A very sad abrupt end to our season :(

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Arniebear

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I cant quite believe i'm writing this, my last update saw us storm round Aston le walls last weekend not troubling the leaders at all but having a blast anyway. Post event i did my usual routine, day off after the event and then a nice leisurely hack the day after that. Unfortunately that hack - the same one i have done after every event this season didnt end well :( After a nice canter on a stubble we headed back to the main road to head home, i asked for trot on the road and realised rather quickly that i had a very very lame horse :(

Scan results have shown damage to a tendon in the off hind, the extent of the damage is unknown at the moment, he goes back in for a scan on friday when the swelling has reduced. To say i'm devastated would be an understatement. For anyone who has read my previous posts my lad tore his SDFT in the near fore back in 2013 where investigations also saw previous damage to the off fore (unknown to me when purchasing, he flew through a 5 stage vet), we had surgery 6 months box rest, 3 months field rest followed by extensive rehab. So this makes it 2 tendons in less than 2 years, he has only been competitively jumping since march this year, thats less than 6 months of jumping before he's broken down again :( I'm well aware that they may come back from one injury to compete again but 2 in fairly quick succession suggests to me that his legs simply cannot cope with the level of work required for low level eventing, we were only at the dizzying heights of 90.

My lovely 7yr old's eventing career is over, he wont jump again, I wont risk his final leg going. I'm unsure exactly what i'm going to do just yet, will probably just turn him loose for a year or so with hope that he will come back to a quieter career of dressage in time, i'm not sure either of us can endure another 6 months of box rest. In the mean time i may look for another to attempt to event - i'm clearly not having much luck but the tables have to turn soon right?

So sadly that is it from us, thanks for reading my ramblings i am once again going to know all of the vets at my practice on a first name basis!
 
I feel your pain, my mare has done 3 legs in 2 years, though one was a bone. It's absolute poop isn't it. Just when you get going again, fate strikes another blow :(

Can you ask about doing his rest in a pen this time? I haven't done any box rest with this leg, she's been in a little pen in the field or yard since May and is much much happier about it all. So am I tbh, box rest caused me as much stress as it did her.

Can only offer tea & sympathy though really xx I was ready to retire mine with this last injury but the vets have been pretty positive, so it's just more time and more patience, and more rehab. Fingers crossed for Friday, I'll be thinking of you. Hopefully it's not as bad as you fear.
 
milliepops said:
I feel your pain, my mare has done 3 legs in 2 years, though one was a bone. It's absolute poop isn't it. Just when you get going again, fate strikes another blow :(

Can you ask about doing his rest in a pen this time? I haven't done any box rest with this leg, she's been in a little pen in the field or yard since May and is much much happier about it all. So am I tbh, box rest caused me as much stress as it did her.

Can only offer tea & sympathy though really xx I was ready to retire mine with this last injury but the vets have been pretty positive, so it's just more time and more patience, and more rehab. Fingers crossed for Friday, I'll be thinking of you. Hopefully it's not as bad as you fear.
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Thats the thing you just get going again and then back to square one :( Sorry to hear that yours is out of action too :(

He's in a pen in the field atm as he put a hole in his stable! (he loves box rest that much!) The main problem will be winter as nothing stays out at our house during winter so he will still have to come in and then go back out into a pen in the day, which is not much fun anyway. There's a place just down the road from me that has 20+ acres full of broken and retired horses so i think for his sanity and mine it would be easier to turn him away down there to be a pony for a bit and then i'll bring him home and try and start again in a yr or so. There's possible talk of surgery atm so i will see what comes from fridays scan and the decide what to do, it may be a case of surgery, few weeks box rest to recover from the surgery and then turn him out. I turned my previous broken horse (i did mention i wasnt having much luck right?? this one was purchased to replace the last broken one.... so im doing well!!) out down there in 2012 and he came back looking better than ever, nothing comes and goes from the field they all just live there so he's got more of a chance of staying quiet down there than at my house where he will be in and out with the rest of our loony lot who always hoon about when first turning out in the morning in winter.... must be the cold air!

Thank you, but tbh regardless of the state of his leg, i still dont think he's worth risking jumping again, i worship the ground he walks on so id rather have him as a dressage pony, then jump him again and royally break him for good so hopefully he will take to life as a dressage pony, we were doing quite well at it so i dont think he would mind too much!
 
Turnout sounds like a good plan then :) yes a stable herd can really help with that kind of thing and Dr green can work wonders.

Mine doesn't jump any more either. Apart from over the field gate, or the electric fence....green. after the last leg went I've been super fussy about going, surfaces, etc etc. She mangled herself in the field instead! Sodding horses. Never ending heartbreak. Good job they are awesome when it's going well.

Oh and I'm sure you'll love your dressage. The right horse makes it just the most rewarding journey and I don't miss the eventing adrenalin (much)
 
milliepops said:
Turnout sounds like a good plan then :) yes a stable herd can really help with that kind of thing and Dr green can work wonders.

Mine doesn't jump any more either. Apart from over the field gate, or the electric fence....green. after the last leg went I've been super fussy about going, surfaces, etc etc. She mangled herself in the field instead! Sodding horses. Never ending heartbreak. Good job they are awesome when it's going well.

Oh and I'm sure you'll love your dressage. The right horse makes it just the most rewarding journey and I don't miss the eventing adrenalin (much)
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Eurgh its even more annoying when things go wrong in a field, they are meant to be in a field so they shouldnt be injurying themselves out there :( I was being fussy with him this time round! People kept telling me to just do stuff and stop worrying..... you can never stop worrying thou! Makes no odds how fussy i was it still went wrong! I can only assume that as he doesnt have bad conformation that perhaps he simply has weak tendons, shame that sort of thing doesnt come up on a vetting eh? would have saved me some heartache at least!

Mind you i dont regret buying him in the slightest he's still taught me alot and although he cant fulfill my life long dream of eventing i will still class him a horse of a lifetime :)

Thats my only worry, I'm sure he will take to dressage but its not my forte! So my bonus from work may just have to go towards another to event/jump we shall see thou im not rushing into anything will just see how things go on friday and take it from there
 
Oh no..... I'm so sorry. Absolutely heart-breaking. Unfortunately, I think that most of us who compete have been there at some point - gutting for you.
 
So sorry to hear this. You have been so patient with him already and I agree with your thoughts on another 6 months box rest. I'm at a similar stage with my boy, he was going better than ever, looking forward to the summer season and then he does a tendon. Typical horses. Can't bare seeing all the stubble fields around here and I can't even get on the poor boy.
 
oh no! so very sorry to see this. You don't deserve this, you love your boy so much! But he is lucky to have such a caring owner. Good luck with the recovery x x
 
Sorry for everyone going through this. One of ours, our best horse ever, broke his jaw badly in two places. We got over the trauma of that and decided to have another go at eventing. It was very wet so we were short on fast work prior to his first event so took him to the beach. He had a ball then when cooling off paddling in the sea he hit a hole and stumbled. The end result was he had damaged a tendon - a good period of rest and shock wave therapy means we now have a sound horse but have abandoned all thoughts of eventing. Three seasons off meant he was likely to be so wound up (he was always very reactive to the atmosphere at events) and he had always been strong xc we decided it wasn't worth the risk. Amazingly he has adapted well to being semi retired and is still a much loved member of the family.
 
Gutting. Poor you and poor horse. I know what you mean about box rest, it is something I wouldn't want to repeat either!
Hope you find a good way to manage him and he has a full recovery.
 
I'm so sorry to read this sad update! :(

Is it worth getting your farrier and your vet to compare notes? I'm just wondering if one possible reason for apparently being prone to tendon damage might be related to hoof balance or to conformation?

All the best for his recovery, and a wise decision to think very hard about his ridden/competitive future.
 
So sorry! I too feel your pain, I've had 2 with hind proximal suspensories, one I lost after surgery failed, the other was my dream horse (my sig) I've had to retire her, both age 9.
I'm looking for a new mount now and it's horrible. I hate the lies and deceit , the lame horses with oblivious owners, as well as those that know and don't care
 
Poor Arniebear. Loved your reports too. Saw it on TE but didn't twig - doh!

Wishing him a good recovery and hope you can keep your optimism. Bleddy horses.
 
Absolutely gutted forb you,BUT!!!!!!! Never underestimate the powers of "Doctor green". I have seen so many horses make amazing recoveries with enough field rest . I have also had enough personal experience of the problem . My own point to pointer ,as a result of my own training mistake ,blew a tendon at age 7 ,yet he remained an active and energetic hunter the rest of his life ,after rest and recuperation. Rounding up sheep was wonderful therapy for him. PS .Box rest is mostely a waste of time and counterproductive.Good luck and hugs.
 
Oh dear what horrible luck! Your plan to turn him out in a herd seems a very good plan as he will have plenty to occupy himself with, rather than being within 4 walls and going mad through boredom and stress. Best of luck and let us know how you get on.
 
Arniebear said:
I cant quite believe i'm writing this, my last update saw us storm round Aston le walls last weekend not troubling the leaders at all but having a blast anyway. Post event i did my usual routine, day off after the event and then a nice leisurely hack the day after that. Unfortunately that hack - the same one i have done after every event this season didnt end well :( After a nice canter on a stubble we headed back to the main road to head home, i asked for trot on the road and realised rather quickly that i had a very very lame horse :(

Scan results have shown damage to a tendon in the off hind, the extent of the damage is unknown at the moment, he goes back in for a scan on friday when the swelling has reduced. To say i'm devastated would be an understatement. For anyone who has read my previous posts my lad tore his SDFT in the near fore back in 2013 where investigations also saw previous damage to the off fore (unknown to me when purchasing, he flew through a 5 stage vet), we had surgery 6 months box rest, 3 months field rest followed by extensive rehab. So this makes it 2 tendons in less than 2 years, he has only been competitively jumping since march this year, thats less than 6 months of jumping before he's broken down again :( I'm well aware that they may come back from one injury to compete again but 2 in fairly quick succession suggests to me that his legs simply cannot cope with the level of work required for low level eventing, we were only at the dizzying heights of 90.

My lovely 7yr old's eventing career is over, he wont jump again, I wont risk his final leg going. I'm unsure exactly what i'm going to do just yet, will probably just turn him loose for a year or so with hope that he will come back to a quieter career of dressage in time, i'm not sure either of us can endure another 6 months of box rest. In the mean time i may look for another to attempt to event - i'm clearly not having much luck but the tables have to turn soon right?

So sadly that is it from us, thanks for reading my ramblings i am once again going to know all of the vets at my practice on a first name basis!
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I feel for you and your horse as this happend to be nearly 3 years ago when my boy did his tendon sheath 3 months after loosing his mum, he is still not right now but we are going forward to try.


We started with 1 10 minute walk in hand up yo 3 x a week 45 mins walk then a 1 minute trot then 2 up to 3 one minute trots before it broke down again. It broke down 3 more times and hand steroids each time.

I did follow the vets advice 1 month off then start again which we did with steroids 4 separate times and it broke down.


If I could rewind the clock I would have done what I decided off my own back in Feb this year. 3 months of total field rest coming in in part time and he cam back sound - now taking it very very slowly. Is on Tendonese supplement and now on 4 times a week walk - 2 with a rider

I suggest minimum 3 months off completely the reassess him - 6 months off don't try any form of walking or riding. Fingers crossed for your wee boy
 
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Thank you everyone for your kind words. He's a tad miserable in his little pen atm but unfortuantly he is stuck in there until fri and then i have to find someone who can take him on full livery box rest for a week as annoyingly i have a holiday booked! He is getting spoilt with bananas thou! He loves bananas!

In answer to your question spookypony, he actually has good conformation, he's bred to sj with some good bloodlines, he flew through a 5 stage when i brought him with no comment on confo, my vet nor farrier has ever said that may be a factor. It was a massive factor in my TB's injury back in 2012 so when purchasing this lad i made sure i checked his confo when vetted and by knowlegdeable friends before i purchased, i guess its just one of those things.
 
So sorry to read this :( you must be so gutted. I hope he recovers well. The power of Doctor Green will hopefully do him good, I think you're doing the right thing x
 
So sorry to hear this, and good luck for the recovery. Having had mine on box rest for a tendon I think field rest is exactly the right thing to do - it's certainly the route I'll go down if I'm ever in that position again. Big hugs - and I hope you manage to enjoy the holiday!
 
Sorry to hear this, i had a abrupt end to my season after Frickley, and my mare has had surgery for kissing spines.
Her stitches come out tomorrow so can i ask about pen rest, how big do you make the pens because she is very stressed on box rest, as am I ! She has RAO so normally lives out 24/7.
Thanks
 
rosiesmumof4 said:
Sorry to hear this, i had a abrupt end to my season after Frickley, and my mare has had surgery for kissing spines.
Her stitches come out tomorrow so can i ask about pen rest, how big do you make the pens because she is very stressed on box rest, as am I ! She has RAO so normally lives out 24/7.
Thanks
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sorry your season has finished too :( hope your mares recovery goes well. with a pen i use electric poles and tape usually 8 poles spaced out evenly, a standard stable is 12x12 so walk out 12 steps turn 90° and walk another 12. mines in a bigger pen atm as he's soo quiet anyway i figured it wont make that much difference considering im planning on turning him loose in a 20 acre field very shortly!
 
How annoyingly frustrating for you! Personally I would keep him in his pen as long as you can then send him off to the wild with the others down the road. Giving him as long as possible quietly healing.

My big chestnut TB put a 50% hole through his SDFT taking out the tendon sheath as well on his right hind round the fetlock joint! He doesn't do things by half does our Hocamaffe! Surgery was not an option as he had no tendon sheath to hold owt in with! After 5months straight in a box he escaped and spent 45mins galloping and jumping between fields. Got him scanned a few days later and he had filled his hole in and the sheath in with tendon fibre! He had 5% left to fill so another 2 months in a box before walking. But Jeff takes box rest very well. So long as he has his lick and his hay he is happy! I gave him MSM 10,000 in his feed or 6 months. whether it did anything for him or not who knows but Jeff was 14yo at the time of this injury so no spring chicken! His leg healed beautifully.

He has redone the leg and is 2months into his box rest. Again couldn't care so long as he has food. This time he has 2 small holes. a 15% and a 20% on his other side of his tendon. He is now 18yo. We rescan in a month and I am hoping he comes back sound like he did last time.
 
EKW said:
How annoyingly frustrating for you! Personally I would keep him in his pen as long as you can then send him off to the wild with the others down the road. Giving him as long as possible quietly healing.

My big chestnut TB put a 50% hole through his SDFT taking out the tendon sheath as well on his right hind round the fetlock joint! He doesn't do things by half does our Hocamaffe! Surgery was not an option as he had no tendon sheath to hold owt in with! After 5months straight in a box he escaped and spent 45mins galloping and jumping between fields. Got him scanned a few days later and he had filled his hole in and the sheath in with tendon fibre! He had 5% left to fill so another 2 months in a box before walking. But Jeff takes box rest very well. So long as he has his lick and his hay he is happy! I gave him MSM 10,000 in his feed or 6 months. whether it did anything for him or not who knows but Jeff was 14yo at the time of this injury so no spring chicken! His leg healed beautifully.

He has redone the leg and is 2months into his box rest. Again couldn't care so long as he has food. This time he has 2 small holes. a 15% and a 20% on his other side of his tendon. He is now 18yo. We rescan in a month and I am hoping he comes back sound like he did last time.
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i did all of that last time and really not prepared to do it again, its not fair on him, at least last time he had a chance of coming back to jump, but when 3 out of 4 legs have suffered a tendon injury by the age of 7 the futre doesnt exactly look that bright. if he had lasted more than 6 months of jumping before he broke down again i might have tried again but i think its fairly evident his legs cant handle it which really does suck, but at the end of the day id rather he had a few years out and came back as something. hope your lad heals well
 
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