Lame and in great discomfort, an 18-year-old Thoroughbred gelding came to Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center barely able to walk.

The horse's problem stemmed from a breakdown of both of his hind limb suspensory ligaments (the ligaments supporting the fetlock joints so they do not drop toward the ground).

The breakdown was so severe that each hind fetlock was dropped down to where it was almost parallel to the ground. Instead of a more normal 145 degrees, they were at 116 (left fetlock) and 125 degrees (right fetlock).

"I'd say (the horse's) condition was among the more severe that we'd seen, due to the acute nature of the problem and the severity of his pain," noted Dr. Jennifer Barrett, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS and assistant professor of equine surgery at Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center