Bute and my lame horse

R

RichardRider

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A very good friend and horseman has been helping me out with my horse. He noticed a slight "favoring" on the left rein immediately after seeing him and suggested we put him on "Bute." We gave him one packet in the evening and one in the morning, got him into work, he started looking very good for a 'Selle Francais' of 14 that hasn't done much work over the years, lazing in the paddock at my place...

Just when things started to get interesting and we began jumping again he came up lame this morning. We'd brought him back down to one packet in his evening feed about a week ago. We put him back on the two packet ration straight off this am...

The past few nights he was left out while I had business and no time for the daily ride, so I suppose something could have occured whilst in the paddock... My friend says that Bute is now legal in competition and is no big deal for horses. I don't do any competition so this isn't a problem... I must admit he's been tremendous under my mates instruction and care but I am a little concerned about the jumping side if the horse is not basically sound...

...rr
 
If he isn't sound then putting him on bute will make no difference, all you are doing is masking the pain from him so he carrys on working regardless. I would imagine if you continue in this vein without finding out what is going on and fixing it, then you will break your horse down. I would be getting the vet out for a lameness work up and take it from their. Along with the usual saddle checks etc.
 
Although I am pretty open minded about riding horses on bute, I wouldn't really want to be doing it without knowing what was wrong with the horse in the first instance.

Personally I'd try and get a vets diagnosis before continuing. If for example your horse has a mild arthritis then a low dose bute and some exercise could well be the best thing for him. If however he has a specific injury you could just be making matters worse and end up with an unrepairable horse.
 
ihatework said:
Although I am pretty open minded about riding horses on bute, I wouldn't really want to be doing it without knowing what was wrong with the horse in the first instance.

Personally I'd try and get a vets diagnosis before continuing. If for example your horse has a mild arthritis then a low dose bute and some exercise could well be the best thing for him. If however he has a specific injury you could just be making matters worse and end up with an unrepairable horse.
Click to expand...

This is what my trainer(also mate,) is saying...regarding the arthritis. Most assuredly getting the vet out to take a look is a much better approach before the Bute...

Thanks always for the advice...Am sort of in and out at the present moment,...not always at the computer...rr
 
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