Do I give up

[Penny Less]

Horsey been mildly lame for some time, vet says that for what I do (about 3 hours a week hacking, pootling about really) its not doing him any harm - arthritis and navicular -keeping him moving.BUT
although I love riding him and once hes retired I will not get another,so hanging on for grim death really, I am paranoid when Im out that Im doing him damage. Vet says Im right I AM paranoid ! Dont know why Im posting really, suppose I want everyone to say carry on !

 

[Booboos]

Does the horse feel like he is unwilling, unhappy or in pain? Is he on any bute?

If he seems unhappy and in pain I would chat to the vet about putting him on some painkillers, however if he seems happy in himself, just mildly lame and the vet is OK with it, I would not worry.

 

[Penny Less]

He is on Danilon,(2) but he is a v big horse, he is always unwilling, he is the laziest horse I have ever met! This makes it difficult to tell how he feels

 

[Booboos]

Go with your gut instinct! If he is as he's always been then it's just his normal self and the problems are not affecting him too much. If you are still unhappy you can always try him on a mini retirement for a couple of months and see what happens. If he seems stiffer and bored you can always bring him back to gentle hacking.

 

[BethH]

I think riding them keeps them going, when we retired my old horse at 29 for safety reasons, because he wasn't being kept moving he seized up and we lost him 6mths later. I think if you are going to stop riding at least make sure he gets plenty of turn out, I now run a yard where I offer 24/7 turnout as long as the weather is mild enough and almost without fail every horse that has come to me has improved dramatically.