How do you know when enough is enough ?

Horseback Rider

Horseback Rider

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 September 2009
Messages
448
Location
Near France
Visit site
I retired my TB last year due to ongoing problems with a hock spavin and a bit of arthritis . He had Tilden and steroid injections but nothing worked so he has been a field ornament ever since . Lately he has been getting stiffer and stiffer and quite grumpy at times. I am loathe to keep him on medication to keep him field sound as he also gets colic easily and byte can bring it on. I have been thinking that PTS may have to be considered, however I have never been in this situation before so really not sure what to do for the best ?? Any advice appreciated x
 
If you hunt around using the search function you will be able to find lots of previous threads which should give you food for thought. It's always harder if it is a balance of factors and really tough if it is the first time you've made that decision.

You describe a horse that, to me, really sounds like a candidate for pts. When they are no longer happy with no prospect of improvement in the short to medium term is the time when pts should be considered. My first port of call would probably be the vet, though. An experienced horse vet that you trust can often be an ideal sounding board.
 
When you think that they're enduring their life rather than enjoying it. I finally had to pull the plug on my old girl in July. She was 40, & the decline was very gradual, so as with yours it was hard to say, right, it's now time.

Horrible thing to have to do.

T x
 
Yes I agree with the other postings, please look around on this forum as well as the other ones like BD. It must be heart breaking to see him in pain, I have never been in that situation so far and dread it when the time comes. Keep looking and I will look for you too!
 
Thanks all for your replies , he's 14 next week but being a racer has been worked quite hard from a young age ! I am going to get my vet out this week to discuss he's been through it a with us and has his own horses so will hopefully be able to help me make the right decision x
 
Does he find it difficult to get up and down? An old horseman always said that was the time, as if they have trouble getting up that is frightening for them as they feel very vulnerable. Also, I wouldn't dismiss "a bit of arthritis" as arthritis is an extremely painful condition and the fact that he is stiffer and stiffer would indicate that it is getting worse.

Poor lad, give him a rub and a carrot.
 
Horseback Rider said:
I retired my TB last year due to ongoing problems with a hock spavin and a bit of arthritis . He had Tilden and steroid injections but nothing worked so he has been a field ornament ever since .
Click to expand...

Why don't you consider having your horses hock joints fused with ethanol. If the issues with your horse are mainly hock related then this can be easily remedied.

My horse has moderate bone spavin in both hocks. He had usual steriod injections and then three lots of tildren but it didn't help that much so he had fusion using ethanol (an injection of alcohol into the hock) and it kills the nerves immediately.

Bailey was diagnosed at age 8 and I though my world had ended! But really I was just being daft as he has done jumping, dressage, XC even three three day events!! Now he is 16 and has never looked so sound and fit and we do dressage and jumping comps until he got injured in June 2012 on a weekly basis.

But if I could replay the whole thing I would DEFINETELY go with fusion with alchol over tildren and joint injections, if your horse is suitable (and this is tested by Xray of contrast dye into the hock) thenaround £300 for both hocks and job done. With the use of ethanol to fuse hocks it can still take up to 18 months to two years to fuse the hock but the pain is taken away immediately as the alcohol kills the nerves. The horse can still feel sensation on the outside of the joint, i.e. the skin and muscle, but not the joint itself

Here is a link about it: http://www.horseandrideruk.com/article.php?id=2414


And here is a research paper for more indepth information: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00512.x/full
 
applecart14 said:
PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR LOVELY HORSE UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THIS AND SPOKEN TO YOUR VET.Why don't you consider having your horses hock joints fused with ethanol. If the issues with your horse are mainly hock related then this can be easily remedied.

My horse has moderate bone spavin in both hocks. He had usual steriod injections and then three lots of tildren but it didn't help that much so he had fusion using ethanol (an injection of alcohol into the hock) and it kills the nerves immediately.

Bailey was diagnosed at age 8 and I though my world had ended! But really I was just being daft as he has done jumping, dressage, XC even three three day events!! Now he is 16 and has never looked so sound and fit and we do dressage and jumping comps until he got injured in June 2012 on a weekly basis.

But if I could replay the whole thing I would DEFINETELY go with fusion with alchol over tildren and joint injections, if your horse is suitable (and this is tested by Xray of contrast dye into the hock) thenaround £300 for both hocks and job done. With the use of ethanol to fuse hocks it can still take up to 18 months to two years to fuse the hock but the pain is taken away immediately as the alcohol kills the nerves. The horse can still feel sensation on the outside of the joint, i.e. the skin and muscle, but not the joint itself

Here is a link about it: http://www.horseandrideruk.com/article.php?id=2414


And here is a research paper for more indepth information: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00512.x/full
Click to expand...

The key with arthritic horses in lots of exercise but in small amounts. 20 mins every day is better than an hour once a week. This movement encourages the freeing up of the joint, and prevents stiffness.

This is the best course of action for arthritic horses:

Ride for 20/30 mins every day where possible or use a horse walker
Put your horse on a decent joint supplement - or use tumeric (this cheap herb has been shown to be very good for arthritis)
Get as much weight of your horse as possible - overweight horses hurt more because more weight in going on their joints
Consider using magnotherapy on a daily basis - pulsed magnotherapy is better than static but is much more expensive - bioflow is considered one of the best static magnotherapy products on the market
Give your horse as much turn out as possible - at least four to six hours a day
Give your horse a decent bed as this will aid it in getting up and down from lying down
Speak to your vet about fusion with alcohol!! :)

I know fusion with ethanol isn't for all horses as some horses cannot have this procedure done if the contrast dye shows the horse isn't a candidate for the procedure but I do believe these horses where the procedure can't be done are in the minority.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top