Has anyone taken their horse to leahurst?

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moodymare1987

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Basically the vet has been to my friends horse a few times over the same leg as he has been lame a lot recently after kicking a wall we think it was?
He has been on box rest and bute a couple of times but still they cant pinpoint what is exactly wrong.

The vets wanted him to come in to them so this morning off we toddled got the horse loaded and was set of for 7 to get to the vets for 8 am, he had nerve blocks, x rays flexion tests. Oh and when he had nerve blocks in his hing leg he was them crippled on his front leg which baffled them?

So now he is being referred to Leahurst, My friend is worried as we have heard some horror stories about things that go on at leahurst, but I assured her that some people have bad experiences while others dont,

So the vet didnt know what was wrong now thinking he has done a ligament or something?

So what is leahurst like and how long did your horses stay their for and did it break your insurers bank balance? As friend is also worried its going to go over her cover?

Sorry for ramble Im tired and just wanted to know of peoples experiences of tthe vets, pm if you prefer.
 
Have never sent any of my horses there but my best friend is a vet and he worked there for a while. Only had good things to say about it.
 
My horse spent 2 weeks at Leahurst with a fractured leg. They were fantastic. The only problem I found was speaking to different vets all the time, each with different opinions but the main man was fantastic and realistically they cant all be there 24/7. The yard staff looked after him brilliantly and groomed him etc, he was kept spotless with new shavings everyday. He looked really well when he come home. He did lose weight as he wouldnt eat???? but we have very very good haylage and theres wasnt anything like ours but they tried everything and after a couple of days he was fine.
I cant praise them enough.
It was expensive to keep him there and cost about £2k for the fortnight but that was for everything including bandage changes at about £100 a time (there was loads and loads of padding, vetwraps etc) xrays, scans, sedations. I think it was about £25 a night. I was worried too about the cost but at the end of the day he needed the treatment so there wasnt much I could do.
 
See I never heard any bad about them untill today only I think its in my friends horses best interest that he goes, she was just put off but he is still going mind,
Do they get straight to work as soon as you drop the horses off do you think?
 
The cost isnt an issue, my friend was worried how to tell her partner but they are going to pay whatever they need to as he knows the horse means so much to her.

I feel bad for her as we just would like to know whats up with him and its dragging on now, how long does it take to be referred to Leahurst?
 
Hi just to hijack the thread... my horse is going to the vets tomorrow for lameness follow up. (nerve blocks ect) He sound very similar to you friend horse. Mine also kicks a wall. Could you tell me the horses symptoms? (sp?) pm me if you prefer
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Having lived on The Wirral for thirty years I know it well, both from going to parties there (
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) and taking horses there.
They couldn't try harder to look after your horse and it's the best place for weird lamenesses etc.
Regarding horror stories the worst you might get are students attempting to inject the horse and not being that good at it, I did on one occasion step in after 20 plus attempts and say enough was enough.. the proper vet then took over.
It's a teaching yard so expect students to watch any procedures.
I couldn't rate the top vets there highly enough, Derek Knottenbelt is a delightful man and always happy to talk to you as if you are an equal, and if ever you get the chance to read his text book for vets, you will understand the sheer breadth of his expertise.
Sometimes the horses are sent at livery to satellite yards on nearby farms, but again, they are run properly and under leahursts' supervision.
I can't tell you re cost, probably about the same as a good livery yard for keep, and vet's fees on top. At least you don't pay visit charges!
I would happily send any of ours there so please feel confident about it, it's only the equivalent of your Dr sending you to a specialist hospital .
 
Mine went to Leahurst about 4 years ago for a fractured skull (in 2 places). I stayed with him and was able to be with him for most of the diagnostic procedures. He was seen by Derek Knottenbelt who was absolutely fantastic and very clear and concise in his explanations. He certainly put the student vets through their paces! Horse has again been referred there and I have no qualms about sending him, I just want an answer to his problems and I am confident they will be ble to do that.
My bill first time round was only £80, for x-rays and sonography (total from all investigations £1200), this time I've been told it'll be close to £1000.
 
Showjump, just a quick thought, a horse we loaned was returned slightly lame behind, but no obvious cause.
I took it to Tex Gamble who diagnosed a misplaced tail bone, he treated him and fixed it completely.
The loaner admitted she had seen him kicking the stone wall as the other horses were turned out..
You don't suppose it could be a similar reason?
 
Thanks for that HH my friend was worried I did say to her though I would take what people say with a pinch of salt.
The cost isnt an issue now anyway as her partner was the one she was worried about and has said they will sort it.

I have only heard good things about these vets untill today, I would without a doubt send my horse to them from what people have said to me and it is highly rated.
 
2 horse I know have gone there - both good experiences (well, for the circumstances, i.e both ill and injured at the time
 
My pony was there last year - was referred for xrays after he managed to puncture his foot in a place where he could have done some serious damage.

He went in on a Saturday afternoon and was xrayed immediately. Kept in a couple of days and I couldn't speak highly enough of the care he received there. The staff there were all lovely and very reassuring.

TBH I've never heard of anyone having a problem there up til now
 
Well It wasnt anyone I knew just someone who took us to the vets?
Oh are we allowed to stay for a while anyway or do we have to go?
 
we take are horses from work there so been there on MANY occasions and everytime they are fantastic and look after are horses really well.
would well recommend n they will get to the problem
 
Higgs went there when he had a root tooth infection for the day and then for a couple of weeks later on. Can't fault Leahurst at all
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Also he went there (and unfortunately never came back
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) when he had colic surgery which was brought on by Grass Sickness.
At all times the professors, Derek and Barry and vet Dylan were fab, as were the nurses and reception staff. I personally would have no hesitation taking a horse there if need be (fingers crossed we don't have to) and my insurance company (NFU) paid £500 travel and 50% livery costs too on top of the treatment.
 
Its a long time ago now but I had to take my mare as an emergency when she got kicked and punctured her hock joint.

I cannot fault them at all, it was 11pm on a Saturday night when we arrived, and it was like a scene from casualty with all the vet students and staff rushing in as we got there and they were fantastic throughout her 2 week stay.
 
Thats what is was like when we went. They were all waiting for us and so organised, we backed the wagon right up to the room and he hopped out straight rather than coming down an incline. They were fantastic.
 
My mare was admitted as an emergency late one night last year (colic) and ended up staying there for 5 days......can't recommend them enough, she was looked after really well throughout and I got a phone call every day with an update on her condition.
 
I know of 3 horses of close friends of mine that have been in leahurst. All 3 of them have only good things to say about leahurst.
One was a pregnant mare who had a nasty case of colic, i went to pick her up as friends lorry broke down and i honestly couldnt fault the care, i was there for nearly an hour (whilst they sorted out paperwork, payment and care schedule for when we got the mare home) and saw vets everywhere and every bed was immaculate, every horse ruged and looking happy.
They couldnt do enough for oyu and were absolutely brilliant, i wouldnt have a single problem with taking my lot there!
 
another wirraler here who has taken one particular horse to leahurst alot fo times.
they are great.she had an op once and had to stay there and she came home lokoing really well and happy and they looked after her great.never heard a serious complaint about the unit.
 
Unfortunately I have had experience with Leahurst when my 6 year old mare had to undergo emergency colic surgery in December 2007
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The resident vet that day was Mel, and she was absolutely superb! I never once felt out of the picture or badly informed, she was fantastic at explaining everything to me.

She called when she said she would call, she never left me waiting by the phone! She also told me everything straight, no flowery descriptions, but with a kindness that I will never forget as she understood how much Grace means to me!

The only time I felt panicked was when Mel had one day off and another resident vet phoned. That day I flew down to Leahurst to check on her because he had frightened the living daylights out of me when talking about odemas on the scar, swollen hinds and infection to the wound. When I got there, she had some scabs on her legs which always causes her right hind to swell due to old lymphangitis occurence, and the swelling was just where the belly bandage had stopped and was 'normal'! Phew!!!

The other thing is the continued interest shown after she left. I emailed them asking a simple question, and Mel phoned me within half an hour asking how she was and answering all my questions!

I was very very impressed!
 
Thanks everyone that is reassuring to hear anyway, I just didnt want my friend to panic, I am hoping it is nothing to serious for him anyway.
 
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