How to know when enough is enough?

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thebigbay

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Hi All, looking for some advice on my current situation, I am in 2 minds and can't decide what is better for my horse.

To cut a very long story short we have had 2 1/2 years of stop start work and have now hit yet another lameness. He started off with suspensories, having surgery then having his back (mild kissing spines) and Si medicated. I then rehabbed him for about a year being super careful, once he had come back into full work he then went lame behind again and he had sparked up a old coffin joint injury (which is prob now arthritis) so time off steroids and then rehab again, I then kept him in light work over the winter due to my work and the weather. He then had lymphangitis and wasn't getting better and bloods revealed he has liver disease, we have been treating this but he was quite poorly so had another 2 months off, bought him back into work very slowly walking for a month and gradually building up again to cantering and proper schooling sessions and then he started getting super spooky and has thrown me off twice the second time literally trampling me! I then got on the next day and he was a lunatic and I decided I was hurt enough at that moment that falling off again wasn't an option. I kept him in light lunge work/long lining while waiting for the vet, to which he spooked and fell over on one session. I had him scoped for ulcers and he is clear, they think that it is his back again and he is also slightly lame on his right hind :(

I love him more than anything in the world but I just don't know how much longer I can keep up with this and is it fair on him? I don't know if he will withstand the level of work id like and he is not the type of horse that could be tacked up and taken for a hack on the odd day - otherwise this would be the best option I guess.

We are lucky enough that he would have retirement at our house if this was the option that is best for him but I really don't know! Any advice is much appreciated!
 
thebigbay said:
sorry I should've said, he is 15, which is another reason for questioning carrying on
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I would retire him I retired one of my mares at 13 and she had far less going on, but similar to yours after 3 attempts at rehab would just go lame again once work was increased.

She had a ddft injury in the pastern and hoof.
 
My lad is 17 now. Found coffin joint and Stifle arthritis 4 years ago and was advised by the vet hospital then not to school, lunge, do circles etc, just to gently hack ( after treatment ) as anything else was putting too much pressure on him.
He is now struggling on gentle hacks so we will retire him.

Your boy is clearly telling you enough is enough and retirement sounds safest for both of you.
 
I'd retire him. The spooking and bronking would shout pain to me. Unfortunately in my limited but hard experience suspensories SI problems kissing spines and coffin joint problems all have knock on effects to each other. Fix one and another one recurs. We retired one at about 11 or 12 like this. He ended up PTS soon after as went very lame again in the field and we decided enough was enough. It's such a hard thing when you love the bones of them. x have a hug x
 
I rehabbed mine twice, then threw the towel in and retired him. After that I made the decision there would be no more rehabs. They can have an extended period living out roughed off and see what happens, but no more proper rehabs. Its too stressful and so many times they don't come right. I think your making the right decision.
 
thebigbay said:
Thank you everyone, I think that has confirmed that my gut feeling is correct. He will be going to live with my other retiree who is 20 and my sisters youngster who is 2. hopefully he will enjoy his life being retired, even if it is completely heartbreaking for me. :(
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If it makes things any less heartbreaking, you are doing the best thing for him and it sounds like he is lucky to have a home for life. Fingers crossed he can adapt and be sound and comfortable in the field.
 
thebigbay said:
Thank you everyone, I think that has confirmed that my gut feeling is correct. He will be going to live with my other retiree who is 20 and my sisters youngster who is 2. hopefully he will enjoy his life being retired, even if it is completely heartbreaking for me. :(
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That sounds like a very good decision, well done for making it.
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