JustMe22
Well-Known Member
I've been lurking on here almost every day but hadn't ventured in to post much over the last month or two. I've been a member for years - some OLD posts might remember my first young OTTB who was eventually retired with severe KS after serious behavioural issues. I was horseless for a while (in the sense of having one to ride) but rode what I could for other people.
A little under two years ago I got a new job and with more financial security I made a trip down to the coast on a whim to a racing auction and came home with Chester, another young OTTB, after seeing him pass through the auction ring and deciding I liked the look of him.
He turned out to be a cracking little horse. He was being aimed at the 5yo Dressage classes next year and was getting good scores at Novice towards the latter half of this year after finding a great instructor. He had an excellent jump and we took it slowly (in terms of progress...because 'slowly' would not be the way anyone would describe his actual jumping style!) but the plan was to have him out at 90cm/1m by the end of this year.
But he was unpredictable and started getting into the habit of working very sweetly and then throwing some monster bucks and just generally overreacting to things. I was dissuaded from taking him to the vet by a few very experienced people about 6 months ago for similar behaviour and told to try feeding changes first etc. I eventually took him to the vet after my physio and chiro found SI stiffness yet again, fully expecting to find some kind of a sacroiliac issue or perhaps lower back problem - maybe even KS. Vet looked at him and said she would say definitely front feet and possibly back, and to bring him in for x-rays. She suspected arthritis so given his age I was quite upset.
What we actually found was far worse. He did have KS, only in two vertebra, but right under the saddle and very severe for his age and level of development. It was also found that his front pasterns were almost at a 45 degree angle rather than straight and in line with his fetlocks. To top it off, his soles were less than .2mm thick. Astounded really, as to the naked eye his legs looked very straight to all of us - and I've been told repeatedly by the farrier how good his feet were.
Anyway, this was only going to deteriorate and the decision was made to put him down in December. I was flying to the UK that night for a week so put it off for about 12 days which was spent in a bit of a haze of sadness. I really did think he was going to be a very special horse and I clicked with him very easily, so to lose him at barely 5 years old was devastating. I must say, I wouldn't delay in future - I found it much easier to move on after he was shot when it was behind me, rather than the preceding few days where it was ahead of me, if that makes sense.
So, that's the sad update. It's taken a while to post because I felt like I needed to come to terms with it I suppose. A few pictures of him and then the new addition news to follow in the next post...
The day he arrived from the auction.
Three weeks under saddle:
A very dodgy clip (let OH try his hand at it!)
Interesting way to start a test...
First tiny jumps..you need to zoom out to see this one for some reason!
Slightly better test behaviour:
The day before the vet visit, would you believe!
And then the 'goodbye' photoshoot very kindly done by a friend of mine:
RIP my boy <3 Too good for this world
A little under two years ago I got a new job and with more financial security I made a trip down to the coast on a whim to a racing auction and came home with Chester, another young OTTB, after seeing him pass through the auction ring and deciding I liked the look of him.
He turned out to be a cracking little horse. He was being aimed at the 5yo Dressage classes next year and was getting good scores at Novice towards the latter half of this year after finding a great instructor. He had an excellent jump and we took it slowly (in terms of progress...because 'slowly' would not be the way anyone would describe his actual jumping style!) but the plan was to have him out at 90cm/1m by the end of this year.
But he was unpredictable and started getting into the habit of working very sweetly and then throwing some monster bucks and just generally overreacting to things. I was dissuaded from taking him to the vet by a few very experienced people about 6 months ago for similar behaviour and told to try feeding changes first etc. I eventually took him to the vet after my physio and chiro found SI stiffness yet again, fully expecting to find some kind of a sacroiliac issue or perhaps lower back problem - maybe even KS. Vet looked at him and said she would say definitely front feet and possibly back, and to bring him in for x-rays. She suspected arthritis so given his age I was quite upset.
What we actually found was far worse. He did have KS, only in two vertebra, but right under the saddle and very severe for his age and level of development. It was also found that his front pasterns were almost at a 45 degree angle rather than straight and in line with his fetlocks. To top it off, his soles were less than .2mm thick. Astounded really, as to the naked eye his legs looked very straight to all of us - and I've been told repeatedly by the farrier how good his feet were.
Anyway, this was only going to deteriorate and the decision was made to put him down in December. I was flying to the UK that night for a week so put it off for about 12 days which was spent in a bit of a haze of sadness. I really did think he was going to be a very special horse and I clicked with him very easily, so to lose him at barely 5 years old was devastating. I must say, I wouldn't delay in future - I found it much easier to move on after he was shot when it was behind me, rather than the preceding few days where it was ahead of me, if that makes sense.
So, that's the sad update. It's taken a while to post because I felt like I needed to come to terms with it I suppose. A few pictures of him and then the new addition news to follow in the next post...
The day he arrived from the auction.
Three weeks under saddle:
A very dodgy clip (let OH try his hand at it!)
Interesting way to start a test...
First tiny jumps..you need to zoom out to see this one for some reason!
Slightly better test behaviour:
The day before the vet visit, would you believe!
And then the 'goodbye' photoshoot very kindly done by a friend of mine:
RIP my boy <3 Too good for this world
, new one looks lovely and blimey who on earth would say no to a proposal like that 
) - good luck with your new horse, he's stunning, I'm sure he'll do well!
