Health anxiety (big horse)

mini_b

mini_b

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 June 2019
Messages
1,931
Visit site
I think suffer with some sort of health anxiety about my horse...
I don’t think lockdown has helped as I feel like time is getting away from us.

He is a large chap, 17hh MW IDx. he was gifted to me as a project just before he turned 13 and we have spent the last year or so working on getting him being a functioning member of society which he mostly now is!
He is very much sound in wind and limb, he gives me no reason to think there is something untoward.

i have had multiple lameness work ups, body workers, physios all tell me he is just weak...which he was. All looking good now!

All my plans for training clinics and getting out went down the shitter with various lockdowns, poor folk having to close their venues and my trailer test being cancelled multiple times.

I do a lot with him at home to the best of my abilities and with the limited facilities we have and he is now a different horse entirely.

this boy has lived a life of doing (honestly) bugger all than hunt once or twice a week during season for 4 years. Then off rest of the year. And then went on to be a light hack.
I know all his previous history. So he is low mileage in that respect.

I don’t have plans to affiliate really just fun rides, unaff stuff, XC and SJ schooling, camps etc.

he truly is something special (to me) he came to me with a list of stuff “he doesn’t do” (who in all honestly I am clueless) and somehow I’ve now got a bold, trusting, such a genuine genuine horse.

I just wanted some reassurance that folks are still out doing stuff with their big horses into their late teens/20’s. We won’t ever be jumping big tracks or riding even to medium - he doesn’t enjoy it.

im having a tough time in lockdown and he is all I have, I think my anxiety is now manifesting as a concern I’m going to lose him before we’ve seen the world a bit as i know he is going to be cracking fun horse!

sorry it’s a bit of a ramble, I needed to get it off my chest as I keep bursting into tears.

Please be nice ? my prev big one retired early with a knackered shoulder due to wear and tear in his former life and I’m trying so hard to prevent this. This one is different...
 
Thank you both so much - I say riding even to medium, he couldn’t trot in a straight line or actually canter.

we are working just about at prelim and he can do some basic lateral work at home, but his spookiness let’s him down when he is more than capable. He has never seen anything bless him.
 
Frumpoon said:
Yep...I had a 17hh that was still showjumping and bloodhounding at the age of 24

Kindest, soundest, toughest horse I’ve ever known
Click to expand...

thank you for posting - I’ve never known a horse like him and he (mostly we!) has exceeded everyone’s expectations this far. I needed to hear some positivity about the big ones.
 
I know quite a few big horses in their 20’s still working...mostly because they are completely adored by their equally dotty middle aged owners
 
I have an 18 yo 17.2+ who has had an active competition life since I bought him 12 years ago, I only retired him from eventing 3 years ago (we competed to advanced), since when we have been doing affiliated dressage to advanced medium...and if his flying changes weren’t quite so erratic he’d be doing PSG!....he has absolutely no intention of slowing down!.
Fingers firmly crossed we will enjoy more years too.....
 
Frumpoon said:
I know quite a few big horses in their 20’s still working...mostly because they are completely adored by their equally dotty middle aged owners
Click to expand...

right well that is so good to know!
I would like to think I can spot a mile off when he’s “off” or I think he’s off ?

I think rest days are good but he is actually a happier, chilled in daily work, even unfed he has been difficult on the ground this and last winter due to awful conditions under foot. His work ethic might serve him well!

he has to go out, even if it’s tacked up and around the block hes done “something”. Definitely a horse that knows it’s got a job.
 
quizzie said:
I have an 18 yo 17.2+ who has had an active competition life since I bought him 12 years ago, I only retired him from eventing 3 years ago (we competed to advanced), since when we have been doing affiliated dressage to advanced medium...and if his flying changes weren’t quite so erratic he’d be doing PSG!....he has absolutely no intention of slowing down!.
Fingers firmly crossed we will enjoy more years too.....
Click to expand...

thats truly so nice to hear. What breed is he? Well done on your achievements with him!
 
Not_so_brave_anymore said:
I had one full up chunky 16hh mare who was still going strong (far too strong!) well into her 20s, despite a tendon injury aged 13ish that took an absolute AGE to heal.
Click to expand...

he’s come to me at this age I feel like I should have met him 5/6 years ago.
thanks for sharing ❤️
that tight feeling in my chest is subsiding reading things like this.
 
cobgoblin said:
Our 16.3 Shire Cross lived to 33yrs and was sound to the end. The only illnesses he ever had was a couple of abscesses.
Click to expand...

that is amazing - what age was he when he stopped “work”

My friend has a wb who is 30 soon - she still has a little hack here and there but is considerably smaller, more “normal sized”
 
Frumpoon said:
I know quite a few big horses in their 20’s still working...mostly because they are completely adored by their equally dotty middle aged owners
Click to expand...

Yep, sadly I am no longer middle aged. Dotty yes.

For me there are few useful rules for keeping older horses going. Don't bang them on hard ground, don't let them get gross (easier said then done with ID's) and keep them in gentle work all year round.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Yep, sadly I am no longer middle aged. Dotty yes.

For me there are few useful rules for keeping older horses going. Don't bang them on hard ground, don't let them get gross (easier said then done with ID's) and keep them in gentle work all year round.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that!
I do bear the ground in mind with mine - how much if any road work do you do? We enjoy it but it makes me cringe thinking about his legs, how much is too much?

He’s token fed just for vits and his joint supplement; which he’s been on for the last 6 years as a preventative measure.

I do try to keep him doing something every day, it’s good for his brain more than anything as he can be a twonk otherwise.
 
We've had quite a few big horses go on well into their 20s - we tend to have 17.2hh++ Irish draughts.
Last two boys were still hunting weekly (sensibly!) until they were 19/20 and one of them is still hacking aged 24 - I've recently had an enquiry from his loaner asking about a stronger bit so he's obviously feeling well ??

We had an ex hunt staff horse given us - he'd spent his whole working life in kennels, hunting at least once a week. He was a very stocky 17hh Irish draught /maxi cob stamp. We got him aged 14 according to his passport. We discovered subsequently he'd been repassported as was at least 4-5 years older than that - so he was hacking and hunting with us, perfectly sound, with a big pack, in its early 20s. He was a very lovable and very opinionated git who still tried to deck us at the beginning of his last season! I'd never have taken him on a fun ride - it'd have been suicidal ??
 
AdorableAlice said:
Yep, sadly I am no longer middle aged. Dotty yes.

For me there are few useful rules for keeping older horses going. Don't bang them on hard ground, don't let them get gross (easier said then done with ID's) and keep them in gentle work all year round.
Click to expand...

I would add another thing...if you need to get them fitter...hills are your friend....lots of slow hill work (even in walk) will do more with a lot less strain/concussion than flat ground.

I am sure that I could not have got my big lad 3 day event fit and kept him sound without hill work.
 
spacefaer said:
We've had quite a few big horses go on well into their 20s - we tend to have 17.2hh++ Irish draughts.
Last two boys were still hunting weekly (sensibly!) until they were 19/20 and one of them is still hacking aged 24 - I've recently had an enquiry from his loaner asking about a stronger bit so he's obviously feeling well ??

We had an ex hunt staff horse given us - he'd spent his whole working life in kennels, hunting at least once a week. He was a very stocky 17hh Irish draught /maxi cob stamp. We got him aged 14 according to his passport. We discovered subsequently he'd been repassported as was at least 4-5 years older than that - so he was hacking and hunting with us, perfectly sound, with a big pack, in its early 20s. He was a very lovable and very opinionated git who still tried to deck us at the beginning of his last season! I'd never have taken him on a fun ride - it'd have been suicidal ??
Click to expand...

Love that!
Mines never hunting again as I’ve just got his head sort of screwed on!
 
quizzie said:
I would add another thing...if you need to get them fitter...hills are your friend....lots of slow hill work (even in walk) will do more with a lot less strain/concussion than flat ground.

I am sure that I could not have got my big lad 3 day event fit and kept him sound without hill work.
Click to expand...

yep to the hill work - we are like bloody Holland where we are liveried for some reason. I’ve got plans to box up back to my place and utilise the hills but need to pass my trailer test first... lockdown cancelled again :(
 
mini barnes said:
that is amazing - what age was he when he stopped “work”

My friend has a wb who is 30 soon - she still has a little hack here and there but is considerably smaller, more “normal sized”
Click to expand...

He used to go for a little toddle around the village until he was about 30, maybe a bit later. He was very willing but it did tire him, mainly because he got overexcited.
 
This idiot is still in light work - he was written off competition-wise at 11, and came to me at 15 as a "Might be rideabe again" gamble.
He's just turned 24, and doesn't appear to have slowed down one bit. He is carefully maintained, but not really any more than most ancient sports horses!
142184311_10160334390830730_8470860710948842669_n.jpg
 
OP I know how you feel. Mine is 22 and we’ve just lost the last year. It definitely feels as If we are running out of time. Just my luck to have a pandemic to halt all plans :(

Im trying not to dwell on it and just get through winter.
 
My friend had an 18hh hunter she hunted him twice weekly until he was 26. She was gifted him aged 10 as he was completely nuts but she was a proper thruster out hunting so took him and that suited him. The horse was still nuts until the day he retired, he’d still jump hedges and be up front. She tried to slow his work down but he became unmanageable so she fully retired him and he passed away a year later.
 
I know of a 25 year old who does hound exercise and cubbing still with sass and still does riding club.
rarely jumps more than one round of 80cm but still goes as much as any 12 year old.
I would perhaps give some oil for joints and chat to your vet re balancer keep an eye on his teeth to be sure he is able to eat normal. otherwise keep going they let you know if they arent happy.
most Irish horses go along time once cared for
 
meleeka said:
OP I know how you feel. Mine is 22 and we’ve just lost the last year. It definitely feels as If we are running out of time. Just my luck to have a pandemic to halt all plans :(

Im trying not to dwell on it and just get through winter.
Click to expand...

big hugs.
It’s not like we are going to get to badminton but I want to see a bit of the world with him he’s so fab.
Definitely quirky but he’s great!
 
MissMay said:
I know of a 25 year old who does hound exercise and cubbing still with sass and still does riding club.
rarely jumps more than one round of 80cm but still goes as much as any 12 year old.
I would perhaps give some oil for joints and chat to your vet re balancer keep an eye on his teeth to be sure he is able to eat normal. otherwise keep going they let you know if they arent happy.
most Irish horses go along time once cared for
Click to expand...

I would be delighted to be doing RC activities with him at 25.

why oil for joints? I don’t want to add extra calories into him as he’s a very draughty type. Ie. gets fat on fresh air.
We use a high quality joint supplement at the moment.
 
spacefaer said:
Just to add - we never trot on the roads and only ever do fast work uphill or in straight lines.
Never lunge and don't take them in 20x40 schools ?
Click to expand...

....don’t say all that.
I lunge 1x a week ish but i move around the arena.
I’ve got no hills which I’m working on as I know he needs that sort of work
but...I don’t have a choice about fast work in a straight line as that’s the only direction we go ?

I know concussion on the road isn’t ideal but our ground has been so bad this winter, I thought some road work strengthened them or is that an old wives tale? I do not hammer him for miles either - I’m conservative about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top