For all those with spavin - there is hope!

[FleabittenT]

My mare in 9 & was diagnosed with spavin in Oct...

Many intra-articular cortisoid injections later...

She's sound!

I know the condition is degenerative, so this may well not be forever, but for now at least, it's good news

Just need to get her fit again now, roll on spring for long after-work rides

 

[Ziggy_]

Great news, really happy for you.

My mare was written off with spavin aged 8 but came sound a year later. She's 13 this year, in full work and loving it, and in the shape of her life according to the physio at her most recent check up! I am careful with her and do everything I can to minimise wear and tear on her joints but apart from her loss of use mark you'd never know there was anything wrong with her.

Here's hoping your and your mare can enjoy many sound years together

 

[Echo Bravo]

Yes of course there is. Why is there some much doom and gloom when horses go wrong. What's the old saying that you cut the cloth????.
If the horse is no longer up to what you want in horse riding, find a new home to their now able work load and buy yourself a new one that will.

 

[FleabittenT]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes of course there is. Why is there some much doom and gloom when horses go wrong. What's the old saying that you cut the cloth????.
If the horse is no longer up to what you want in horse riding, find a new home to their now able work load and buy yourself a new one that will.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not about replacing an animal because they're not up to the job anymore.

My post was more in response to the several other posts there have been recently, with people discussing their experiences with spavin.

Many of these have been negative, with people discussing surgery, whether they'll be able to compete again etc, so I chose to post my experience, which is positive for a change.

And thanks Ziggy, it's a good feeling isn't it!

 

[brucea]

I have a horse recovered from bilateral spavin - uite lame with it - never had injections - simply got the shoes off, changed the diet and 18 months later, a sound horse.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Sorry but I wasn't having a go at you. Spavins are a hit and miss depends on their work load. What do you want from your horse, Jumpng ,eventing,dressage or just hacking and will the hocks stand up to what you want to do and if the horse cann't stand up to the work load, but sorry what do YOU want to do.
I'm lucky I own my property and have the space to retire my old mare with sweet-itch and several others in the past gone bye.

 

[kezimac]

me too

my horse diagnosed with bilateral djd - never had injections rode on bute for a couple weeks then just did hacking in straight lines worked as much as could and eventually fused, she had eggbars on too for a while on hind feet. now in normal shoes and sound - we dont jump vet said we could just not every week. Now she also has navicular in front feet - again now in eggbars and wedges and now sound - so thats not always the end of the world either - i know when you are first told it really can seem like the end of the world - i know i was inconsolable - poor vet thought i would never stop crying!!!! - but it came good and we do dressage and school 6 days a week (dont hack out much as lots roads by us) would rather not work too much on hard ground.
i know it will poss get worse someday but we are enjoying each day as it comes. shes here to stay anyway - even if i could sell her (which i never could bring myself too) who would buy her!!!!

 

[hannahealasaid]

Yep, thats what happened with my pony. He had injections behind and wedges infront, but hes sound now and hacks, schools 3-4 times a week. No jumping (i'm a wimp!!)

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

My TB who was diagnosed with spavin and tears to his supraspinous ligament was turned away last July which I found totally and utterly heartbreaking. We'd brought him on after getting him out of training and turned him into the most fantastic hunter and possibly the best hack I've ever had. He was insured so had everything thrown at him and is due to be rescanned and xrayed after 6 months to see how he's doing. If he's ok then OH is going to have him and it means we can keep him and do whatever with him. So fingers crossed!!

 

[glitterbug]

My old event horse was diagnosed with a spavin and had to stop eventing because of it, more because the fast work rather than the jumping made it worse, i swithched him to dressage he had one injection and wedge shoes and made it to Grand Prix so there is life after spavins sometimes!!