Absolutely heartbroken, need some advice!

M

mollypoppy4

Member
Joined
28 June 2013
Messages
10
Visit site
Need some advice as I'm needing to decide whether have my soulmate pts.
We've been through the wars over the past three years, we've been through the wars together but feel that I've hit a wall. She's sustained/diognosed:
Kissing spine (mild) - overcome with meso therapy.
Sacroiliac pain - steroids x2
Hock Pain - steroid x3
Promixal suspensory desmitis - surgery.
Stressed both front tendons
Sever Kick to Pastern - steroid took a long time to come sound and swelling to go.
She's been in rehab for a long time after all of her injuries and was doing brilliantly, but has just deteriated again! I'm gutted and incredibly upset, vets have said that they think it's either her left pelvis or left Pastern (which she's damaged) and have said it's very difficult to work with Pasterns as the recovery rate isn't great. Been given the option to just see how she goes, and that time may worsen or help but they cannot know or to let her go. Retirement isn't a option with all her issues as she stiffens up! Out of insurance money and now paying from the pocket. Breaking my heart at the thought of letting her go but I don't think she's ever going to come right. Anyone have any experiences with Pastern injuries or just any advice on the issue would be appricated? Many thanks!
 
So sorry hunny. No advice but didn't want to read and run.

I've had to make that call more than once. It hurts, but not as much as knowing your horse is hurting and not being able to stop it.
 
So sorry... I too have a horse who has a constant list of ailments so I know how draining it can be much as you love them. You know her best and she will tell you whether she wants to fight any more.... Have no regrets, you have done your best.
 
What a sad situation, OP. You will know in your heart of hearts when the time comes to PTS. Your horse will leave you in no doubt, much as you might be in denial.

When you make that decision, try to think of it as your final gesture of kindness to your beloved horse. You know you'll have done all you can.

Hugs.
 
Wow, she had certainly been through it.

If stiffening up were the only issue with retirement I'd be tempted to find somewhere you could just chuck her out 24/7 on retirement livery with company, that should be enough movement without work really, no? Not necessarily to look like a dressage diva but enough to be healthy. Never really understand the idea that horses can't cope with retirement... It is pretty much what they were designed for - ridden work isn't!

Obviously things are a bit more complicated here but following vet's advice to try wait and see sounds low risk unless you think she is in intolerable discomfort?

Plenty of us/our elderly relatives are stiff/ unsound but happily retired.
 
I'm sorry but quality of life is paramount and if we can't provide that then we do them a huge disservice by asking them to carry on solely for our benefit. Better a week early than a day late and I wouldn't have a clear conscience(if she were mine) to ask her to cope any longer.
 
Mollypoppy4, only you know at the end of the day what to do. You can't ask people who have never met your horse, do not know its full history, do not see it on a day to day basis to make such a decision. I feel your pain and your indecision, I really do, but please do not make your judgement based on anything (mine included) mentioned on this post.

My horse has had one rehab after the other after the other. He's got spavin which has been treated at a cost of thousands over the years, he has supposedly got coffin joint arthritis although he's only needed three steroid injections in 12 years with it, he also has had hundred of pounds spent on him with colic problems and I have just spent 6 1/2 months rehabbing from his third suspensory branch injury (all on different legs). He had colic a few weeks ago at a cost of over £700. At the moment he's come through it all but not due to luck but sheer bloody hard work and determination and lots of care, patience and bucket loads of money on insurance and out of my own pocket.

As you have found out with your lovely mare, horses overcompensate all over the place once they have an injured or sore area and one thing turns into something else and the horse inadvertently puts more weight on a different limb which causes more problems down the line - I know this scenario so well!

I will always know when its time to call it a day by my horses quality of life/reaction/body language. And of course I would always be guided by my vet who has been closely involved in the horses rehab of various conditions for the past 10 years or more. At the moment he is sound in walk, trot, canter, we are back jumping small x poles as part of his rehab and hopefully he will go on for many more years. He is fit, healthy and most important happy, ears pricked on hacks, enthusiastic whilst working. My horse is in the same catergory as yours in that he couldn't be retired for long as he would (in my vets words 'fall to pieces') he needs the steady work in order to stay sound and keep flowing and supple. Fortunately he has always come good but one day I will be faced with the same situation as you.


My advice in your shoes is to take a step back, give her more time and see what happens so long as she is not in pain or uncomfortable. You could use a good physio - an ACPAT registered one. If you are in the Midlands I can recommend a brilliant physio who will work in conjunction with your vet if necessary, she doesn't charge that much and can offer you weekly sessions if necessary and will give you an honest prognosis based on her findings. If she thinks its worth pursuing she will give you some exercises to try and keep your horse supple. I really can't rate her enough.

But like I said in my opening paragraph you, and only you, can make this decision. Not people who have never met you or your horse.

Don't rush into making a decision you may come to regret in the future. I wish you luck with whatever you decide
 
ThursdayNext said:
. Never really understand the idea that horses can't cope with retirement... It is pretty much what they were designed for - ridden work isn't!

Hi Thursday next. To understand this point its important to remember that horses will compensate in other areas for pain produced in an area of its body. This is my understanding of the situation based on in depth conversations with my vet and physio. This is why you may see a horse who has colic where the pain is centered in a particular area walk like a crab; by doing so they are trying to alleviate the pressure in the area that hurts by walking in a new way. If a leg is injured or sore the horse will shift the weight to another limb (sometimes the opposite limb, sometimes the diagonal limb) in order to take the weight of the damaged leg. A horse like the OP's (and mine) end up overcompensating all over the place as each new area is given a different load baring from what it is used to due to the horse attempting to take weight of the damaged limb. This load baring can take weeks to show up, or it can take place in minutes - as is the case of the example of the horse with colic.

All these areas are sore and will remain so unless treated with the intervention of anti inflammatories/ice therapy/physio and other suitable therapies. If a horse has multiple areas of overcompensation keeping it in regular work reduces the problems to an extent because the horse is moving and releasing tension in its body, reducing stiffness of joints and keeping its muscles relaxed and mobile.

A horse that has been worked hard (correctly or otherwise) all its life needs to be kept in a certain amount of work in order to 'stabilise' it. If it is suddenly put into a field and all ridden work is ceased then its ligaments and tendons become loose and flaccid and its joints can seize up. Yes, it is moving around in the field but it is not doing the 'pattern' of movement of its limbs that kept it supple, loose and free previously when it was worked.

I think I have explained this best I can - I am not very good at explaining things. If I couldn't ride my horse anymore I would be hesitant to retire him, I would consider it for a short period but would ensure he was monitored very closely. According to my vet my horse is a candidate that for the very reason I have given above, would not be suitable for retirement, as is the case with the OP's mare.

Not sure if I have explained that very well, this is my interpretation of the conversations I've had and my understanding of the situation, maybe if there are any vets on here they will explain it better than me.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
applecart14 - I think both your posts were spot on. You have explained yourself verywell.

If a horse has never been ridden, then there have been no abnormal stresses and strains put on its body, and in old age, it can carry itself as it always has. If during its ridden career, some degree of pressure has been put on any part of the body to the point where injury has occurred, then that will cause discomfort, the results of which will catch up with the horse in later life, which may well affect soundness in retirement.

A very simplistic argument - I have a shoulder which dislocates. If I am fit, and my shoulder muscles strong, my shoulder is stable. When I worked in an office, my shoulder muscles got weaker, and my shoulder dislocated with ease.

To return to the OP's question - as applecart14 said, only you can know what is the right thing - we can only advise, but I would only retire a horse I believed was comfortable and strong enough to cope, and that I was sure wouldn't deteriorate rapidly and be in pain.
 
Maesfen said:
I'm sorry but quality of life is paramount and if we can't provide that then we do them a huge disservice by asking them to carry on solely for our benefit. Better a week early than a day late and I wouldn't have a clear conscience(if she were mine) to ask her to cope any longer.
Click to expand...

This completely.
 
spacefaer said:
applecart14 - I think both your posts were spot on. You have explained yourself verywell.

If a horse has never been ridden, then there have been no abnormal stresses and strains put on its body, and in old age, it can carry itself as it always has. If during its ridden career, some degree of pressure has been put on any part of the body to the point where injury has occurred, then that will cause discomfort, the results of which will catch up with the horse in later life, which may well affect soundness in retirement.

A very simplistic argument - I have a shoulder which dislocates. If I am fit, and my shoulder muscles strong, my shoulder is stable. When I worked in an office, my shoulder muscles got weaker, and my shoulder dislocated with ease.

To return to the OP's question - as applecart14 said, only you can know what is the right thing - we can only advise, but I would only retire a horse I believed was comfortable and strong enough to cope, and that I was sure wouldn't deteriorate rapidly and be in pain.
Click to expand...

Thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top