Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
For some time now a friend of mine (fairly novice rider, fairly new to horse ownership) has been having problems with her mare's back. She has been using a highly qualified and well-respected veterinary physio to treat her, and until lately the physio seemed to be keeping the situation under control.
However, the problem has become more "chronic", and both the physio and I suggested that she ask her vet to do a more thorough exam and diagnosis (ie xrays/scans etc).
The horse was in my yard when the vet came. Because the owner is inexperienced, I gave him a run down of the problem and the symptoms. He saw the mare trotted up, and pronounced it sound. I said yes, it is "sound", but doesn't its action look a little odd to you? (she was basically crossing her off hind right underneath her body with each stride).
He then did flexion tests, which didn't make any difference to her, and then saw me ride her. I gave him a running commentary on what I was feeling - it is rather like riding a crab, with the front end going forwards, the back end sideways. Obviously I didn't want to do a lot, and any twit could see she wasn't right, so I was literally on her for a couple of minutes.
He then said he thought it might be a high suspensory (
) and that he might refer her to an equine hospital 2 hours away (which I use). I said a bit hesitantly, don't you think the problem might be a bit higher up, at which point he suggested that someone I will call RTW (not her actual initials) be asked to come and look at the horse's back. And what is RTW? I asked. Oh, I don't really know what she goes under, he said, but she is very good with backs. If she can't do anything, I'll refer the horse for xrays.
Now I had never heard of RTW, so the owner made an appointment, and RTW never showed up. By now I was getting mighty suspicious, so I did some detective work, and discovered that RTW is not qualified to do ANYTHING with horses, is a good friend of the vet, took a few horses to an equine physio a couple of years ago and decided from watching her that she too could do this, and has been going round "treating" horses ever since.
My friend is appalled and has now asked for her horse to be referred immediately for xrays and a full work-up, and will not be seeking the advice of RTW.
I am steaming I am so cross
- the vet is the only one for miles and miles who actually knows one end of a horse from the other, but clearly he has no idea about the middle bit.
Surely a vet shouldn't be referring clients to someone who isn't qualified to treat them?
However, the problem has become more "chronic", and both the physio and I suggested that she ask her vet to do a more thorough exam and diagnosis (ie xrays/scans etc).
The horse was in my yard when the vet came. Because the owner is inexperienced, I gave him a run down of the problem and the symptoms. He saw the mare trotted up, and pronounced it sound. I said yes, it is "sound", but doesn't its action look a little odd to you? (she was basically crossing her off hind right underneath her body with each stride).
He then did flexion tests, which didn't make any difference to her, and then saw me ride her. I gave him a running commentary on what I was feeling - it is rather like riding a crab, with the front end going forwards, the back end sideways. Obviously I didn't want to do a lot, and any twit could see she wasn't right, so I was literally on her for a couple of minutes.
He then said he thought it might be a high suspensory (
Now I had never heard of RTW, so the owner made an appointment, and RTW never showed up. By now I was getting mighty suspicious, so I did some detective work, and discovered that RTW is not qualified to do ANYTHING with horses, is a good friend of the vet, took a few horses to an equine physio a couple of years ago and decided from watching her that she too could do this, and has been going round "treating" horses ever since.
My friend is appalled and has now asked for her horse to be referred immediately for xrays and a full work-up, and will not be seeking the advice of RTW.
I am steaming I am so cross
Surely a vet shouldn't be referring clients to someone who isn't qualified to treat them?
