Hard Decision

[Dilema]

If you had a horse that has been diagonosed with Bone Spavin and the options are either give them Bute and carry on competing them or have them PTS what would you do?

The horse absolutley hates hacking so a happy hacker home isn't an option and selling the horse to someone cheap I think is irresponsible.

The horse isn't insured, so what would you do?

 

[Bounty]

My mare is lame to the point where hacking isn't an option even on bute. She's not happy to retire at the moment as she's a workaholic and only 8/9. She's being PTS next thursday.

Sorry to hear you're in the same position.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

[Dilema]

I'm sorry to hear about your horse. It's not easy is it?

Really don't know what to do.

 

[mollymurphy]

I'm really sorry to hear about your horse. How bad is the bone spavin, and how much bute would you be thinking of putting him on?

I think i'd consider buting and carrying on until the bute (say, i dont know, 2 or 3 a day?!) wasnt enough. Then put him to sleep?

Welcome to the forum though - sorry it's under such circumstances.

lou. x

 

[Krysha_n_Helga]

i know what you meen helga would have to be pts if it wa sher coz no way would see be a happy hacker coz likes working to much.
I wouldn`t put on Bute coz in the end they will end up with liver failure but i guess its up to you really.
Sorry about your horse

 

[Dilema]

Well she is 2/10ths lame at the moment without any Bute - she has only just really gone lame, she was always a bit stiff but warmed up OK (classic Spavin apparently).

 

[Bounty]

No, not easy. But she's in quite a state and has a couple of other issues too, so I'm 100% sure that I've made the right decision for her. If anything, I should have made it earlier. I've been selfish keeping her on while I finish my exams.

 

[airedale]

carry on on bute but lower the level of competition and tbh - happy hacker doesn't have to mean plodding - we certainly don't plod when we hack - very active

 

[Krysha_n_Helga]

[ QUOTE ]
Well she is 2/10ths lame at the moment without any Bute - she has only just really gone lame, she was always a bit stiff but warmed up OK (classic Spavin apparently).

[/ QUOTE ]
i thought you was goin to say she was really lame like 6/10th maybe try the bute.

 

[Shilasdair]

I'd bute her and work her...competing or whatever you can do with a reasonable amount of bute.
Is there no chance that the spavins might fuse and cause no further deterioration?
I only ask because I bought my (now 18 yr old) TB aged 5 with a bone spavin...which was fused....and she's still sound...
Best of luck - I'm sure you'll make the right decisions when the time comes.
S

 

[BethH]

Sounds harsh - a bone spavin is not the end of the world, I would work the horse lightly with bute until settled and gradually up the work again. Difficult choice to PTS, can the horse not have some time off living out to allow it to mend?

 

[mickey]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds harsh - a bone spavin is not the end of the world, I would work the horse lightly with bute until settled and gradually up the work again. Difficult choice to PTS, can the horse not have some time off living out to allow it to mend?

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree with these sentiments - As I own a horse that has bone spavin, and with plenty of patience and management has turned out to be a star competing very successfully.

 

[Patches]

Bone Spavin is not the end of the world!

My horse was diagnosed with it in February. She's not on bute as she's not lame, just has a mechanically altered gait.

I jump, school, hack, do pleasure rides. Ok, I don't compete her, but that's nothing to do with her spavin, it's because I don't ride at that level.

I wouldn't PTS.

 

[Pidge]

How bad is the spavin? What does your vet say?
Going through bone spavin at the moment with Pidge. He has been 1/10ths lame and is on a satchet of bute a day and has had a jab in his hock. He is now feeling far far too well and hasn't understood yet that he is NOT supposed to be cantering

Don' know yet what I will be able to do with Pidge long term, just taking each day as it goes really.

 

[Seahorse]

If it were my horse and he was sound on bute I would ride and carry on competeing as normal.
If he wasn't sound I would have him pts as I couldn't afford to keep a horse I couldn't ride, and he wouldn't be happy turned out into a field

after some of the horror stories you hear about companion horses etc I wouldn't trust anyone.
He would love to be a happy hacker though.........

 

[Mid]

that's the thing. happy hacking does not mean pottering about, and how's a horse to know the difference between hacking and say, endurance, or xc?