Having a nightmare ?

[Poppy2003]

My youngster went to schooling livery 6 weeks ago to be sold as I don’t have the time or motivation anymore and quite frankly he was turning out to be a superstar in the making. I sent him to a professional yard so the have the facilities etc to assist with the selling process.
I sold him to the first viewer pending a full vetting. He then injured himself before the vetting. Appeared just to be a cut to his hind pastern and some swelling. So vetting was pushed back a few days. The day after the cut he then went lame. Weight bearing but lame. Each day it improved but he was probably still 1/10th lame. The yard got their vet to have a quick look who wasn’t overly concerned and said another weeks rest should do it. After that week he was still marginally lame. I then got my vet to have a good look and at my request scan and x ray the leg. Both were clear and she thought it no more than a cut with some swelling and another week max rest. The buyer understood and we agreed to give him 2 weeks rest just to be absolutely sure.
2.5 weeks later he is still trotting up lame ?
The yard think it looks higher up, like pelvic area. They want a vet again which I’ve organised.
I just don’t know what to do. He’s only 4. My situation re time etc for him won’t change, it will only get worse in the winter. I’ve pulled the sale as it’s sounding more serious. I would be loathed to do any sort of long box rest with a young horse. I potentially have some land I could turn him away for a year or whatever but what then? What if he’s got a career ending injury at 4 ?

 

[Annagain]

One step at a time.

It's a horrible situation and I totally understand you fearing the worst but panicking before you even know what you're dealing with won't do anybody any good. It could just be a knock or a slight strain that's taking slightly longer than expected to heal. Fingers crossed the vet finds something relatively minor.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I wouldn't be to worried yet its only been 2 weeks I think your best bet is to follow your vets advice, are there any other investigations they can do to see if it is higher up?

 

[Shilasdair]

He's not very lame, it's not very close to winter, stop worrying.
Wait to see what the vet finds, rest him for a few more weeks. If he comes sound, contact the potential buyer to see if they are still interested., maybe at a slight discount.
If not re-advertise.

 

[Poppy2003]

I wouldn't be to worried yet its only been 2 weeks I think your best bet is to follow your vets advice, are there any other investigations they can do to see if it is higher up?

Sorry to clarify he’s been lame for nearly 4 weeks now. He’s been turned away for the last 2 weeks after my vet did x ray and scan which were fine but he’s still trotting up lame today

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sorry to clarify he’s been lame for nearly 4 weeks now. He’s been turned away for the last 2 weeks after my vet did x ray and scan which were fine but he’s still trotting up lame today

Its still not that long have a chat with the vet about what they suggest is the best course of action its still summer so you do have a fair bit of time.

I know the yard are saying they think the problem is higher up but they are not vets, so see what the vet thinks is there a possibility he could have injured himself in a different place when he did the cut, how did he cut his leg?

 

[Poppy2003]

Its still not that long have a chat with the vet about what they suggest is the best course of action its still summer so you do have a fair bit of time.

I know the yard are saying they think the problem is higher up but they are not vets, so see what the vet thinks is there a possibility he could have injured himself in a different place when he did the cut, how did he cut his leg?

I’m not entirely sure how he managed it but he caught himself whilst loose jumping (for the prospective buyer), apart from the cut their was nothing obvious lameness wise at the time.
The vets want him in now for a full assessment

 

[deb_l222]

I'm certainly no expert but I would say, stop panicking and thinking worst case scenario!!

I twisted my knee 4 weeks ago and I would still class myself as 2/10 lame, so these things take time, in horses as well as humans. Unless the person on the yard has x-ray vision, they have no idea if there's a problem with his pelvis or not, they're just guessing.

Stick with what your vet is telling you and only worry when there's something to worry about

 

[Poppy2003]

I know and it’s reassuring to hear I’m maybe over thinking things, I’ve had a career ending injury in my last horse at a young age (that seemingly didn’t seem like much at the time) so I’ve gone into overdrive.
There is the practical side as well, I’m currently paying for schooling livery at a professional yard. I moved him yards to be there. I’d struggle to take him back as it stands due to time/facilities etc but they could maybe offer turnout livery as a lesser cost whilst he recovers.
I presume this would now be on his vet records and would need to be declared to any future buyer?

 

[ycbm]

With a horse for sale myself, you're in my worst nightmare territory. I hope he comes sound soon.
.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I’m afraid I’d be suspicious of the schooling yard having over done it with him. You see it time and again. Either that or regular work shows up and underlying issue. Unlike others here I would be worried. I’d be getting him home and investigated thoroughly by a vet with an expertise in lameness. Anything new and acute needs to be dealt with before it becomes chronic especially in a still developing young horse. I would though take each step as it comes and not look too far ahead. A month is long enough for a minor issue to resolve IMO.

 

[Annagain]

I presume this would now be on his vet records and would need to be declared to any future buyer?

Yes but it may well be something that he will completely recover from. As you said, you're overthinking things or rather thinking about things too soon. It may even be a good thing. If the vet visit reveals nothing of concern, when he's back to normal, you'll be able to tell people he's very recently had a full workup and it revealed that all was well apart from a knock from which he has now recovered competely.

 

[Poppy2003]

He’s going in Friday for a full work up.
If I have to take him back I’d have to try rearrange a load of stuff. Try find a more suitable yard for him etc. Found a nice little pony for the kids, would have to reverse on that.
Wish I’d never put him up for sale and just kept him. But then I wasn’t coping with him and the time he needed so that won’t change