Advice needed....

J

Jerroboam

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I need some advice... I work for a very wealthy lady who owns the most lovely 17.3hh KWPN hunter. He was purchased, even though he failed a 5* vetting, however the vets did say he could go on as a hunter rather than as the advertised event horse. He was purchased for a greatly reduced price (75% less in fact). He failed the vetting due to the fact that he had obvious signs of wear and tear to the tendons in both front legs for a horse of only 12 years old. Since my boss has owned him he rarely goes a period of time with out lameness in either one or both of his front legs (She has owned him since October 2010). Whether it be due to his tendons/ligaments/reoccuring poison foot. Over the spring/summer he spent 22 weeks on box rest after injuring his nearside fore suspensory and now we are faced with doing this all over again.

Last saturday he was doing some hill work, nice slow trotting, and he suddenly, without warning, started the classic head nod and was lame in his offside fore. Que ever so slight swelling and heat. We had the vet out on Monday morning, after giving him bute and icing the leg over the weekend, and she declared him 1/10 lame. This, for us, is even more annoying than him hopping up and down! She has said to box rest him for 4 weeks, believing its now the suspensory in the opposite leg and to keep legs bandaged, bute and ice tight etc then we will take him into the vets for a full body assesment after the period of box rest.

I was wondering if anybody else had suffered with a an almost constantly lame horse and is there anything else we can do for him rather than the classic box rest/bute scenario? Money really is no object for this boy as she adores him but I am just wanting to explore every angle!

I must add he has back done every 6 months and teeth etc, he really is the picture of health (other than the obvious lameness!)
 
with something that fragile I would make sure the current problem is repaired as best it can be and then turn him away for 6 months. This will ensure that he moves (removing any stiffness) and no pressure is put on the joints and ligaments. He is a very big horse, and often they are pushed to quickly despite needing more time to grow and develop.

When he comes into work start very slowly- with 6 weeks walking work minimum to start with... I would also consider adding Equine America's buteless to his feed. my pony is on that and it is brilliant! I know your owner can throw money at a problem, but sometimes time is the only option!

obv- never trot on the roads, keep the work on hard ground to a minimum and give him a proper break every year!
 
Already on the buteless and agreed it is brilliant stuff. He had the 22 weeks off as we were incredibly cautious, due to his size, about bringing him into work, he then spent a further 6 weeks just being walked... he has legs of glass and we are very aware of this. Has anyone tried swimming for a horse in recovery? Many local NH trainers seem to rave about it and was considering if this might be an option if the vets believe we have got to the bottom of the persistent lameness. Obviously once he has recovered.
 
MRI after 4 weeks on box, vets are wanting to put him on the treadmill etc and fully assess his every muscle/ligament/tendon once he is (hopefully) sound again. The problem is, as with the suspensory damage which occured in the spring, it is always very mild lameness/swelling and damage but due to his size we have to be overly cautios.
 
the 22 weeks box rest would have resulted in weakened muscles and stiffness. Personally I would get this bit right, put a rug on him and turn him out 24/7 for a good length of time to let him stretch the muscles and remove the stiffness by himself. Stuck in a box means his movement is restricted, which is great for fixing injuries, but no good at all for recuperation! put him out!

If you're near the beach you could walk him in the salt water? The sheik at newmarket has just installed a salt water hydrotherapy pool for his race horses, and it never did red rum any harm!
 
I agree with turning him away, for a really good period of time, say 6 months. And go from there.

If you can get him back in to work and keep him sound after that, brilliant. If not, retire him.
 
I too have heard great results about the stem cell therapies, I shall have to do some internet research and a chat with the vet and see. Sadly we live at the (nearly) furthest point from the sea in England but agreed, if it was good enough for Red Rum! The vets genuinely believe that his legs are purely down to not being warmed up/cooled down correctly before and after events (he was an advanced horse). I think, following on from his recovery this time around, he shall have to be made nice and snug and try t/o 24/7 in the hope this frees up his joints etc. This will come as a shock, bless him!
 
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