Does anybody have any good stories about horses with Arthritis?

Horseback Rider

Horseback Rider

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I have written on here b4 about how I brought my exracer from a trainer I knew at the yard next to mine.

I got him in August had him on loan for a month and he was fab. Handed over the cash and it's been a night mare ever since .

First he gets so attached to the mare I was perviously riding that I couldn't seperate them with out hom hurting himself because so stressed.
Heartbreakingly she was put down, but then he calmed down. A week or so later he overreached in the field and was lame for 2 weeks. Had to have vet out and he said he supected a bit of arthiritisas well.
Start riding again and encountered a few behavioural probs ( him dumping me) so stopped riding went back to basics with lungeing / longreining really starting to make progress.
Brought him in one night with a swollen hind leg and loads of heat. Called the vet and he diagnosed a case of celulitis. another week off ( poor boy)
Start riding him again and was going really well.
WEnt on holiday for a week and my friend who was going to ride him for me to keep up the routine text me half way through to say he had lost both front shoes and was lame.

Farrier came while I was away and put the shoes on, still a bit footsore so not worked for 4 days.
Comes in from field quite lame so my friend called the vet. Vet concerned about arthriric changes in the knee and want's to xray when not so lame so leaves some Danilon.

Was on 2 danilon per day then down to 1. Went down to 1 last weekend and seemed OK, then the last couple of nites seemed a bit worse. Vet came out today and got horse in from the field ( it could hardly walk ) pus in foot and need to poultice until it explodes and everything comes out. So x rays put back again.

I cannot describe how gutted I am, I know quite a few people that have brought ex racers from this trainer and they have all worked out well.

Horse was a complete BA**ARD to handle when I first got him but has really started to improve and what with treating all the injuries I have become really attached to him and cannot describe how gutted I will be if ...............when the xrays are done the vet doesn't think he will be able to be ridden. I really hope he will be ok he seemed really poorly and sorry for himself tonight while I was poulticing his foot .

Sorry for my massive rant am just haveing a why me moment !!

I would be really gratefull if anyone could post some positive stories about horses that cope with arthritis ???
 
Firstly - do not panic! Why does the vet think he may have arthritis in his knee?? Has he done flexions etc and felt a lack of movement in the joint?

I don't think arthritis in the knee is brilliant news BUT it may not be this at all - it could be foot problems. Our ex racer (25 yo) recently went VERY lame and I mean 3 legs, for a fair while. We thought the worst really as neither vet nor farrier could find the problem - thought was his already buggered tendons then vet thought was a pron with his hind legs as well due to how he was struggling to move. Turns out it was only a HUGE abscess in one front foot (he got one on the other front foot as a result as well).

Honestly, he was terrible BUT once we located the problem it wss drained and he was sound again - no problem in his hind legs either this was just as a result of him putting all his weight on his hinds and getting very sore as a result.

If is IS arthritis I am sure there are plenty of supplements to help and you may need to rethink shoeing. Also for arthritis it is generally better to have them in an environment where they can live out 24/7 and thus be able to move about.
 
I agree with the living out. I was given an old gelding and was told he had arthritis and was on bute. He was stabled for 4 days a week. When I got him he lived out 24/7 never needed bute and was never lame in the 5 years I had him.
 
Thanks Lady T
The vet did flexion tests and he trotted up very lame on the near fore. Same vet that came to see him today - he is a great vet his wife has horses! He lives with 2 others aWB & TB they stay out as much as poss as they prefer it that way and just come in for the odd night ot dry off.
I just kind of had my heart set on haveing the x rays done tomoz and then hopefully by next week I would know prognosis!! I hate being in Limbo like this
 
We have an old hunter with arthritis in his right fore - in his fetlock, pastern and coffin joint. He had all three joints individually medicated this summer and is now mostly sound (fine on the soft, not so great on hard summer ground). He has a supplement called Joint & Relief from Day Son & Hewitt (from their FeelGood 30 range) and it's amazing. It has the equivalent effect of 2 sachets bute - if he misses a day, he starts to get footy, 3 days and he's limping. He wouldn't be here without it.

Hope your guy works out for you
smile.gif
 
His feet are actually not that bad ! my farrier is really good and has been working on them slowly encouraging more growth. I used to have a horse that got really bad thrush and had wedges - wasn't sure what else they where used for ??
 
Arthritis is not as bad as it was 15 years ago.

My horse has had bone spavin since he was 9, he is now 16.

There are many treatments for arthritis nowadays. Joints can be medicated, there is Tildren therapy and all sorts.

Most horses are lame with flexion tests. I would be if I had a flexion test. The only way to be sure is with x-rays.

Do not panic, easier said than done and wait and see what x-rays show up and take things from there.

Regular gentle exercise on soft ground with little schooling is very important with arthritis.
 
Stop your worrying - if he has had an absecess recently he will become dog lame. Secondly this weather we currently have is awful for the arthritic, thridly get some magnetic boots, or even just wrap his legs in bandages to get some warmth into them. My old girl for the last 12 years has had arthrtits and navicular syndrome and basically i manage it. It is only the last 12 months she has been semi retired and is now just a plod on a weekend. She has artritus in both back legs and knees and yes she sometimes has a really bad day - but then again when she gallops off in a morning i think well today is not the day then!
 
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His feet are actually not that bad ! my farrier is really good and has been working on them slowly encouraging more growth. I used to have a horse that got really bad thrush and had wedges - wasn't sure what else they where used for ??

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mine was flat footed, and his heels had dropped - we used to call them his high heels! They were used to support his heel

My other old horse - 3/4 arab, 1/4 sec D has also got arthritis in her hocks (she's 17) and has had injections into the hock, and then went onto Synequin and is sound now
 
I know exactly how you feel. My boy has just been diagnosed with arthritis in his coffin joints, just as his schooling and hard-work was starting to bear fruit. There are no good news stories out there! Everything is so doom and gloom, thanks for posting this thread. Makes me feel like there is hope after all.
 
My horse has arthritic changes at 7. He's now 9 and after a year off, I put him on 1 bute a day and then after 6 months or so switched him to No Bute. The good news is that he is sound on this regime! He doesn't have any other special things. He's hacked as normal, trotting on roads, cantering in woods & on the moors etc and he can compete dressage quite adequately. So there is some hope. Fingers crossed that you get to the bottom of it, it sounds like you've had a run of bad luck to date.
 
My initial reaction is that your vet, on first look, thought he had an arthritic knee but instead has missed out something in his hoof! He would have been lame a few days before so maybe that was why he was off on his front - espeically if he's just been shod aswell.

Why would the vet have to wait to check for arthritus (unless is was really really inflamed)...
 
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