Help with decisions

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MissMay

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So I have mentioned several times about my mare with a damaged ligament in the front leg

Initial injury was a fractured fetlock joint and hole in the suspensory branch top vet care completely regimented exercise appeared to come back sound began to trot and her suspensory went again

This time gave a full year off work with monthly trims from farrier brought her back in Easter 3 Months of walking and just began to introduce trot and it looks to have gone again. We are giving her a week off in a restricted rest to see if it's just inflammation and will get the vet to scan on Thursday

If it is the ligament again I'm in limbo do j rehab an 17year old for the third time? Is there any hope in her ever coming sound really!??
My head says put down as she is obviously in pain selling or leasing is absolutely not an option I wouldn't trust anyone not to Injure her
I debate putting her to gras but she gets very fat so would have health issues with that and spend weeks on restricted turnout.


Can I get any non biased opinions in what to do
 
That is a really difficult one, a decision that only you can take really, as you know the horse and how she will cope with further rehab. I had one who adapted really well to a small turnout pen on gravel / sparse grass surface, with access to his stable. I was lucky to be able to make this facility as I keep them at home but understand not everyone can do this. He was also a pony I knew would be happy to live indefinitely like this (he was adjacent to a field with others so plenty of company) because he was always happiest in his stable or turned out alone. So it really depends on what regime your horse would be happy with and if you have access to the facilities you would need. I feel for you, its such a dilemma, I hope you get good news from the vet.
 
She is at home on a hardcore and wood chip looking at the other horses and adjacent others it it's not a great indefinite life though is it
 
I have been in your situation and will be again when something happens to Fatty it's not nice best wishes as you sort it out .
 
LJR said:
I wouldn't attempt rehab again tbh, so unless you can find a bare field to turn her away I would pts, sorry.
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Agree with this. I tried numerous times to rehab a 6 year old mare with ligament problems and was just trying to get her 'paddock sound' so that she could be a brood mare (conformation was great, injury was a freak accident) but it was heart breaking and she spent a lot of uncomfortable/painful months for nothgin. Once they have gone more than once I would always have to consider the circumstances and think three times about the horses future prospects and quality of life.
 
A suspensory branch injury has a 40% chance of reoccurrence. My horse has done three suspensory branches (fortunately caught early, very little damage - just slight sprain) and has recovered from each every time - I am convinced there is something in either his confirmation or the way he moves that makes him prone to the injury.

My horse is 19 and I've just completed a 6.5 month rehab of a suspensory branch sprain and he is back in almost full work. I probably won't compete anymore jumping, or if I do it will be at a much smaller height, although none of his suspensory branch injuries were caused by jumping, unfortunately the last one was caused by galloping around on a shoe that was sprung on the lunge, - a nasty spook at a dressage competition finished it off nicely!

I would do it again in a heart beat. The horse is happy, is turned out daily throughout his injuries and has a fantastic quality of life. The injury is only painful in the acute stage and is treatable if you are prepared to put the work in.

My horse would have been pts years ago by most on this forum so you won't get a very sympathetic answer on here! But I only have one horse, do not have a 'retirement' option and my vet says a slight sprain doesn't warrant such drastic action. In your mares case her injury resulting in a hole in the suspensory branch is more severe than my horses. I am happy to sit for hours nursing my horse because I am like that but I know not everyone would do so.

And obviously I am always guided by my vet.
 
Have you tried DMSO? My uncle used it on injury's it helped immensely repair our horses. His horse lived to be 35 years old. They were in a horrific car accident where my Uncle did not survive, his horse was in the trailer behind not injured although he gave up when he saw he had lost his bestest friend and long time partner. Im sorry your friend is in distress and I believe that your love and support of treatment will bring back the 3rd time okay. I am one who doesnt believe in end of life decisions. I have had to work at healing and it can be tough but the end result is always good to see my babies live out the time that God has given them to the fullest~~~~~~~~Go for it you have nothing to lose but your friend if you dont ;)
 
MissMay said:
She is at home on a hardcore and wood chip looking at the other horses and adjacent others it it's not a great indefinite life though is it
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I think you've answered your own question. It's not exactly a quality life is it?

For me, quality of life that a normal horse can enjoy (so no restrictions on turnout/grazing at the very least) is absolutely paramount.
Anything else is not living, it's surviving and then that is only for our benefit, not theirs.

I'm sorry, I think she's done enough to give her peace.
 
I lost my boy in similar circumstances. He repeatedly damaged both front suspenosries to the point we couldn't keep him in work. He hated being in the field, couldnt walk through mud and jumped the fence to go inside if it rained. He couldnt turn out with other horses (tried for 7 years!!) so turning away wasn't an option. He also hated not being in work. Went really depressed. We were left with the decision to PTS or keep him stabled over the winter with minimal turnout and a few hours over the summer. It was the kindest thing for him. Its the worst decision to make as he was healthy and looking amazing but he had no quality of life.
 
Please check into DMSO talk to your vet about its use ~ we have used it and will again! Sometimes life throws curves and its just easier to do the lessor, work at what you know takes time and it takes time to heal in all cases. Don't ever give up hope. I concur and agree with Applecart14. Geez don't put me down because I am hurting. Praying definitely helps if we are right in our spirit God will listen and guide. Once she is healed perhaps no formal workouts for awhile. Soak her hay (pulls out extra sugars sooooo not needed for overweight babes) we are doing just that right now on my off the track racing Thoroughbred due to the weight gain and his latest hoof injury it was recommended to bring off some weight. Dmso and Epsom soaks. It is working and he is healing faster, was encouraged by a seasoned horseman and I appreciate his wisdom not a biased opinion from him and what my heart needed to hear. Where there is love there is hope :)
 
Prince of Peace said:
Geez don't put me down because I am hurting. Praying definitely helps if we are right in our spirit God will listen and guide.
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I don't think anyone would want to put their horse to sleep just because they were hurting. If its curable then that's great. But not everything is (even for humans with vast sums of money and resources).
I worked in a vet clinic for a number of years and saw cases of abject cruely, both from those that obviously didn't like animals and from those that supposedly loved their animals. In some cases animals suffer extremely because owners will not give mercy and keep them alive for their own emotional needs e.g. a horse kept with a broken leg that would never have healed (i.e. it wasn't a type of fracture that could be fixed) suffered tremendously before the owner finally faced reality. I could also give examples that include dogs, cats, and numerous other species. What have they done to deserve extreme pain and suffering when it can't be fixed?
Of course these are rare example and many thousands/millions of horses and other animals are healed all the time and/or kept in pain-free retirement. But my point is just that this is not always the case and sometimes the kindest thing is to show mercy.

And apologies for going off the gist of the original post.

Also, if anyone uses DMSO please follow the instructions carefully and use gloves, as it carries substances on the skin through to the blood stream (e.g. you can get nicotine poisoning if you are a smoker :)
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Very well said.

Not everything is fixable, sadly and it's not nice for owners to be pressured, even in a nice way, to take longer than necessary to make the only decision they should.
 
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