horse with nerve damage

["Jeff and Anita Carlson" <ranger2@gate.net>]

A friends horse suddenly came up 3 legged lame.  she'd just been standing
in the pasture doing broodmare things.
Local vet did nerve blocks and x rays of lower leg and foot- nothing
diagnostic. 
She took her to Gainsville FL Vet School- they diagnosed nerve damage to
shoulder or upper leg, put her in a robert jones type splint and sent her
home w/ instructions to change it daily and massage the leg and shoulder.
they have no idea if this horse will ever walk on that leg again, also
worried about founder on the other front foot...

Has anyone out there had something like this happen? any comments? 
suggestions?  

At this point they are running out of money (and Donna's husband has run
out of patience) but she is willing to try to work w/ this mare if there is
even a chance she will get better.  As long as she can do things herself
for cheap- they are still paying vet bills on another horse who had to be
euthanized several months ago - have just had a lot of bad luck lately.

thanks for your help.
Anita Carlson
GA