Experience/advice re tie-back / wind-ops etc?

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montysmum1

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I have recently bought a horse who has previously had a ‘tie-back / wind op / been hobdayed’. This was disclosed at the time of sale, so I have no problem with it, but just wanted some advice from anyone with experience of this.

He has a very soft cough, which his previous owner said was normal for him when unfit, and to be fair is definitely improving as he does more work, and he was has run a few races since the op, but I bought him unfit from the field. It seems to be worse when he is eating either hard feed or his haylage. It is certainly not affecting his appetite, and he has no nasal discharge, a perfectly normal temperature, and no other symptoms. Is this normal?

Also, are there any things I should take into consideration with his general management?
 
Hello!
My lad had a successful tie back operation. He did cough when eating..this is because the larynx is permanently back so sometimes little bits can go down the wrong way of you know what I mean?
You will get to know in time what level of coughing is normal for your horse.
Really bad coughing can mean that food has gone down the airway and that can potentially cause chest infections etc. But this is rare.
Make sure all hard feed is soaked well.

Always feed from the floor - even hay/haylage.

My lad was never affected in any way really - he was an absolute superstar and did all that was asked of him brilliantly.

It was sad that he couldn't speak but other than that he was tip top :D
 
Thank you, that's really helpful!

He is a lovely chap so i didn't want to turn him down because of this, so i just want to know what is normal and how i can help him! :-)
 
As already mentioned really, always from ground level.

Take care with feeding, they choke far more readily than an unhobdayed horse. I always made sure my horse did not eat 'in competition' with another, ie don't feed in the field, bring him in to his own box and let him eat in peace. Bit of a pain if you are a run in the field and chuck buckets down set up, but don't do it. Feed wise I had to use a good competition mix because the horse was working, I added a good quality chaff and sugarbeet. I made it quite damp to catch the bits but not so damp is would 'clog' in his throat, he needs to chew it properly.

If you compete and feed away from home, take extra care, if the horse is stressy, wait to feed him until he is relaxed and will eat quietly

Please don't be offended, you probably don't do it anyway - but don't leave a hobdayed horse eating alone and leave the yard before you know he has finished.

Soak hay and haylage. If he continues to cough I would just get him looked at expecially if you are trying to get him fit.

You will notice he cannot speak to you very easily. My horse lost his voice almost entirely but adapted his own way of talking to me down his nose. You really won't know if a horse has been operated on in most cases and it doesn't carry the stigma it did in years gone by.
 
hiya!

my ex-racer lyme had tie-back done! to be perfectly honest it has never effected him in any way shape or form? he doesnt cough, he is definitely vocal!

Maybe it effects each horse differently?
 
lymeregis said:
hiya!

my ex-racer lyme had tie-back done! to be perfectly honest it has never effected him in any way shape or form? he doesnt cough, he is definitely vocal!

Maybe it effects each horse differently?
Click to expand...

There are many different operations for wind problems.

In the case of a full tie back operation this is usually done due to a partially paralysed larynx. As a result this will also effect the vocal chords and result in them losing the ability to whinny or neigh.
This was the case with my lad.

I did not have to soak my hay though - I just made sure that it was really good quality and he was always kept in a well ventilated environment.
 
Adorablealice - no offence taken whatsoever :) although I have a fair amount of 'horsey' experience, this is something I have never come across before hence asking the question so ANY advice is very welcome :)

I always feed whilst mucking out, and wait til they've finished to remove buckets, but this is because I have one horse who destroys buckets otherwise, so more by default than design, so now you have pointed this out, i know the importance of this! Potential disaster averted :D

I don't currently feed his haylage on the ground, it is in a small holed net at head-height, i will change this to buckets on the floor tonight.

I do have the vet coming on Monday to give him a general 'MOT', as i've literally only just got him, and didn't get him vetted before purchase (please don't shoot me down for that one!! :o )

Lymeregis - thank you, that's good to hear - hopefully once my boy is in proper work he'll be like yours - he's a bit underweight at the moment so needs improvement all-round, it's nice to hear positive stories :)
 
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