Dilemma - what to do with Blue

[Pippity]

I've always said that Blue's primary virtue is that she's safe. She may run away from something scary, but she's taking you with her.

But this is the second time in six months that she's done a, "F*** you, you are getting OFF."

The first time, I was knocked unconscious. This time, I've fractured my L1 vertebrae and have been flat on my back for over a week.

The first occasion, I put down to alfalfa reactivity. The second, she'd made it clear she didn't want to be ridden, but I did it anyway.

On both occasions, she did enough of a spook to get me badly unbalanced. On previous occasions, she's stood still for me to scramble back on. On these two occasions, it was galloping, spinning and broncing until I was off.

Saddle was checked three months ago and was fine. Physio saw her about the same time and didn't see anything wrong.

My plan is that, once I'm back on my feet, I'll have saddle checked again, and have a thorough vet check. If that all comes back clear, what then?

I don't know if I can ride her again. I can't sell her on if there's a chance she'll do this to someone else. (Also, between this, hock arthritis and PSSM, I think I'd have to pay someone to take her.) I'd be happy to send her for a few months intensive schooling, but I don't want to risk her injuring someone.

I'm not in a rush to make a decision - I want to be at least standing up, even with support - but I'm just lost.

 

[saddlesore]

I’d start with the vet. For a reliable horse to act like that there’s clearly something wrong. Hope you can get to the bottom of it x

 

[SEL]

Sorry to hear about your accident. While I was reading down I was trying to remember if she had PSSM and then you mentioned it. I stopped riding my PSSM mare because I didn't know if I was getting Jekyll or Hyde one day to the next. It's not a training issue - I think her muscles can go into spasm and she just reacts.

I have fields so she's now a pet, but I had a few years on livery without a riding horse.

No easy decision I'm afraid, but get yourself healed first xx

 

[EllieBeast]

I’d be worried that’s she’s telling you in no uncertain terms that she’s in pain. If she’s always been your ‘safe’ horse then something has changed.

It sounds like she’s already got enough going on medically that means maybe this is the end of her ridden career? If that’s the case you really only have two responsible options- retire and keep her or PTS.

Not a nice position to be in, I’m sorry.

 

[ycbm]

What a horrible situation you're in. I hope the fracture mends without a problem.

Blue has hock arthritis and PSSM and is not safe to ride. I think you might be wasting your money to get any further vet investigations but I can see why you would.

I think your options are to retire her yourself or loan her as a companion if she can do that without being in pain, or PTS and I would support any of those decisions.
.

 

[Zoeypxo]

vet work up or retire from what youve written there, sorry you are injured and speedy healing!

 

[AmyMay]

I’d retire her to the field personally.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I would second a vet to have a look for something obvious, nothing too in depth, more to settle the 'what ifs' you will have in your head than to look to treat somehting.
If that draws a blank and you really want to look into it then send her to a pro to assess with full disclosure - this is not something I would risk assessing yourself, especially shortly after such a potentially serious injury.
I think the most sensible thing to do however, will end up being retire or PTS if other conditions aren't managable at rest/in cold etc.

 

[Wishfilly]

I'm really sorry to hear about your accident, that sounds so difficult and tough.

I'm not an expert on PSSM by any stretch, but my understanding is that it could be the cause of all of this AND it can get worse when the weather gets colder?

I can understand why you'd go further down the vet route, in case there is anything that's treatable, or something that warrants immediate PTS. But equally it sounds like unfortunately Blue has two causes of pain/discomfort. I can see how, even with a safe horse, you could end up with the scenario of "spook, you become unbalanced, that triggers more pain, she reacts, there's more pain" and it becomes a vicious cycle.

I think, given PSSM and arthritis can both get worse in colder weather, it would certainly make sense not to have anyone ride her over the winter? And perhaps make a decision in the spring with the advice of professionals you trust? That's assuming a vet doesn't find a more immediate issue now.

How old is Blue?

 

[Rowreach]

I don't know if I can ride her again. I can't sell her on if there's a chance she'll do this to someone else. (Also, between this, hock arthritis and PSSM, I think I'd have to pay someone to take her.) I'd be happy to send her for a few months intensive schooling, but I don't want to risk her injuring someone.

I'm not in a rush to make a decision - I want to be at least standing up, even with support - but I'm just lost.

There's your answer most probably. Hocks are far more of a problem than most people (and vets) think, and I'd guess that she is getting occasional sharp pain which she is reacting to, which probably means she is experiencing chronic pain the rest of the time.

 

[Pippity]

I'm really sorry to hear about your accident, that sounds so difficult and tough.

I'm not an expert on PSSM by any stretch, but my understanding is that it could be the cause of all of this AND it can get worse when the weather gets colder?

I can understand why you'd go further down the vet route, in case there is anything that's treatable, or something that warrants immediate PTS. But equally it sounds like unfortunately Blue has two causes of pain/discomfort. I can see how, even with a safe horse, you could end up with the scenario of "spook, you become unbalanced, that triggers more pain, she reacts, there's more pain" and it becomes a vicious cycle.

I think, given PSSM and arthritis can both get worse in colder weather, it would certainly make sense not to have anyone ride her over the winter? And perhaps make a decision in the spring with the advice of professionals you trust? That's assuming a vet doesn't find a more immediate issue now.

How old is Blue?

She's 11

 

[Wishfilly]

She's 11

Oh, that's really tricky because she's not old.

I don't have much useful to add, but I'm sorry you're dealing with all of this.

 

[SEL]

She's 11

Did you treat the hocks? I had a good run with arthramid and steroid into the SI - the latter seemed to help the PSSM

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would be reluctant to ride her again after this happening twice along with the hocks and pssm, but if you really wanted to investigate you could x ray the hocks and see how they are or just medicate and take a chance.

 

[Pippity]

Did you treat the hocks? I had a good run with arthramid and steroid into the SI - the latter seemed to help the PSSM

She had steroids into her hocks about four months ago, and they normally last about nine months.

Vet commented at the time that there was no space in the capsule for anything else to be injected, so the next step would be to fuse them.

 

[ihatework]

She had steroids into her hocks about four months ago, and they normally last about nine months.

Vet commented at the time that there was no space in the capsule for anything else to be injected, so the next step would be to fuse them.

Honestly I think this is giving you your answer.

An established horse with a conscience that starts over reacting and ditching their rider is a horse in pain.

It would be retirement for me.

I hope you heal quickly

 

[Sossigpoker]

Mine used to bolt and rodeo with pain and fear , he was found out to have hock arthritis.
Not ideal as I'd had an L2 fracture 6 months before buying him !
I'm sorry to hear you've got a very similar injury, I hope your fracture is stable and heals with rest and physio

Personally I'd either throw everything veterinary at this horse or retire her. She's trying to tell you that there's a problem.
Selling her wouldn't be fair on her at all.

 

[maya2008]

So… you have pssm, which requires regular work as well as all the other management to keep the horse pain free. But you also have hocks that need to fuse. In any other horse, you could Bute and ride through it, or intervene surgically/laser and again, wait…but in this horse the pain of the beginning stages of fusion combined with the pssm is causing them to be dangerous.

In your situation, having tried to intervene with a pssm horse (different issue but required surgery then rest), I would pts as soon as they couldn’t continue in enough work to keep them comfortable.

You could try a hock fusion intervention to speed things up then turn away in a large field type of grass livery until fused…but it might not work. I don’t think anything else would be safe.

 

[Birker2020]

You could try a hock fusion intervention to speed things up then turn away in a large field type of grass livery until fused…but it might not work. I don’t think anything else would be safe.

Best thing I ever did with Bailey as intra articular injections and tildren failed to work but chemical arthrodesis was a game changer.

Thing to remember with bone spavin is that they over compensate in other areas so they can shift more weight in front which then causes pain further down the line.

Given that you might not have your own place and therefore affording retirement on top of presumably needing to buy another horse to ride might be cost prohibitive then a vet intervention with full work up would be sensible at this stage. Then you are better able to make a decision.

I personally wouldn't pts unless I had done this myself.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’m very sorry to hear about your injury.

If this was a one off, I‘d certainly suggest a vet work up with the hope that she can be ridden again, but Blue already has two diagnosed issues, either of which could have caused her to do this. Plus she’s done it before, and there might well be even more going on.

You could still do the work up with the view of making her the most comfortable pasture ornament that she can be, but please don’t get anyone to sit on her again. A strong pro might get her to work through her issues, but sooner or later back with you she will do it again.

Inadvertently I seem to collect pasture ornaments like Blue, but I do have my own land. They still get regular vet checks to see that they are comfortable in retirement.

PTS would not be the worst option. She is hurting somewhere. ETA The saying ‘lameness leads to lameness‘ is very valid. If a horse is on the wonk from one primary issue, it leads to compensatory patterns of movement which stresses the rest of the musculoskeletal structure, and other things break as a result.

Best wishes to you for a full and prompt recovery.

 

[scats]

So sorry to hear about your accident. Best guess is when she’s suddenly spooking, she’s feeling a sharp pain (related to hocks or pssm?) and reacting.
Fusing the hocks sounds like it might be best for her comfort in general, even if you choose to retire her, so maybe go down that route and then see how she feels afterwards.

 

[Ceriann]

So sorry to hear about your falls. I would also think this is a pain reaction. It sounds like she’s a very tolerant type so the behaviour suggests either that’s being tipped out of balance (constant low level pain that is then added too by the work or a spook when ridden) or she’s reacting to a sudden significant pain. My mare has mild hock issues and low meds manages it and she’s good to light hack but she’s recently got teeth issues, which has now made her v tense to ride. I’ve stopped riding until I get the teeth sorted. I would get the vet to look at the hocks and your options and check if anything else obvious going on before you make any decisions.

 

[Birker2020]

Mine used to bolt and rodeo with pain and fear , he was found out to have hock arthritis.
Not ideal as I'd had an L2 fracture 6 months before buying him !
I'm sorry to hear you've got a very similar injury, I hope your fracture is stable and heals with rest and physio

Personally I'd either throw everything veterinary at this horse or retire her. She's trying to tell you that there's a problem.
Selling her wouldn't be fair on her at all.

I agree with Sossigpoker and Tiddlypom now Tiddlypom has explained more why she thinks what she thinks.

There was a one on here many years ago that had issues and was given away to a 'friend' who then sold it on without the owners knowledge. Eventually it ended up at a rescue place in a very sorry state and rehomed to a lovely lady who tried to rehab it. Seem to remember the original owner stole the horse back or something dramatic like that.

But the point is, if you can't secure it's future and you don't wish to seek vet intervention or retire then its best to pts as you don't know know where a horse like that may end up.

Thinking of you.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I retired my dangerous mare to the field, she would also have been around a similar age. I don’t regret it for a minute and she is 21 now and very low maintenance.

I realise that is not an option for everyone and I’m sorry you’re in this situation and injured too.

 

[DabDab]

I'm sorry OP, that's really pants. The problem with arthritis in a major joint is that you really need the muscles to be in good condition to be able to support the joint, but Blue also has PSSM, which is quite an unreliable beast even on good management. On a day when her arthritis is flaring and her muscles are throwing a wobbly simultaneously then that must be pretty darn uncomfortable and unpleasant for her.

I would retire too I'm afraid.

 

[w1bbler]

I had one that bogged off a couple of times as a pain reaction. In his case we think it was his si joint that caused the reactivity, but he was riddled with arthritis. He had lengthy vet investigations / injections/ rehab but was eventually pts ( with full loss of horse payout age 10)
As others have mentioned, one joint causing issues probably means there is compensation elsewhere. If you have funds a full vet workup may put your mind at rest, but I'd caution against spending a fortune. Will you ever truly feel comfortable getting on him again? Pts or retire would be the only things I'd be considering.
The steroids may well have worn off, a friend with knee arthritis told me her first jab lasted several months, the 2nd only a few weeks.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I retired a lovely but unpredictable TBxWelshD mare aged 10. She lived in her small herd until she was 24, as company for those left at home when the others went out. Looking back, I think she probably had PSSM, as well as various food intolerances that amongst other things, gave her a persistent cough. We changed her diet but she was still unpredictable with very hard muscles. Vets at the time had no idea about muscle myopathies, nor did I. We were at livery for a few years while we had her but then moved to our own land, so there was no extra cost involved in keeping her in retirement.
I certainly wouldn't advise moving your mare on in any way. If you can't retire her, pts would not be wrong.

 

[Hannahgb]

I am so sorry you are going through this, I hope you heal fast

I had the same struggles, my boy had hock arthirtis and PSSM, I struggled to get the balance between one needing work and the other not coping with that. He was retired until further issues arose and he was no longer field sound.

 

[vhf]

I've always said that Blue's primary virtue is that she's safe.
But this is the second time in six months that she's done a, "F*** you, you are getting OFF."
The second, she'd made it clear she didn't want to be ridden, but I did it anyway.
On both occasions, she did enough of a spook to get me badly unbalanced. On previous occasions, she's stood still for me to scramble back on. On these two occasions, it was galloping, spinning and broncing until I was off.
I don't know if I can ride her again. I can't sell her on if there's a chance she'll do this to someone else. (Also, between this, hock arthritis and PSSM, I think I'd have to pay someone to take her.) I'd be happy to send her for a few months intensive schooling, but I don't want to risk her injuring someone.

I'm sorry to hear you're laid up, I hope you are up and about quickly.
My sharp but safe mare made it clear she was no longer enjoying her ridden work a couple of years ago. I think my hilly hacking and her high-mileage hocks just got too much and she said so in the only ways she knew how. I persevered just long enough to be sure, she's now basically retired. I'm sure I could have spent £££s on treatments and rehab and got a few more years out of her but I felt if she said she was ready to retire, I owed it to her to listen. I miss riding her, but I know she's happy and comfortable.