Kissing Spine - Desperately seeking advice!

[sp96]

Sorry in advance for the essay but I'm sending myself crazy with this decision and desperate for some completely impartial advice!! My horse has has back problems for a while now, but after physio has generally gone back to working great again, and still going out eventing although over the winter she got very bad, so we got the vet. We had X-rays and the showed kissing spine, we tried steroid injections but they haven't worked and she can't cope with a rider at all and I'm struggling to even put rugs on without her taking chunks out of everything which is NOT what she's normally like!
The Vet has said the only option to have her possibly back in ridden work is to operate and remove some of the vertabrae, although I have no idea what to do for the best!! The X-rays showed kissing spine in the thoracic region but she is also showing discomfort in the lumbar region and vet/physio have both mentioned possible sacroiliac pain so I'm not sure whether to risk the Op in case she goes through all of the stress and it doesn't work? I'll be leaving home for uni september 2015 so was originally planning to loan/sell but doubt I'll find a suitable home for her now, so I'm also not sure whether it's easier and less painful for everyone to not go through with op and save this decision again when I leave? Although she's 16 this year and I'm not sure how she'd take to retirement as she loves working and is easily bored so I'm very undecided what is best to do for her as I can't stand the thought of her being unhappy or in pain!

I'd appreciate ANY thoughts at all - it would be very appreciated, Thanks everyone

 

[Fides]

My friend had the OP on her horse (many said PTS) and 8 months on she did her first ODE last weekend!

The results can be remarkable!

On the back of this mare another friend has had her boy done and 3 weeks on he is already much more comfortable...

edit - and she came away with a rozzie!!

 

[TarrSteps]

What does your vet say?

The problem is KS is not "one thing" there are all sorts of permutations in degree, kind, what surgeries are indicated, recovery times etc. For some horses it's a relatively reliable fix, for others it's a last chance shot. Without knowing her full situation no one can accurately advise and, even then, the vets can only tell you what they know, not see the future.

With a good outcome you are looking at months of rehab, which is fine and often successful, but you have to weight that against the 18 months or so you have left before uni.

As far as selling after, technically the horse will not pass the vet (well, not if you're honest) so you will have to have her out, doing her job before you can assure anyone (including yourself) that she is fine going forwards. Someone might be willing to take a chance even if she isn't at that stage but that is a big ask with a 17 year old horse.

This is a horribly grown up situation to find yourself in. Do you have a parent or instructor who knows about horses and can talk it through with you and your vet? I'm just afraid you're going to get a few hopeful - or gloomy - stories that don't reflect YOUR situation and which will actually make it harder to decide because you will think about "that horse that had that experience" not just the horse in front of you.

What is the situation re insurance? And can you cover the extra costs? People won't
like me saying that, but for someone considering university next year, I think that has to be a consideration.