Horses future

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Gameglow

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Hello, I have been lurking here for a while but this is my first post.

I have a 4yo horse that I bought and started with a competition future in mind. He has proven extremely difficult, is terrible to hack out/with traffic etc but I've worked hard and although he borders on dangerous at times when schooling, I do see the potential in him...!

The problem I have are that his future looks a bit unsure at this stage. He has developed sarcoids on his chest, girth area and lower eyelid- they have all come up quite quickly over the last few weeks.

On top of that, yesterday he damaged his superficial digital flexor, the extent of the damage is not known yet but he is very lame.

I've never had a horse with this injury, so don't know the prognosis that is generally made. He had to be on box rest a few months ago and was just damn right dangerous (rearing, bucking, bolting from the back of the stable when the door was opened) so the thought of weeks, possibly months of box rest are scaring me a little!

If he can't return to competition then I'm not sure what life holds for him, he most certainly couldn't be a 'happy hacker'.

My funds aren't never ending (he's not insured) and I'm wondering if I am a total cow for considering the possibility that pts might be kinder to him than months of box rest (he also doesn't 'chill' in the field- hence the injury!!)?

Any thoughts appreciated!
 
No, I would PTS if he can't cope with box rest and needs it.


Gameglow said:
Hello, I have been lurking here for a while but this is my first post.

I have a 4yo horse that I bought and started with a competition future in mind. He has proven extremely difficult, is terrible to hack out/with traffic etc but I've worked hard and although he borders on dangerous at times when schooling, I do see the potential in him...!

The problem I have are that his future looks a bit unsure at this stage. He has developed sarcoids on his chest, girth area and lower eyelid- they have all come up quite quickly over the last few weeks.

On top of that, yesterday he damaged his superficial digital flexor, the extent of the damage is not known yet but he is very lame.

I've never had a horse with this injury, so don't know the prognosis that is generally made. He had to be on box rest a few months ago and was just damn right dangerous (rearing, bucking, bolting from the back of the stable when the door was opened) so the thought of weeks, possibly months of box rest are scaring me a little!

If he can't return to competition then I'm not sure what life holds for him, he most certainly couldn't be a 'happy hacker'.

My funds aren't never ending (he's not insured) and I'm wondering if I am a total cow for considering the possibility that pts might be kinder to him than months of box rest (he also doesn't 'chill' in the field- hence the injury!!)?

Any thoughts appreciated!
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Box rest is inhumane for some horses. I too would PTS in your situation if box rest is likely to be long lasting. Poor boy, and poor you.
 
no you are not a total cow for considering PTS. For some horses it is more humane that box rest.

Good luck - I hope it doesn't come to that.
 
I think you are being mindful of his long term welfare to consider PTS. In your shoes I would definitely be giving it serious thought.
So very sorry, it's not a nice thing to have to think about xxx
 
another one who think pts is fairest option. Horses live day to day, and it sounds like his quality of life doesn't look good for the next while.
 
The sarcoids are in awful places to treat, girth will mean time off work and on the face is always going to be tricky. He's not a good allrounder, he's sustained damage and is a pig to boxrest if necessary. I'd have a go at field rest in a small paddock and try to sort the sarcoids at the same time.
 
Definately field rest - just turn him away for a few months. You might find the sarcoids disappear spontaneously, or try Thuja cream, he might chill out in his mind, strengthen up in his body and be a different horse when you get him back in, I most definitely wouldn't euthanise at this stage.
 
9tails said:
The sarcoids are in awful places to treat, girth will mean time off work and on the face is always going to be tricky. He's not a good allrounder, he's sustained damage and is a pig to boxrest if necessary. I'd have a go at field rest in a small paddock and try to sort the sarcoids at the same time.
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Same. My project had a price on her head - and a date - if she'd been injured before she turned her behaviour around I'd have taken this approach because I could see she had bags of potential if only we could access it.
If this isn't possible, or just doesn't feel right to you, then I agree with all the others- PTS is not a bad end for a horse and sounds like an entirely responsible decision. Sorry you're facing this. :(
 
What a rotten position to be in - you have my total sympathy. Your horse is very lucky to have such a responsible owner who is thinking long rather than short term. A person with a yard close to me had a similar dilemma, an leg injury to a promising youngster who went absolutely mental on box rest. He had to be PTS in the end because he just became downright dangerous to anyone who went near him, and with no promise that his injury wouldn't heal enough to ever be sound for the level of activity he obviously needed to stay sane sadly she had to take the very decision you are considering. She was in agonies over it, but the thought of someone getting badly injured themselves, or him doing more damage to himself made it the only option. I just hope very much that you don't have to make the same one, but if you do then you'll know its for the best in the long run.
 
Thankyou for the responses.

In an ideal world I would just turn him away or give him small paddock rest- but the problem I have is that my ground is just terrible- rutted and just a big suctioning bog! And also, he cannot be turned out alone, even with a neighbour over the fence he creates and kicks up a stink.
I do wish he was an easy horse as then the decision would be easy, he most certainly doesn't live up to his name which ironically is 'Easy'!!
 
What a sad situation. :(

Have you considered using a ArcEquine? Here is their fb link, message Ian (he's lovely) and see what you think. https://www.facebook.com/arcequine/?fref=ts

Programmes 1 & 2 were primarily to treat pain and inflammation but have since been discovered to have a calming effect. The ArcEquine has also been repeatedly used to effectively treat sarcoids and tendon injuries amongst a host of other issues. It's also completely non invasive.

As an example of the calming effect, I had to bring my horse into a stable and he'd been living out full time for years (he was retired). When I put him in the stable he lost the plot completely and I had to take him back out almost immediately before he hurt himself. It took 2 people to hold him while I put the Arc on. After 10 mins he was calm enough to go back in his box and after 30 mins he was relaxed enough for me to leave him.

It is also very effective for the healing process and can produce results very quickly. Example, a fellow liveries horse flipped over backwards onto concrete and fractured several vertebrae. The horse couldn't move his neck and struggled to walk. We stuck the Arc on him the next day and after 6 hours the horse was drastically more mobile and in much less pain. When re x-rayed about 5 days later the Vet was astonished at how rapidly the fractures were healing. The horse is now back in work with no issue.

So the Arc could not only calm your horse for box rest but decrease healing time meaning he'd be box rested for less time, deal with sarcoids and hopefully settle him all round.

It's worth having a chat with them about it, otherwise I'd agree to PTS, which seems such a shame but might be the only realistic option.
 
I was going to suggest as already said about field rest and thuja (amazing stuff!) but having read your reply regarding your field, in your shoes I would definatly PTS
 
My instincts would be to send him to the equine blood bank, there are plenty of posts on here about this and I know a number of horses that have been sent there. If he is a biggish type of horse, he can live without the need for pain relief then I think this would be a wonderful chance for him. The horses live in big herds and come in every three weeks or so for half an hour to give blood, similiar scenario to the local blood transfusion unit that humans use. They are housed loose in big barns from Oct-April with ad lib hay and free to move about with their friends in the barn, and then from April - Oct they are out at grass, again in the same herds. The most natural life you can give a horse.

Please feel free to PM me for the details. Someone on this forum the other day said they had parked up outside the field of the bloodbank (as they did twice a year on the off chance of seeing their horse amongst the hundreds that are there) and their horse was by the gate so they gave it the call they had always used for it. He lifted its head, turned around a walked off. Testament to how happy they can be I guess..........

At the age of 4, PTS seems such a waste if the horse can live a pain free life and be given this chance. Four years is so young, he could live another 20. That's just my humble opinion, but I know of many on here who have had to face that decision and who have given their horses to this venture. Please at least consider it.
 
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You don't have to box rest, I had to put mine on months of box rest when he seriously damaged his DDFT (career ending sadly but Ive chosen to give him a retirement as he became 99% sound). He was normally very mannerly but box rest sent him nuts, our daily walks in hand became dangerous so I set up 6ft high steel mesh fencing (the kind builders use round sites) in a square right outside his stable so he could walk in and out of his stable and was effectively outside. He was instantly much happier that he could see more. Then when the field was dry enough I set the fence up out on grass so he could graze (but was kept within his "box") and just moved it about every few days. It was a lot of work I'll admit, especially as this was all happening shortly after I'd had my first child but hey ho it was worth it from my point of view. Yours is obviously different, you'd have to see what the prognosis is with regards to returning to any type of ridden work.
 
I suppose what you need to ask yourself is;

a) could you afford to keep him and get another horse?
b) do you have loss of use (presumably you won't be covered with 'PTS on humane grounds' as this is a survivable injury?)
c) your feelings towards the equine blood bank.
d) would you have the time, money and more importantly the patience to rehab (or make an attempt to rehab) the horse?
e) what his prognosis is for being able to be ridden in any shape or form?
f) what your vet would do in your shoes

Once you are clear on the above you can make an informed choice about the next course of action.
 
would rather PTS than him being passed from pilar to post because of his injuries and dangerous behaviour!! doesn't sound like you've made the decision easily but sounds like the right thing, all thiings considered
 
But you dont know yet whether he needs box rest- the severity of the injury hasn't been ascertained yet according to your original post, maybe he wont need it, or if he does maybe he will cope better this time. So first things first, before you make any rash decisions. Euthanasia is so final.
First- ascertain that he does actually need box rest and for how long. Maybe stabling and walking in hand on a good flat surface would be enough. Second-Checkout yards/fields in your area, see if theres anywhere suitable to turn him away, even if you borrowed a companion from RSPCA or somewhere.
The sarcoids might just resolve themselves- often ones that come up suddenly disappear just as quickly.
he is only 4- plenty of time to get him right.
 
I know you must feel dissapointed and angry that things have taken this course but my horse has been injured so many times in the past and I have always spent the time and money to get him right. I know a lot of people in my shoes would have just retired him or had him PTS and its something I would never consider doing as I know if I put the time and energy and patience to getting him right he will come right in the end and I have always had the backing of my vet. I'm not trying to be a matryr or anything, but I only have one horse, I can only afford one horse, and I have to therefore do as much as I can if I want a ridden or competition future with him.

There will be a day when the vet tells me enough is enough and that will be fine with me, but until that day I will do everything I can. Not only is it my responsibility but it is also the 'unwritten agreement' you have when I take on an animal.

I know sometimes taking a short cut might seem like an answer especially as you are keen to progress with your competitions which you mentioned in your OP. But at four years old, this horse really needs to be given a chance of life. If that is the bloodbank, or turnaway for a couple of years, or retirement livery, then that is what you consider. Like Stormox says, euthanasia is so final.

The box rest business (if it even transpires that he does need this) needn't be a problem. There are briliant calmers and sedatives out there now that are great for this kind of situation, and box rest can be made so much easier for horses if you think about all the ways you can keep them entertained, lots of small feeds, lots of small holed nets hung around with different types of hay/haylage, apples bobbing in water, hay bricks and lickits, snackaballs, carrots and swedes dangling from string, stable mirror, companion next door, chunk of turf on the floor, radio on in the background, etc, etc. The list is endless. But you need to put in teh dedication and the patience. Obvoiusly it depends on prognosis anyway but you need to find out this before you start.

I do feel for you, I really do as I understand how frustrating and dissapointing injuries can be.
 
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First of all bless you must be a horrid position to be in.
Second your not curel for thinking of pts your being kind. He doesn't sound like he would cope with a couple of weeks box rest never mind months

My old mare wouldn't have so when the vet said she had t9 be we made her a small paddock & she was happy but if he's not calm turned out then pts may be the kindest option.

Also sarcoids over eyes are hard to treat, it's usually an op which cost my friend about 3k & that was 10 years ago!
 
I would ask around / advertise for a field to turn him away for at least a year if not 2, you may be able to find somewhere that specialises in this, I have some in my area, or get the field and a companion for him, check him twice a day and otherwise just nature take its course and see what comes.
 
Gameglow said:
Hello, I have been lurking here for a while but this is my first post.

I have a 4yo horse that I bought and started with a competition future in mind. He has proven extremely difficult, is terrible to hack out/with traffic etc but I've worked hard and although he borders on dangerous at times when schooling, I do see the potential in him...!

The problem I have are that his future looks a bit unsure at this stage. He has developed sarcoids on his chest, girth area and lower eyelid- they have all come up quite quickly over the last few weeks.

On top of that, yesterday he damaged his superficial digital flexor, the extent of the damage is not known yet but he is very lame.

I've never had a horse with this injury, so don't know the prognosis that is generally made. He had to be on box rest a few months ago and was just damn right dangerous (rearing, bucking, bolting from the back of the stable when the door was opened) so the thought of weeks, possibly months of box rest are scaring me a little!

If he can't return to competition then I'm not sure what life holds for him, he most certainly couldn't be a 'happy hacker'.

My funds aren't never ending (he's not insured) and I'm wondering if I am a total cow for considering the possibility that pts might be kinder to him than months of box rest (he also doesn't 'chill' in the field- hence the injury!!)?

Any thoughts appreciated!
Click to expand...

Have you tried putting on a calmer and a bit of sedaline while he is in to take the edge off him??
 
I think you need to have a full and frank with your vet to ascertain what the prognosis is. You just can't tell with tendon injuries. We thought one of ours was a goner because he was that lame (he'd already had quite a bad injury on that leg) but when it was scanned it turned out to be one or two tweaked fibrils and he recovered just fine with field rest.

If field rest is an option, maybe look at six months at retirement livery?

The rapidly appearing sarcoids would worry me though - definitely ask your vet about them. Once they start like that, it's like a cancer.
 
I suspect that from what you describe as his behaviour he has other underlying problems like kissing spines and ulcers, before you even consider the tendon strain and sarcoids. If he had been good to hack and school I would have said stick him on sarc-ex for six months and in a field for six months and then review. But with the full picture you have given, I'd have him put down and start again. So sorry :(
 
No, you are not terrible for thinking about PTS. My boy is on his final warning. He is currently tolerating being unemployed in a field but is getting bored and if he is still lame on his check up on Monday I am going to have to do some serious thinking (he has been out of work completely for a year and prior to that only light work after DSLD diagnosis). If ever he needs further box resting then that is it. Even on a handful of ACP tablets a day he still box walks, weaves and sweats up when on box rest. Some horses simply don't tolerate being out of work or box rested and not every one is able to accommodate having a field ornament. Good luck with the next few days. xx
 
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