mavandkaz
Well-Known Member
Sorry, this is going to be a long one, but I have no previous experience of this and it's all been a bit of a shock.
So background:
I have owned Shambles for 3yrs. He is a 10yr old TB, and although bred from racing stock never raced or went into training (as far as I know). I bought from a private seller who had had him about 18months but just didn't have time for him.
I bought him as a safe hack (which he is) but quickly discovered we both enjoyed flat work, and so with the help of a fab instructor started moving up through the levels with BD, and were about to make our debut at medium.
Over the last couple of months I noticed that our scores weren't quite as good as last year (averaging 62%, with the odd 67/68%. Compared to averaging 66-69% at the end of last year.) We also had a few refusals out jumping, despite jumping really well at home.
So sent him off to the vets for a loss of performance work up.
He trotted up sound, and also 'passed' flexions, but was a bit short when lunged on the hard. So started with the nerve blocks, which kept just moving the problem around.
So to cut a long story short, full neck and back x-rays were taken which showed remodeling to the articular facet C6-7 and again to joints TH 15-17 (under the back of the saddle)
Ultrasounds also showed damage to all 4 suspensories. Fronts aren't so bad, but hinds were bad news. There is damage to the ligaments where it attaches to the bone, both top and bottom, and both branches.
So my question is, if you have made it this far, has anybody had similar? What was the prognosis? Did your horse return to work? What rehab did you do? Any treatment plans?
Vet is at a bit of a loss. She said that it is the type of injury she would see in horse that had been raced or show jumped long and hard, and that if she had just seen the scans she would advise retirement. But the scans do not match the horse in front of her, and just few days before we were perfecting our half passes.
She is putting together a rehab plan but is being quite guarded in her expectations.
Any help/experience would be much appreciated
So background:
I have owned Shambles for 3yrs. He is a 10yr old TB, and although bred from racing stock never raced or went into training (as far as I know). I bought from a private seller who had had him about 18months but just didn't have time for him.
I bought him as a safe hack (which he is) but quickly discovered we both enjoyed flat work, and so with the help of a fab instructor started moving up through the levels with BD, and were about to make our debut at medium.
Over the last couple of months I noticed that our scores weren't quite as good as last year (averaging 62%, with the odd 67/68%. Compared to averaging 66-69% at the end of last year.) We also had a few refusals out jumping, despite jumping really well at home.
So sent him off to the vets for a loss of performance work up.
He trotted up sound, and also 'passed' flexions, but was a bit short when lunged on the hard. So started with the nerve blocks, which kept just moving the problem around.
So to cut a long story short, full neck and back x-rays were taken which showed remodeling to the articular facet C6-7 and again to joints TH 15-17 (under the back of the saddle)
Ultrasounds also showed damage to all 4 suspensories. Fronts aren't so bad, but hinds were bad news. There is damage to the ligaments where it attaches to the bone, both top and bottom, and both branches.
So my question is, if you have made it this far, has anybody had similar? What was the prognosis? Did your horse return to work? What rehab did you do? Any treatment plans?
Vet is at a bit of a loss. She said that it is the type of injury she would see in horse that had been raced or show jumped long and hard, and that if she had just seen the scans she would advise retirement. But the scans do not match the horse in front of her, and just few days before we were perfecting our half passes.
She is putting together a rehab plan but is being quite guarded in her expectations.
Any help/experience would be much appreciated