Devastated: looks like my new horse has wobblers :(

[fruity]

Feeling v low,have had my new boy on trial for a bit and he hasn't been the most liveliest boy since i got him but as he is a sort of plod anyway i assumed it was him being a little foot sore,he started teetering a bit on rough ground so i got permission from his owner to get him shod as we are quite flinty up this way. Anyway last week i rode him out and he stumbled badly on a hack. I put him out for a couple of days as he seemed fine in the field on grass so assumed his feet were playing him up,sunday\monday his near hind looked stiff and he was a little unlevel so booked a vet appt for this a.m as was not happy with him,went to get him in for vet and saddler (wanted to check saddle wasnt anything to do with it) and when i got to the field i got 3 horses ready to go but he wouldnt move forward and when he did he really stumbled and was v unbalanced,in the end i let him go and he followed the other horses making his own way to the yard. Vet came and after various tests and trot ups etc he thinks its Ataxia (wobblers). I feel so awful as if its my fault, i had rang the owner last week to say he wasnt right on his feet and was throwing his head around when going down hill (they get worse when up and down hills) and she said 'oh well you knew he headshaked when you took him on' i said i wasnt worried with the headshaking but i know it not headshaking,my other horse is a severe headshaker and she doesnt do it at this time of year. So we left it that i would get shoes put on him and saddle checked and go from there. I left a voicemail on her phone after vet came but will try and ring in a min again to tell her whats happened today. The vet thinks because i have started working him it has surfaced,he said he would of had it before i took him on but and back then he sat in a field for 3 yrs rotting. I have formed a really strong bond with this horse and he is sweet in everyway,only just 5. I am getting my friend out on saturday who is a equine vet for a 2nd opinion as the man who came today isnt my normal vet. He thought he could have an infection in the spinal cord or a locked stifle or even a pelvis problem so at the moment its vague but he thought without doing v expensive things its more likely to be wobblers. I feel so down and i know the owner wont want to carry out further tests and my ins company wont cover him as i have had the cover out only a short while with them so his future looks bleak. I have put down a deposit on him but not paid the full amount yet, i know i need to send him back to the owner but it doesnt take away the hurt.

 

[measles]

So sorry to hear about that. Getting a second opinion is a good idea and if there is a problem it's good that it has been found before you committed to buying him. Honestly, it is.

Sending vibes.

 

[Meandtheboys]

just one thing.........if he is only 5 and been in a field for 3yrs, when was he broken?
i am just wondering if they new there was a problem and turned him away thinking he was just too weak.

 

[wonkey_donkey]

Sad as it is do yourself a favour and send him back.

 

[kerilli]

that's really sad, worth getting 2nd opinion from your vet though. very sad for horse and you if it is indeed wobbler syndrome. big sympathy here.

 

[AmyMay]

How terribly sad. At least you haven't paid for him yet, and he can go back.

 

[Resupgirl]

Sending good vibes. I have spent the last 4 years hoping my mare will return to work after an accident. Its not been nice and the longer you keep them the more attached and broke you get but you need to decide. I would have suggested turning him away for a while but obviously this has already been done.

Have a look on a few American or Australian websites do your homework on the ailment speak to other people that have had horses with the same. I did this when my mare was ill and it gives you some perspective of what you are going to face.

Do your research.

 

[Puzzled]

Get a second opinion, my friend got given a mare because she had suspected wobblers, she turned her away, gave her time to mature and never showed any further symptons. I've had no experience of the disease but you never know! Good luck!

 

[ecrozier]

Thats such bad news Em poor you and poor D. Hopefully though it sill might be something other than Wobblers. Other things are treatable....Definately worth another opinion.

But good point from anya01, maybe this has been a problem before but previous owner just called it headshaking? Sad as it is, def best to send him back....guess that is why we have horses on trial if we can!

 

[fruity]

[ QUOTE ]
just one thing.........if he is only 5 and been in a field for 3yrs, when was he broken?
i am just wondering if they new there was a problem and turned him away thinking he was just too weak.

[/ QUOTE ] he was backed and ridden away for a month apparently. Couldnt have done a bad job as he is a saint to ride,the owner has ridden him a handful of times since she got him back from being broken so he really is a clean slate. They arnt by any means exp owners so i now think the headshaking was him reacting to something rather than it being headshaking itself,she said he only did it near some woods which just so happens to be on a great big hill,the vet said they desp hate going up and down hills as they really cant cope well with them,it all seems to come together the more i think through things. From what i have seen the vet do all the typical symtoms are there but it will def be interesting to see what my friend thinks as she is a vvv good vet with exp of it. I know if it is wobblers he will have to go back,i cant afford to take on a field ornament that may well get worse over time, i have other horses with enough problems to deal with and as sad as i am i just cant mentally and financially cope with it! We are trying to save for a new house and wedding so unless it is something treatable and straightforward i know i have to let him go,gosh eyes filling up just typing that,oh dear.

 

[ladyt25]

Def get a 2nd opinion from an experienced equine vet who will do the proper tests to determine if it is actually wobblers. It may not be at all and could be something treatable.

If indeed it is wobblers then iI do feel for you as it is not pleasant and so sad for a horse so young.

 

[Gleeful Imp]

I'm so sorry to hear this - it's devastating news. Having been through this with my 5 year old Henry Rose (I'd had him since he was 6months old) I agree a second opinion is important as it is literally life or death. But to be honest, all the scenarios you describe look like being serious, and this isn't something you want to go through - very expensive and heartbreaking whatever it is.

With Henry it was pretty clear, but we had quite a while of trying to get to the bottom of his poor muscle development until it escalated to the point you're describing. My Henry had little attacks that really frightened him, and the vet at Leahurst told me that as he didn't always know where his back feet were, he could get stuck / injure himself and wasn't safe to be left in a field. So leaving him turned out isn't always the kindest option, diagnosis is vital. I'm happy to share my experience but it wasn't a nice one (to put it mildly). And because I've wittered on about me me me here's Henry as that cheeky baby!

Good luck - please let us know how you get on
x

 

[MrsMozart]

Oh hun.

No wise words or of any help at all, but sending hugs.

 

[jackiesansom]

Get a good physio out.
I though my boy had shivers and vet diagnosis was pretty much 'oh well, we will just have to wait and see if he gets worse'

Its turned out to be muscular rather than neurological - lots of sessions and improvement can be seen yay!

Don't lose hope just get other specialists out before you comit your self to doom and gloom like I did

 

[rachyhorsiehib]

Ah, really sorry to hear you've had a bad time with this newbie.
I agree that a second opinion from your friend is in order but best to prep yourself for the worst and sending him back. Not worth the extra money an heart ache.
All the best, keep us posted.
Hugs!

 

[HappyHooves]

What a sad and difficult situation. Apart from the wobblers, you say he headshakes. I would get a second opinion on both problems. Owning a headshaker is not something I would take on willingly again. It can cost you a fortune and ruin your life!!! If you haven't settled in full on the horse SEND IT BACK; I wish I had sent mine back, but like you I had fallen for him. I had 6 years of heartbreak. There are so many other lovely horses out there, you don't have to rescue this one.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Sounds very much like a horse I had I bought him at age 5 1/2 but he was currently not working. He passed a 5-stage vetting unbelieveably because I know that he had noticeable muscle wastage on one side as the saddle that he came with kept tipping over - I thought it was the saddle - it wasn't! Also a couple of weeks after I bought him I rode him down a steep hill and he dragged his hind toes really badly - I was hacking with previous owner and she said it was just lack of muscle development. To cut a long story short after 6 months of consistent work he went permantly lame in front with incoordination behind and despite all treatments over two years inc 2nd opinion at AHT I eventually had to have him pts at the age of 8 - I was devastated. I discovered later that he had been in an accident as a 2 or 3 year old when the veterinary nurse assisting at the local vets said " Oh isn't he the one that was hit by a car" I had LOU luckily (NFU were fantastic). I would say just don't go there - it will be a lot harder down the line if he doesn't recover. Wish you luck

 

[fruity]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm so sorry to hear this - it's devastating news. Having been through this with my 5 year old Henry Rose (I'd had him since he was 6months old) I agree a second opinion is important as it is literally life or death. But to be honest, all the scenarios you describe look like being serious, and this isn't something you want to go through - very expensive and heartbreaking whatever it is.

With Henry it was pretty clear, but we had quite a while of trying to get to the bottom of his poor muscle development until it escalated to the point you're describing. My Henry had little attacks that really frightened him, and the vet at Leahurst told me that as he didn't always know where his back feet were, he could get stuck / injure himself and wasn't safe to be left in a field. So leaving him turned out isn't always the kindest option, diagnosis is vital. I'm happy to share my experience but it wasn't a nice one (to put it mildly). And because I've wittered on about me me me here's Henry as that cheeky baby!

Good luck - please let us know how you get on
x

[/ QUOTE ]

He was gorgeous! not disimilar to one of my horses. It's so so sad. Can i ask what you did in the end? Was it plain to see nothing could be done? Hope you don't mind me asking,sorry. It's so odd because when he does walk he teeters vvv carefully and almost tries to think where each leg is going so as not to fall over or stumble,just wondered if thats normal for a wobbler. It's so hard to explain but when he does move he doesn't go zig zaggy he just goes vvv slowly and appears lame on one back leg. I even got him in trot this morning and he did go in a straight line but he was lame behind so thats why i want to make doubly sure we are not righting the poor lad off,he deserves so much more than that. Will keep you all posted,and to cheer me up a bit a few pics of him again

 

[CBFan]

There are proper (but fairly basic) tests that can be done to determine if he is a wobler (they are on the net if you google it) Whatever the situation though, I would send him back as he obviously has a few lameness issues and at his age that can't be good.