Help! What would you do?

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DaisyMae

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I am so upset and stressed to the max - I bought an ex-racehorse 2 1/2 years ago who has been unbelieveably accident prone and i've only had 2 months of decent riding out of her in all that time.

Some time ago she was diagnosed with navicular syndrome and after months of boxrest and treatment she now been sound for over a year. She is, however, a pasture ornament because i have tried to bring her back into work on several occasions and her behavior indecates that she may still be in discomfort and the more i ride her the worse she gets and she is no better for my trainer.

My problem is that she cut her foot on barbed wire 2 weeks ago and i thought i was healing nicely until she went lame on that foot this morning. When i arrived after work she couldn't put that foot down. Vet said cut is all healed. Didn't respond to pressure testing on her hoof (no sign of abcess) but she is so severely lame.

Vet thinks that she has broken a bone in her hoof while caught in the barbed wire and that it's only showing up now 2 weeks later. I seriously don't think this is the case and think that it will be her navicular again, meaning the insurance won't pay!

Tonights treatment will have already cost about £200 and she wants to come back tomorrow and do £350 worth of xrays! If nothing shows up, she wants to do a scan! and THEN if we still think it's the navicular rearing its ugly head then she will have to go to horsey hospital and have nerve blocks to confirm it! Then presumably i will have to pay for her to be pts and taken away. I do care for this horse but this debt will ruin me!!

I'm so upset tonight and would just love some advice. I'm really concerned about letting them xray her tomorrow because i'm convinced that they won't find anything but the navicular and i won't be able to claim a thing on the insurance.
 
It's gutting when you keep going through things, your poor mare.

I would rather know what's what and then make a decision on what to do and how to manage your mare once you know all the facts.

If it's any consolation this year I have spent over 3k on my retired gelding trying to sort out various ailments. He is too old to be covered with vets insurance. Don't begrudge him a penny tho.

I really hope it works out for you and your mare.

x
 
I think if it was me I would go for the xrays, if nothing shows then I think I would call it a day, money sadly is a factor and if no broken bones show or with luck a deep seated abcess.

By having the xrays I know I would have given her every chance and excluded a fracture or something simple to cure, and that it is more than likely that the navicular is getting worse and scans to confirm it will not get away from the likely outcome which is PTS.

Go with your head, a horse that is in pain has no qualifty of life whatever their age and her condition sadly will deteriorate, finances need to be considered and a bit too soon is far better than too late.

I hope it all goes well for you.
 
I completely agree with Scally's post.

I really feel sorry for you. I went through a similar thing with a little gelding I had that was diagonosed with navicular, so I know how heartbreaking it is to see them in pain and suffer set-back after set-back.

I had every test done under the sun for my boy, which in hindsight I regret as it put him through so much stress, but I was only a teenager and was just desperate to find a solution. I ended up doing the same as you and kept him as a big pet whilst he wasn't in pain, but eventually the day did come when I felt it was kinder for him to be put to sleep.

If your mare is in pain, bored with just being in the field, or if having all these tests done is going to put a huge strain on you and possibly affect her welfare in the long run then I would probably call it a day too.

Best of luck.
 
As the saying goes......no foot no horse........is it really worth putting your horse through more pain and suffering having more tests done?
Sometimes we have to do the kindest thing for the horse. Sadly it always is the worst thing for us. I've had to put down the coolest horse who had recurring foot/leg problems. The relief when I finally had the deed done was enormous. Good luck what ever you decide.
 
Another dittoing Scally. X-rays to see if broken or an abcess. If not and vet concurs is likely to be the navicular (though they may not without the further tests), then as said, no foot no horse. I'd try field rest (dependent on herd/conditions). I can understand your angst and upset. Hugs hun.
 
im no expert but if the horse have navicular problems and is in pain and un rideable, i cant help thinking it would be kinder to not put her through any more podding and poking. even if it is a broken bone or just lameness that will heal, surely she will always be in pain from the navicular, and never be a completely happy horse. its heart brakeing but i would consider all situations here
 
Thankyou so much for your replys! I seriously needed some outside opinions and i agree with you all - I'll have the x-rays done today (which i know won't find anything but navicular) and then way up my our options... I'll try and post an update. Thanks again!
 
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