Introducing Toby

The weird things is that a few times I have wondered about his eyesight because can be clumsy with poor awareness of my personal space. And does occasionally just miss the jump spectacularly! And then I remind myself he passed a vetting, is only rising 6, has had no eye injury or insult and tell myself not to be such a paranoid idiot. That he's just a bit in your face because I've not trained him well enough not to be. And there are pllenty of times he does jump cleanly round a course so he's not blind! But whether he struggles to see solid colours, or in lower light, who knows. I've not spotted a pattern but then I've not been looking for one either.
 
Phew! I am so relieved. It seems it was the 2nd vet over-reacting option!! She had given a very gloomy handover to the vet who came today who was expecting to find all sorts of pathology but he saud he was happy to say that it was nothing to worry about. He does not know why the eye is cloudy but he says there are 3 questions: 1) Is it painful? No - there is no evidence of irritation, inflammation, infection. Blood supply is normal etc). 2) Is it affecting vision? Not as far as anyone can tell. The film is very subtle and thin, the back of the eye is clear and all the tests they do he passed. So I guess he is just clumsy after all!! 3) Is it progressive? He thinks the eye issues is the same thing that was picked up on the original vetting - which was described as 'corneal scarring' and I was told not to worry about it. So in that case it has not progressed in 11 months. So probably not an issue. So no treatment needed, no special management. So we can crack on with Tom's rehab plans and hope that he feels mentally and physically better very soon. Hurrah.
 
Such great news!!! As someone who lives with slight corneal scarring from eye ulcers, I can say that the effect is annoying rather than sight-impairing. I know you can't really compare horses and human eyes but the only thing I would be on the look out for would be the suggestion that another ulcer was forming - (I keep medication in the cupboard to get on the case quickly). It certainly does not affect distance judgement.
 
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So I am now very, very upset. Toby seemed unhappy when he came back from the treadmill and when I messaged Tom Beech to book in with him I was clear about his crookedness, him not stepping under as far on the right hind and him not feeling quite right behind. I was so relieved when he said that Toby was not lame it was all sortable with correct work. I have been doing the ground work and walk work religiously and yesterday I popped him up into trot and he felt awful. Just like he did on coming back from the treadmill. I phoned my trainer in a panic and she watched me on him for a few minutes today, Definitely lame on the right hind :(:(:(

Tom never saw him move, which puzzled me at the time but who am I to question a world authority on how he assesses lameness! But he was lame when he came back from the treadmill and he is lame now. So I can only assume he was lame when Tom saw him too.

So now I am just taking him to horsepital for a full work up. I know I am being irrational because horses DO recover frm lameness but I have taken 3 horses with subtle issues down this route and 2 are retired and one is dead.

I have also decided that however Toby recovers he is not going to be my next event horse. I think he would be perfect as a safe happy hacker, who can just enjoy adventures and a varied life. And not have to cope with the stress of feeling pressure on his mouth. I am revisiting my cowgirl past and aiming him to be ridden more or less Western, on the buckle or with super light aids. I'll enjoyu training him like that and then he can be someone's trusty Pardner. Or mine!

Please pray for a good outcome for him. I can't believe I am on this journey with yet another horse. And I really, really have not done anything to cause this. My horses are so well looked after. Why do they all break?!
 
Can't like that AE, I'm sorry you've been let down by an expert, and that Toby isn't right. If you are thinking of taking him somewhere over this way, can I recommend Ashbrook? Their customer service beats the other place hands down, and they have a fab ex-Leahurst orthopedic specialist who has been seeing the horses of two friends of mine.

He's young, hopefully he can be sorted.
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Both the treadmill and the rehab probably got him moving straighter...but he was crooked because he was protecting something that hurt. Force him to move straight - force him to use the sore body part fully - reveal the underlying problem. At least you can find the issue now! I hope it is an easy fix.
 
Very sorry to hear that. These horses are so flipping delicate. Someone once told me horses are here to teach us how deal with frustration and despair. All my 3 inexplicably have raised liver enzymes - so I know how you feel. We give them the very best of care and yet, they still break :(
 
Really sorry to read this. Assumed something bad when I saw you looking for decent dealer recommendations but was hoping it was for a kids pony!

Also, isn't it a bit messed up that we went through an awful time with our "main" horses, and now our project horses are giving us heartache too!! If you and I get a third we will have to keep tabs on eachother because it seems to happen at the same time for us :D

On a lighter note though, I really wouldn't be panicking yet. I'm not overly worried (rightly or wrongly) about Bear, and it's really early days for Toby. He's also young and I'm guessing you've read the replies on my thread re Bear, I think there were some really interesting points raised that young horses can go through these periods of unsoundness as they grow, change, develop. It could be something really insignificant.

Edited to add I'm a bit shocked Tom said "this horse is not lame". I don't know how anyone can say that without trotting the horse up. I can understand why he didn't feel the need with Bear, given he had been worked up by a vet already and we knew he was lame, but I strongly disagree that he actually said those words to you without seeing the horse move. He shouldn't have said that.
 
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