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Post by bustersgirl on Dec 28, 2016 15:17:34 GMT
Need some advice.
I have a stunning 14.2 conny gelding that is now 9 years old. I bought him off his breeder as a 3 year old, backed him myself and brought him on slowly. He took a long time to mature and get his head in gear but hes an absolute saint and I would trust him with a baby. His temperament is to die for and hes a pleasure to own. I could put him on the m62 in rush hour and he wouldn't bat an eye lid. However, when he was 4, he tore a suspensory ligament on the front. I have no idea how he did this and can only presume it was in the field. He had the normal vet treatment (box rest, in hand walking, PRP injections, cartrofen, shock wave.) He recovered well and after 7 months, we were back very lightly hacking. He slowly progressed then another 8 months later, he managed to tear his other front suspensory. He is booted, wrapped up in cotton wool and doesn't run around in the field. I put this down to bad luck. This time the tear was very small and with another 6 months box rest and slow in hand walking he came sound. 10 months went by and he went lame again. My vet did the usual investigation and nerve blocks and we ascertained that both suspensories looked great. He went for an MRI and the results confirmed that he had minor inflammation around the tendons holding his navicular bursar in his hoof. This was diagnosed last March. We box rested, in hand walked and he had 2 steroid injections. He slowly came back 99% sound and my vet advised to now work him through the remaining lameness and build him back up. We are now 7 months on and he is lightly hacked 3 times a week. We duly make the trip down to my instructors yard once a week and I work him on a straight line in trot, walking round the short sides. Some weeks hes ok, other weeks hes not. He is only lame on 1 rein on a tight bend, however, last week he was worse than hes been for a while. I am at my wits end and feel trapped in my situation. I love him dearly and cant afford to keep 2 horses either money wise or time wise. I have given him everything, all my love, patience and sheer will power to get him sound and its not working. Hes now had £15,000 in vets fees and £3000 of my own money. We have an appointment with Robrecht Nochart, the British team vet next week and I am dreading the outcome. I am seeking advice as to what to do. Hes now 9 and we have never managed to complete a full showing season. I am getting depressed at the yard watching everyone else having fun showing, competing, going on farm rides. Do I give him a year off to see if that helps? Do I retire him and put up with my situation or do I try and find him a loving home as a companion? ( I don't know if I could do this or if I could even find this type of home) What would you do??
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Post by sjw87 on Dec 28, 2016 17:08:20 GMT
In all honesty, if he were mine I would turn him away for 6-12 months. Rug if necessary but no shoes, no boots, no wrapping up in cotton wool. Feed if necessary (eg. A balancer) and try and keep his weight at a good level - if he puts on too much weight, try to increase movement with a bigger, barer field than a small, rich paddock.
If he improves, brilliant. If he stays the same then you have the same options of retirement/happy hacker as you do now (although this opens up whole host of difficulties in finding a genuine home). If he's worse then you have an answer.
Whether my above suggestion is feasible for you, I don't know. I'm lucky as I rent a yard and have multiple horses so have the space to turn away and have other horses to keep me busy.
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Post by brindlerainbow on Dec 28, 2016 18:39:49 GMT
I think if he were mine I would seriously consider calling it a day and having him PTS. Turning him away for a year probably won't achieve anything. If he has torn a suspensory in the field once there's a high chance he might do it again and then you are back to square one. Since being broken he has spent more time unsound and on box rest than he has being ridden, £18,000 down the line and the pony is still unsound!! You have done absolutely everything you can do with no expense spared by the sounds of it. You can retire him and keep him as a pet but you know that he will continue costing you a lot of money in vets bill and you will still be watching all your friends going out having fun with their ponies and you won't be able to join them. Finding him a home as a companion will be hard, not many people will want to take on a pony that is constantly needing veterinary treatment, also if he is wanted as a companion and tears a suspensory again while out in the field and needs box rest then he is no longer any good as a companion. It's a very hard decision to make and I'm guessing you will know more once you have your vet appointment next week. Just remember ponies don't have any concept of the future, he won't be thinking about the summer and warmer weather or wondering if it's going to rain next week, so hard as it sounds having him PTS you won't be cutting short his future plans because he doesn't have any ( hope this makes sense ). Also you need to think of yourself and what enjoyment you are getting from this pony, of course you love him dearly but it doesn't sound like you are getting any pleasure from owning him, just a lot of expense, heart ache and disappointment. Good luck
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Post by maxandpaddy on Dec 28, 2016 19:56:40 GMT
I'm with sjw87 ....if possible I'd turn him away to be a horse for 6-12mths with as little intervention as possible, my brain being if he cant cope living as a horse should THEN its time to make a very hard decision about whats the best thing to do, for you both
Its so upsetting and unfair xxx hugs and best of luck next week xxx
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Post by bustersgirl on Dec 28, 2016 19:59:10 GMT
I have considered having him pts. My vet Has certainly made it clear that he wouldn't have spent the time or money that I have but understands that I love him. The thought of it makes me well up but I can't carry on in this depressing circle. Turning him away is an option as we have 365 days a year turnout however our ponies are spoilt and come in when the weather is bad and at night. I really wouldn't be in any different situation than I am now as I'm too scared to get on his back. I'm battling with the whole is it cruel to pts at 9 when he's not in constant pain thing. I also feel like I'm letting him down as I signed up to be his mum through thick and thin. Although there's been far more thick than thin. He was bought for workers and we've been over 1 jump in the last 3 years. He's on cortaflex and we've tried magnetic boots and equ stream bands. He's been away for hydrotherapy twice at nearly £500. You name it I've tried it. And I'm going to feel ridiculous parading my little 14.2 conny in front of a vet that overseas the care of Valegro types. I've even found d myself selfishly looking at hunters for sale and feeling so bad for doing it.
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Post by brindlerainbow on Dec 28, 2016 20:15:08 GMT
You have tried EVERYTHING you possibly can regarding vet treatment, there really isn't much more you can do. I stick by what I said previously that turning him away will not achieve anything, if the pony hasn't come sound after £18,000 worth if treatment then it's not going to. Also by turning him out for a year there is the chance of another torn suspensory ligament, all it could take is a windy day or the hunt coming past to excite him and he has a gallop round the field...... I had my much loved broodmare PTS aged 12, she lost weight drastically 2/3rds of the way through her pregnancy and showed mild colic symptoms 3 or 4 times a week, every week. I spent a fortune with the vet, she had endless tests which all came back that there was nothing wrong with her, she was wormed, had teeth done, was treated for ulcers, had steroids in case it was an inflammed bowel, had vitamin jabs every week for 3 months. She was bright eyed and ate well but looked like an RSPCA case. It broke my heart that I couldn't save her but the vets were stumped and hadn't ever seen anything like this ( my vets are equine specialists, they only do horses ), she didn't respond to any treatment. I battled on with her for 18 months before I called it a day.
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Post by sjw87 on Dec 29, 2016 8:03:21 GMT
Also by turning him out for a year there is the chance of another torn suspensory ligament, all it could take is a windy day or the hunt coming past to excite him and he has a gallop round the field...... For me, that's the point I would pts. Of course, if the OP decides to pts now, that's a far better option for the horse than passing on to a 'companion/retirement' home and risking him becoming one of the many who get buted up and sold on. However, the post was asking for personal opinions. If all the box rest, vet treatment and wrapping in cotton wool hasn't worked and the lameness is only low level, the only thing to be lost by trying turning away (if it proves unsuccessful) is time that could be given to another horse. Having said that, there are plenty of people looking for riders if being unable to ride is a major concern. If turning away is not an option then pts is far kinder and safer than letting him leave the OP's care. Sent from my SM-A300FU using proboards
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Post by robrocks on Jan 2, 2017 17:19:51 GMT
There are few people id trust for a hacking home, I found one of mine I'd loaned badly lame and his tack thick with grease from being over worked. I recently had one pts after treatments were failing rather than risk a similar fate for him.you have given your pony more opportunities than most would. If you can turn away try that first.if that wouldn't suit you or your pony I think you should consider pts x
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Post by tallyho71 on Jan 2, 2017 20:58:28 GMT
I really feel for you but reading your post I think you have tried everything possible for your boy to be sound and whilst 9 may seem young you have had no pleasure of riding him since broken. If the worst comes to the worst and I think you are expecting it, then please take some comfort in knowing that you have given him every chance possible, e polled every option and as some other members have already said there are so many unscrupulous people out there that to PTS is sadly a safer option for him as hard as it may be. Companion homes will be hard to come by for a pony with situation, take it from me, I have a 28yr old no longer fit for riding as he falls yet no genuine person wants him just to keep a horse company in a field, they all want to hack, scam for profit, breed, whatever and tbh I don't trust no one other than myself anyway to look after her. Wishing you something miraculous, take care and all the best Xx
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Post by bustersgirl on Jan 7, 2017 14:13:06 GMT
Thankyou everyone that commented on this. We went to see robrecht yesterday and he confirmed that he's never going to be worked/jumped again and need to retire as a happy hacker. He's not in pain but has arthritis also which I didn't know about. For the moment I am quietly searching for an older lady that I can trust (by recommendation etc) to have him on loan. He won't be going anywhere if I'm not 100% sure of the home. I actually have a lovely friend who may be taking him on and I know he will have an amazing life with her. If I can't find anyone I would rather pts than have him end up in the wrong hands. I'm slightly worried about insurance as his premium is going to go through the roof. I have already decided that if anything else goes Wrong it wouldn't be worth fixing. I don't mean that as awfully as it sounds so I'm thinking about taking vets fees off. What do you all think? Xx
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Post by mcnaughty on Feb 7, 2017 16:45:54 GMT
If you find a perfect loan home then that would be a wonderful situation but I would not be insuring again. Personally, I would make the mental decision and I would tell the loaner too that if the pony goes lame again in relation to tendon or ligament damage PTS would be my first and only option. You said earlier about letting him down and being there through thick and thin - personally I feel that that 'letting down' also applies to not making the right decision at the right time with regard to pts. Hugs xx
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Post by sjw87 on Feb 8, 2017 11:30:10 GMT
Very sensible decision, wishing you all the best x
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