hard decision - sooner than planned?

[skewbald-mania]

My now 7yr TB mare was diagnosed with kissing spines last spring, the KS is in 2 places plus she had a secondary symptom in the muscles surrounding the spine she was very tender and would physically move away from the pain since then i made the decision to retire her and just turn her away in the field with friends to live out her days as a pampered pet on the advice of my vet. She was fine all last summer and wintered out (she wont be kept in), however in Jan she became very lame in her hind and at the time it was put down to a swelling in her hock which appeared, she did have a moment where she went straight down as if her legs buckled beneath her and she fell but got straight back up again. She was sound within 2 weeks and all has been well since today. I came down this morning to find her very lame on her hind again. The farrier came and trimmed her as planned but walking up the road she was quite lame. Farrier says she has been bearing all her weight on her outside legs and it shows on the hind she is lame on by the way her hoof has flared out to the inside only. The farriers where very sure the hind lameness is caused by her back pain and noticed that shes at least 3" higher on one side than the other - the side where the muscle trouble is shes also waisted away on this side slightly i never realized how bad she has become since bringing her up to the yard for a through walk on concrete, she found it hard to walk back up the road, noticeably lame - however as soon as i let her go in the field she galloped off her usual self.
I was hoping to give her the summer at least but looks like the decision will have to be made as soon as possible, the last thing i want is for her to be in pain
Am a bit emotional and hormonal at present being almost 9 weeks pregnant - hence why am not on my usual account as not many people know about it.
I have a little cob mare (well not so little) who she shares a field with and worrying how she will cope without her and what to do about her as i don't want her living alone without company - theres no-one else about looking for grazing either
Feels better now i have gotten it all off my chest, smarties for those who got this far.

 

[soulfull]

oh hun I am so sorry. I know how you feel I lost my 8 yr old a few days ago and it broke my heart, It is so true what they say better a month too early than a day too late.

 

[TallulahBright]

Aw bless. Sounds like a very difficult situation, what does the vet say recently?
P

 

[widget]

So sorry

 

[bonny]

If she's galloping around in the field she sounds happy enough to me and if you're happy for her to be retired then I would let her be. The hind leg lameness could well be something else altogether which resolves it's self in time. Why not wait out the summer and see how she is in the autumn ?

 

[KSR]

You'll know when the time is right.. Trust your horse to let you know, and trust your heart..

I lost my boy today.. He was okay yesterday, this afternoon he'd had enough..

 

[Fools Motto]

Sorry to read this, but at the end of the day you know your mare, she knows you and will 'tell you' when enough is enough.
As for your other mare, where abouts are you, as I'm sure someone will want grazing for their retired/youngster/injured or while they are expecting too!

And on that note, congratulations.

 

[Maesfen]

Very sorry but it does sound like it's time for her and far better a day early than too late in circumstances like this. It's never a nice one but this sounds the best decision for her, I'm sorry.
As to your other one, it's important that she sees her friend and is allowed to move away from the body in her own time so I would have it done somewhere that is safe to leave them together; the field is ideal as long as it's accessible to the transport needed to move her.

So sorry to hear your sad news too, KSR, I hope you're alright?