A 14 year old Warmblood gelding was presented to Equine Clinic Burg Muggenh
ausen in March 1998 because of severe stiffness in the head and neck region
. Based on results of clinical and radiologic examination in conjuction wit
h digital radiograph development technique, the diagnosis was (frontal plan
e) fracture of the dens of the second cervical vertebra (C2). Follow-up exa
minations after twelve weeks and eighteen weeks of stable rest showed littl
e bone healing activity but the horse had improved clinically The owners we
re given advise on the severity of the fracture and on the risks of early r
eturn to exercise, such as neurologic deficits, a nd sudden death. However,
because the horse had improved clinically very rapidly, the owners decided
to return the horse to exercise and increased the level of exercise more r
apidly than advised. Less than one year after the initial injury the horse
was competing with success. In April 1999 a final radigraphic exam revealed
a healed fracture with minimal displacement of the dens and a clinically s
ound horse.