Boggle update one year on

[Michen]

I know it doesnt help and I understand how you feel but I'd imagine that there are horses at 5* with scans 10x worse than Bogs and they stand up to the work.

I reckon as you bring him into work and incrementally improve his fitness and strength then the worry will start to decrease at a similar rate.

You are incredibly vigilant and call the vet at the first sign for the full works, of required, so I cant imagine that changing.

I probably talking absolute nonsense but I think I read something somewhere (very helpful I know ?) about something that can help break down adhesions. Could be talking codswallop because my brain is scrambled right now but adhesions form because fibres heal randomly/cross fibres. Possibly some sort of laser therapy? Breaks it down and encourages correct healing.

If such a thing exists and isnt a fabrication of my sleep deprived brain then maybe something like that might help, even if more of a placebo affect to help you.

That’s actually a really good point tbh- thanks. I spoke to a friend today who pointed out you could probably find minor soft tissue injuries and adhesions in tons of horses on every yard if you scanned them. Some that were never diagnosed in the first place. Indeed Boggle wouldn’t have been diagnosed either if he was just a hunter, it was only the SJ that showed a problem.

He did have laser therapy at the time. I think maybe I need to go and buy some ridiculously expensive magic boots and then I’ll feel happy enough.

 

[SEL]

Have a friend who is an equine physio at the top level and i suspect she'd line Boggle up amongst the more sound of her eventing clients!

I don't think you ever really lose that sense of paranoia when its a horse you really, really care about. Every mis-step or acrobatic display in the field raises your heart rate. But we can't wrap them in cotton wool forever and he sounds like he's ready to start to do more

 

[Auslander]

Not the same injury, but I've had Alf nearly 9 years, and thats exactly how long I have agonised about him on a daily basis. I have had times when I've had to force myself to ride him, as I was so convinced he was broken.
Thing is, he is a bit fragile, but when he's fit and in regular work, he's a lot less fragile, and I just keep on telling myself that he needs the work to be the fittest and strongest he can be.
He's 24 this year, and still in work, despite being written off at 11. My heart insists on telling me he should be enjoying complete retirement, but my head tells me that on the days he looks stiff and sore, that's when he most needs to work. Every single time we go out when he isn't looking great, he trudges along for 15 minutes, making me feel dreadful, then he suddenly loosens up, and then he's off.

 

[BBP]

Thanks so much everyone whose taken the time to reply. I will crack on, the vet said given the length of time and his level of fitness (which is pretty good) to just treat him like a normal horse in terms of fittening him up for canter work and jumping. Truth is he has already done a lot of cantering (unasked!) because he’s a complete nut job to hack at the moment ?‍

I do feel a bit concerned about the future for him if he can’t have a busy ish life. He really does thrive off mental stimulation and getting out and about. This is the sort of crap we have with him at the moment (sound up) screaming his way around a hack.. the minute he has more to “do” he pipes down and is far more civilised in every way.

Anyway, hopefully he will have a long and happy future back being the busy chap he once was.

BBP is also not a horse for the quiet life of pottering around the field. For him I have accepted that even though he is retired from being ridden (not something you need to do), he needs stimulation daily to stay happy. Part of that is his social life playing with his buddies and part is playing brain games. He is now doing loads of liberty and in hand work and it’s challenging my skills as a trainer. We are currently learning foundations of piaffe in hand. He’s absolutely loving it and will leave his hay or his mates when I call him and will come running into the arena to see what we are up to. We are having a blast together even though he can’t be ridden. Hopefully you won’t find yourself where I am, but wanted to give you hope that there is still a lot a busy fizzy horse can do.

 

[BBP]

Have a friend who is an equine physio at the top level and i suspect she'd line Boggle up amongst the more sound of her eventing clients!

I don't think you ever really lose that sense of paranoia when its a horse you really, really care about. Every mis-step or acrobatic display in the field raises your heart rate. But we can't wrap them in cotton wool forever and he sounds like he's ready to start to do more

I keep seeing loads of horses on Facebook that are less sound than BBP, doing all sorts of ridden work. I’m starting to wonder if sound horses exist!

 

[Michen]

Thanks BBP. I’ve always thought BBP and Bog seem to be similar levels of nuts ?