I dont know what to do

[Horseadict]

Hiya, so under a year ago i bought a 9 year old project horse. Only been broken in a year and had low milage. I was prepared to put my own stamp on him and love him.

However, im now worried that riding g career isnt for him. A few months in we found he had a locking stifle and he went on box rest for 2 weeks as he went lame on it. He now has phsyio a few months to ease tension he gets. His saddle was fitted to him thfirst t month i got him and saddle fitter is due out in a femonths again to see if he needs a different shape but overal seems to fit him fine. He's had a bad experience when beinf mounted so is a little nervous when you first gwt on him but is a lazy as bugger afterward. However bolts sometimes when riding out. Thought it could be inexperience and nervous for him.
However yesterday he tied up, vet was called out and bute given but now she is worried and wants to rule out back problems. So x rays are next.

So after that long winded explanation im worried that what my boy needs is to just retire. But hes only 10 and im worried what will happen to him if i do retire him as we woulsnt be able to stay on this yard (working horse yard that wouls be to busy for him if he wasnt working)

 

[AmyMay]

Retirement livery or pts I guess.

It’s also a clue as to why he was never properly broken in.

 

[Horseadict]

Retirement livery or pts I guess.

It’s also a clue as to why he was never properly broken in.

He spent most of his time in field as owner spent most of her time away before and had a long castration process with multiple surgeries so wasnt broken in till 8. ?

 

[TPO]

Did you try/ride him before buying?

Was he vetted?

 

[Horseadict]

Yep tried him twice was brill, vetting passed all fine

 

[meleeka]

It definitely sounds like he has pain somewhere. I’d find out where and go from there. It might be something treatable, it might not, but you won’t know unless you’ve investigated.

 

[I'm Dun]

It definitely sounds like he has pain somewhere. I’d find out where and go from there. It might be something treatable, it might not, but you won’t know unless you’ve investigated.

Yup, I'd test for type 1 pssm as well. Theres some red flags for it in your post and it can be managed fairly well.

 

[spotty_pony]

I find it odd that box rest was suggested for a locking stifle as movement is usually key to building up the correct muscle to support the joint. This is possibly a secondary problem to him being out of work due to other issues causing him to loose the muscle.

 

[ester]

While the overall/long term treatment for locking is work if they have locked badly they can be quite painful afterwards hence the rest.
Normally you would expect them to have 'grown out of' locking by his age but that might not apply if never been in much work (and it can be operated on). But it would seem to me that you really need to get the rest of him worked up first in order to decipher whether he can cope with the level of work likely needed to keep the stifle stable.

 

[Cob Life]

I find it odd that box rest was suggested for a locking stifle as movement is usually key to building up the correct muscle to support the joint. This is possibly a secondary problem to him being out of work due to other issues causing him to loose the muscle.

i ride one with looking stifle, if she isn’t in regular work it starts locking badly, if she’s in regular work she’s symptom free.

I’d get a work up done, back checked and X-rays if you can and see where you’re at then.

 

[I don’t like mondays]

To second what others have said, sounds like PSSM so I’d definitely test. That can cause tying up, tension, unpredictable behaviour and can also be associated with other issues like Si dysfunction and Kissing spine (not always). There is a group on Fb plus stuff on YouTube. The tests are relatively simple I think

 

[SantaVera]

sounds like pssm

 

[SEL]

What breed is your horse OP? What was he doing when he tied up?

I'd probably investigate that before launching into expensive back X rays. The only sign one of my horses had of PSSM is a sticky stifle when he had too much grass. I suspect arthritis in it now, but he's old and retired.

 

[ycbm]

However yesterday he tied up, vet was called out and bute given but now she is worried and wants to rule out back problems. So x rays are next.

He tied up and your vet wants x rays? I suggest you explore the tying up first, starting with a PSSM 1 test and a biopsy for PSSM 2 if that's negative.

I wouldn't normally recommend a biopsy, just diet and management changes, but since you've already had a tie up incident I think it would be best to find out what the muscle situation is.

Did your vet take blood to test for muscle enzymes to see how bad the tie up was?
.

 

[SEL]

OP I think you've posted on the PSSM forum that you have an Arab. Myofibillar myopathy is a cause of tying up in Arabs and that really needs to be diagnosed by specialist muscle biopsy but I'll be shot in flames for suggesting it over the hair tests on FB. If your vet isn't familiar and you are insured then I'd suggest a referral to one of the large teaching hospitals such as Liverpool or RVC

 

[nagsrule]

Hiya, so under a year ago i bought a 9 year old project horse. Only been broken in a year and had low milage. I was prepared to put my own stamp on him and love him.

However, im now worried that riding g career isnt for him. A few months in we found he had a locking stifle and he went on box rest for 2 weeks as he went lame on it. He now has phsyio a few months to ease tension he gets. His saddle was fitted to him thfirst t month i got him and saddle fitter is due out in a femonths again to see if he needs a different shape but overal seems to fit him fine. He's had a bad experience when beinf mounted so is a little nervous when you first gwt on him but is a lazy as bugger afterward. However bolts sometimes when riding out. Thought it could be inexperience and nervous for him.
However yesterday he tied up, vet was called out and bute given but now she is worried and wants to rule out back problems. So x rays are next.

So after that long winded explanation im worried that what my boy needs is to just retire. But hes only 10 and im worried what will happen to him if i do retire him as we woulsnt be able to stay on this yard (working horse yard that wouls be to busy for him if he wasnt working)

You could offer him as a companion to a knowledgeable home!

 

[[153312]]

You could offer him as a companion to a knowledgeable home!

really, really, really, really bad idea....just risks someone trying to ride him again and getting hurt, or drugging him up and passing him on; particularly if there's no concrete diagnosis on what the problem actually is, and he's not symptomatic all the time (which if it's a tying up/PSSM like disease, which sounds like the most likely thing at the moment, he won't be).

 

[Goldenstar]

I think you need to talk to an experienced vet and decide a route to try get some diagnostics done without spending a fortune .
The vet should have taken blood at the tying up incident so what’s what with that .

You could have some blood work done to look for chronic and acute inflammatory markers .
It’s hard to advise where to start based on what you have posted you need a sensible experienced vet to advise you .

 

[Horseadict]

So in the end result its Kissing spine. Completely disheartened. And at a loss. Vet says that injections are an option and see where to go from there but i dont know if i want to put him through riding if all i am going to think about is that i causing him pain and wonder if every time i get on him is he going to buck me off. And when the pain will come back for him. he was in the field when he was in bad pain so not sure if i should just PTS for his benefit as he will most likely always be in pain, ridden and no.

 

[[153312]]

So in the end result its Kissing spine. Completely disheartened. And at a loss. Vet says that injections are an option and see where to go from there but i dont know if i want to put him through riding if all i am going to think about is that i causing him pain and wonder if every time i get on him is he going to buck me off. And when the pain will come back for him. he was in the field when he was in bad pain so not sure if i should just PTS for his benefit as he will most likely always be in pain, ridden and no.

I am so, so sorry for you and your beautiful horse. You obviously love him very much but your last sentence makes me think euthanasia may be the kindest option. A life lived in constant pain is not a life of any quality.
Sorry it wasn't better news, but thank you for doing right by your horse. He's lucky to have you.

 

[Widgeon]

I'm so sorry. Do talk to your vet about treatment options though, if appropriate treatment and rehab would mean your horse could be pain free, then it may be worth a go. But if you think that's too much trauma or not a certain enough outcome for everyone involved, then PTS is totally reasonable and may be a sensible choice. So sorry it isn't better news but do talk to your vet and explain how you see the options.

 

[SEL]

I'm sorry it was bad news. Have a really good talk with your vet and once you have all of the information about options it will help with the long term prognosis. There is a good kissing spine FB page mainly concentrating on those that have had surgery, but good for asking questions of other owners.

 

[Floofball]

So in the end result its Kissing spine. Completely disheartened. And at a loss. Vet says that injections are an option and see where to go from there but i dont know if i want to put him through riding if all i am going to think about is that i causing him pain and wonder if every time i get on him is he going to buck me off. And when the pain will come back for him. he was in the field when he was in bad pain so not sure if i should just PTS for his benefit as he will most likely always be in pain, ridden and no.

So sorry this has been found, you said on another thread it is in 5 places which is horrible for you both. I suspect in the past this horse has been difficult to ride, maybe even diagnosed??? Turned away to see if things settle, then sold on as a ‘project’ good on you for getting his issues diagnosed. Was he bought to sell on originally? I would seriously be considering pts if that was the plan but if he was for yourself to keep I would be considering treating if insurance or expense allowed and see how we got on - long chat with your vet needed I think.

 

[Reacher]

So in the end result its Kissing spine. Completely disheartened. And at a loss. Vet says that injections are an option and see where to go from there but i dont know if i want to put him through riding if all i am going to think about is that i causing him pain and wonder if every time i get on him is he going to buck me off. And when the pain will come back for him. he was in the field when he was in bad pain so not sure if i should just PTS for his benefit as he will most likely always be in pain, ridden and no.

Very sorry to hear this and that you are in this situation. If the KS is in 5 places (from your post on a different thread) then I’d want the vet to advise how likely injections are to help but personally I would not want to risk hurting him or risk my own safety by riding him - sadly PTS may be the best option for both of you (assuming if you don’t have your own land to retire him).

 

[Horseadict]

Very sorry to hear this and that you are in this situation. If the KS is in 5 places (from your post on a different thread) then I’d want the vet to advise how likely injections are to help but personally I would not want to risk hurting him or risk my own safety by riding him - sadly PTS may be the best option for both of you (assuming if you don’t have your own land to retire him).

Yeah im thinking the same way, so we are taking him off bute and seeing if he is in pain when not ridden and if not there are nice retirement homes for him i can send him to as i dont have the capacity to retire him where he is and if he in in pain the PTS.

 

[IrishMilo]

So in the end result its Kissing spine.

So glad you went with your judgement and your vet's advice to investigate this.

 

[Reacher]

Yeah im thinking the same way, so we are taking him off bute and seeing if he is in pain when not ridden and if not there are nice retirement homes for him i can send him to as i dont have the capacity to retire him where he is and if he in in pain the PTS.

Very tough situation and I wish you all the best.

 

[SheriffTruman]

Sorry to hear the sad outcome, Horseadict. Still, sounds like your horse is very lucky to have you as an owner. I wish you all the best!

 

[Ratface]

How very sad. Your horse is very fortunate to have found a brave and compassionate owner in you. Gentle hugs.

 

[IrishMilo]

Yeah im thinking the same way, so we are taking him off bute and seeing if he is in pain when not ridden and if not there are nice retirement homes for him i can send him to as i dont have the capacity to retire him where he is and if he in in pain the PTS.

If he has 5 impinging processes it's incredibly likely that will will be in a moderate-severe amount of pain.