait and see" sort of thing. If this horse is currently sound and healed, he may not be limited to being a non-jumping animal only because of this past injury. Perhaps he will not be sound until he dies of old age due to this injury, or perhaps he will be. It is difficult to forsee the future of a horse's soundness. The horse tells you how it is going to go as you try new demands of him, not the vet.

[HoneyB]

My OTTB has a knee slab fracture, repaired w a screw, & went back to racing after. He's sound & has been jumped up to 2'6". I want to do lower level eventing. (Obviously I did not know he had it when I purchased him, despite a PPE. No x-rays - he flexed fine. Live & learn!) That being said, I posted on a thread in the racing forum & other posters were concerned given that he came in with some swelling after turnout one day & it's never completely gone away. He's a sweet boy & mine for life, but I certainly would not buy another one w a slab fracture simply b/c of the risk - but I jump.

In the OP's situation - if he (1) had a history of being sound on it, (2) I wanted to do only dressage, (3) he was free, and (4) I knew I could afford another horse if he went unsound, then I'd consider it. (1) is most important to me - my guy raced numerous time after surgery & retired sound.

[certifiedgirl]

I have a mare that had a very severe slab fracture as a four year old. It was large and required surgery and I was warned by the surgeon that there might not be enough bone left to support her knee after she went in to remove the large slab.

The mare was still quite lame following surgery, and we had some issues later on that year when she slipped in mud and was sore again.

I didn't do anything with her for about a year and when I did ride later she seemed to have a little "hitch" in her trot. She appeared to be completely pain free however. I would have no trouble doing flat work or easy trail riding with her. I would not subject her to any high impact stuff like jumping.

She is now ten and is an absolute terror in the field, runs, bucks, and twists and turns like a 2 year old. You would never know that she'd been injured if it wasn't for the enlargement of her knee. The vets told me the knee enlargement was due to the surgery and not so much the original injury. I do think if the surgery could have been done arthroscopically or she had been able to rehab w/o surgery you wouldn't be able to tell she'd been hurt at all.

I think Roxysllk is right- it really depends on the severity and location of the original injury. My mare's was bad enough we had to consider putting her down, but she is servicably sound now- and such a sweet horse, I'm glad we could keep her around!

[flightinstructor]

I have a TB (now 11) who had a slab fracture in his knee at 3 when he was racing that was repaired with a screw. He has evented successfully (and soundly) through the CCI* level (3'7" x/c - 3'9" stadium). The knee has never caused a problem. Fortunately the fracture was repaired quickly and well, so it didn't cause any arthritis in the joint.