How old would your horse be to have surgery?

N

NooNoo59

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 December 2011
Messages
1,170
Location
kent
Visit site
Just wondering, how old is too old to have surgery? My boy is 16 this year, had a ddft injury which now is getting better but i was offered the option of surgery which got me to wondering would it be fair to expect a horse of this age to go through the trauma of surgery just so i could ride him again?
 
I think it depends a) on the horse and how they can cope with boxrest and rehab and b) on the owners situation and whether they have the time/finances and desire to rehab their horse either themselves or by someone else. I don't think you can simply put an age limit on surgery.

We had my daughter's 19 yr old cob mare operated on last summer (tendon op) - without it she may have remained sound enough to light hack, but with a successful outcome she can be back to the brilliant little alrounder she has always been.
She had the op and I rehabed her. I would say it's a really hard thing to do - basically rode her everyday for 5 months, building up the timing - this followed 6 weeks on boxrest. It has been a hard slog and I can see why people cannot do rehab and they break the recommended plan. Our mare is healing brilliantly; she was rescanned before Xmas and we did our first dressage test on Saturday - she ran up that ramp and we came 3rd. It made it all worth it. I would hope for her to have maybe another 10 years ridden career, so to me very worth it.
 
Last edited:
amymay said:
I also think that it depends on the horse, but also the type of surgery.
Click to expand...

^^ This and if the prognosis is very poor that will I would expect affect any decision made. I trust my vets advice and would always want to take into account their experience and opinions. I think you need good honest impartial advice.

Some people will pts at the hint of no return to competition work, whereas a leisure owner will often try anything just to get a pain-free field sound horse.
 
In theory I would put my 23yr old through some surgery. She's been there done it, & wouldn't bat an eyelid at being in a strange environment etc. But, it would depend not just on the prognosis & recovery period, but the after care. Surgery involving a week or so box rest, then turnout with company in a small paddock, yes I'd do it. Box rest, or a tiny stable sized paddock, no, I wouldn't.
 
Tieback surgery, broken splint removal surgery - probably not after 20

Colic surgery - not at any age, no matter what.

Surgery requiring months of box rest and months more rehab, with a less than 95% likelihood of 100% return to work - probably not at any age.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top