Amelia246
Member
My 16yo gelding has been diagnosed with severe KS, and bone shave or retirement are the only options. He also has an undiagnosed hip problem that the vets have told me needs a specialist investigation in another part of the country.
Due to this, I have made the decision to retire, as the uncertainty of if surgery will work, and whether this problem with his hip is even fixable. Vets have declared him pasture sound and for the last four months he’s been totally retired. However, I feel he is in more pain than is physically visible, as his behaviour and attitude have been deteriorating for the past 2 years and he’s getting to a point that when he is pushed to do something he doesn’t want to do, he goes airborne and strikes out and is charging at whoever is handling him.
When I say I feel he is in more pain than can be seen, physically he still enjoys running in the field and having a buck, he rolls, lays down easily, can be slower when getting up but nothing too drastic, he sleeps laying down in his stable, he’s eating fine and no ears back when touching or brushing him. But he is anxious, and I’ve started to notice holes in his stable where he’s obviously kicked out, leading me to believe he is very anxious and stressed when I’m not around, but I do see the anxiety in him when I’m there also, he spooks easily now and never used to, and he spins and box walks.
I have tried to move him so he can live out but I can’t get him off the yard in hand or in a box, and he has recently caused minor injury to himself by trying to attempt this.
I am at a loss, and I feel like the worlds most awful person for considering putting him to sleep but I fear his behaviour may only get worse and he’s going to hurt himself or someone else, and I’m not able to afford to keep him any longer due to a change in financial circumstances.
Just as a side note, he’s not been ridden properly for about 2 years prior to diagnosis, so I know this is not him just struggling to adjust with unridden life.
Due to this, I have made the decision to retire, as the uncertainty of if surgery will work, and whether this problem with his hip is even fixable. Vets have declared him pasture sound and for the last four months he’s been totally retired. However, I feel he is in more pain than is physically visible, as his behaviour and attitude have been deteriorating for the past 2 years and he’s getting to a point that when he is pushed to do something he doesn’t want to do, he goes airborne and strikes out and is charging at whoever is handling him.
When I say I feel he is in more pain than can be seen, physically he still enjoys running in the field and having a buck, he rolls, lays down easily, can be slower when getting up but nothing too drastic, he sleeps laying down in his stable, he’s eating fine and no ears back when touching or brushing him. But he is anxious, and I’ve started to notice holes in his stable where he’s obviously kicked out, leading me to believe he is very anxious and stressed when I’m not around, but I do see the anxiety in him when I’m there also, he spooks easily now and never used to, and he spins and box walks.
I have tried to move him so he can live out but I can’t get him off the yard in hand or in a box, and he has recently caused minor injury to himself by trying to attempt this.
I am at a loss, and I feel like the worlds most awful person for considering putting him to sleep but I fear his behaviour may only get worse and he’s going to hurt himself or someone else, and I’m not able to afford to keep him any longer due to a change in financial circumstances.
Just as a side note, he’s not been ridden properly for about 2 years prior to diagnosis, so I know this is not him just struggling to adjust with unridden life.
