Kissing spines ligament resection - 6 weeks

cptrayes

cptrayes

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 March 2008
Messages
14,748
Visit site
Six weeks today my horse had five keyholes to separate six kissing spines. His whole demeanour has changed and he is softer in the eye. His action is straighter, especially in front, and I really can't remember him swinging his bottom like he is now. This is his first hack, today, five minutes towards home on a flat road, so that I could not confuse pain with napping for home.

Six weeks ago, he was unrideable. He would let me sit on him, just, but stood and gritted his teeth begging me not to ask him to move.

As things stand now, I could not recommend this operation, or the surgeon who did it, more highly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fAq-X88z38


20131015_093333.JPG
 
victoria1980x said:
He's lovely, you must be so pleased.
Click to expand...


I am so relieved. If it had not worked, he would have had no future :( He was unrideable even on bute, and the pain of it long term also gave him ulcers, we think.

To see him more relaxed than he has ever been on that stretch of road is absolutely amazing.
 
Nothing better than a happy horse. Such a lovely expression on his face and what an amazing difference in 6 weeks.
 
Thanks everyone, the hills are such a bonus :) Except that right now I am leading him up and down them so as not to ask for too much. I'm getting fit :)

We did ten minutes today and he was just as laid back. Tomorrow I plan to ride on the arena, which is the only place he has ever bucked me off, so that might be interesting!


Interestingly for any barefoot geeks out there, he's producing a big angle change in all four feet.
 
First arena session completed. He was very tense for ten minutes, then realised that nothing was hurting, let go, and even offered a gentle trot. I'm thrilled to bits.

I took what felt like a big risk with his rehab, since it all rested on my shoulders if it went wrong. As far as I could tell, nothing was cut that we actually wanted to rejoin, except his skin. I was convinced he would be better if he was kept moving, so he was never box rested. He lived in a 90ft long barn with his mate for eleven days until the staples were out. Then went out on twelve hilly acres on day twelve. If I had followed the rehab instructions he would be on small paddock turnout until Christmas.

This is the second time in two years I've had a good result from ignoring box rest instructions where the end result required was maximum mobility. Have we gone mad on box rest in this country? As a response to people suing vets, or what?
 
Busybusybusy said:
CPT, got on Paddy today for the first time & he was a dream, though felt much wider!! He was as good as gold & didn't flinch at all - I was a very happy bunny!!
Click to expand...

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

I've been thinking about you all day. So pleased for you, you've been so patient for a whole year. Enjoy your ride tomorrow :)
 
cptrayes said:
This is the second time in two years I've had a good result from ignoring box rest instructions where the end result required was maximum mobility. Have we gone mad on box rest in this country? As a response to people suing vets, or what?
Click to expand...

Paddy was only box rested for the week he was at the vets, then a couple of days at home, I then turned him out in a 1/2 tennis court sized paddock for a week, then enlarged it to double the size, then went bigger again, he was on full turn out 2 weeks before he was meant to have any turn out at all. I think he was much better as it meant he could stretch and gently (mostly) exercise with all the mooching about in the field. Far better for them than box rest. The only time I would box rest without question would be if there was anything broken.
 
I wish I'd known that before, I felt so alone when I made the decision to go against the vet's instructions.

So pleased it's worked for you and Paddy.
 
Wonderful news! I hope he continues to go from strength to strength!

I sympathise with your dislike of box rest. Often it creates so much stress it hampers recovery and when you do end up turning them out then can go totally bonkers and undo all the good work. I have also turned out (in a small paddock and on sedaline if necessary) for a variety of problems including tendon injuries, ligament injuries and even lami (covered the hard standing in straw and shavings so he was 'part' of the herd in the field and not miles away in the stable).
 
cptrayes said:
Thanks everyone, the hills are such a bonus :) Except that right now I am leading him up and down them so as not to ask for too much. I'm getting fit :)

We did ten minutes today and he was just as laid back. Tomorrow I plan to ride on the arena, which is the only place he has ever bucked me off, so that might be interesting!


Interestingly for any barefoot geeks out there, he's producing a big angle change in all four feet.
Click to expand...

Brilliant news CP and his feet are so clippy cloppy I was looking for the shoes thinking what's going on here :D
 
FfionWinnie said:
Brilliant news CP and his feet are so clippy cloppy I was looking for the shoes thinking what's going on here :D
Click to expand...

Yes, it always makes me laugh when people say barefoot horses are quieter :)

We've done five firsts today.

First time jumped on board with no warm-up.
First time ridden up a steep hill..
And down again.
First time properly asked to trot.
First time really sent on with my leg, when hankering to turn back home.

His back Is like a jelly under the skin where it used to be so stiff, and muscle is building like crazy. I think k he will manage a gentle 15 minutes on the arena tomorrow. I can feel him hesitating waiting for the pain to arrive less and less often.

I think we may just have saved his life :) :) :)
 
This is such a wonderful result, esp when we hear about so much doom and gloom.

Very interested in the turnout -v- box rest. I have always thought box rest unnatural and stressful for horses and advocate turnout if at all possible, but a brave decision to go against conventional wisdom, probably the barefoot "rouge gene" within you lol.
 
Janee said:
This is such a wonderful result, esp when we hear about so much doom and gloom.

Very interested in the turnout -v- box rest. I have always thought box rest unnatural and stressful for horses and advocate turnout if at all possible, but a brave decision to go against conventional wisdom, probably the barefoot "rouge gene" within you lol.
Click to expand...


It wasn't an easy decision to make, but I was sure it was right for him. Like many KS horses, he is also subject to an acid stomach and keeping him confined wouldn't have helped that at all.

He had a couple of skippy episodes this morning, one a spook and one at the first walk to trot transition, but his fear of pain is much clearer when a cold damp waterfront is coming in, like today so I'll let him off :) it was his first real trot on a big circle today and it took him several minutes to understand that nothing was hurting and release his back. Once he had, the transitions were so up and forward they were more frightening than the bucky one! It's going to take some getting used to his new freedom of expression, for both of us.
 
This is so interesting to read. I had a long conversation with a couple of 'experts' re KS recently who both said much of KS issue is down to breeding and that once a horse has KS it should be PTS as they'll never come right. I too am a huge believer of chucking them out and letting nature do what's best and think some vets are uber cautious regarding box rest at times.

Sounds as if your boy is super happy and sometimes, although we don't have as much technical knowledge as our vets, we do know our horses. Yes, it may be a risk, but if we as owners are willing to take it then any consequences are surely down to us.

Really lovely to read your story and hope he continues to make such great progress :-)
 
Nicnac it helps of course that I am uninsured, so no one can tell me what to do, and there is no pay out to lose if I get it wrong.

I wonder who your experts are, because I've heard on this forum of many horses put right by dorsal spinal process removal, and the ligament cutting operation my boy had is reputed to be even more successful. I do agree it is being bred into them though. Mine is a short backed dressage bred horse and it stands to reason that all horses have the same number of vertebrae, so they must be closer together in a shorter backed horse, and they are being bred shorter for dressage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top