Last resorts - any ideas (long, sorry!)

[ponypatter]

I don't know if any can help - I feel we've exhausted all avenues, but here goes.....

I have a friend who bought an ex-racer just over a year ago, she has spent fortunes on physio's, chiropractors, vets, saddlers, dentists etc trying to right the problems he has picked up during his years of training and subsequent numpty owners who have had him in extremely ill fitting tack etc. He was a very sweet horse when he arrived but it seems the more she puts right, the more horrible he becomes. The professionals she has used are the top in the country - without dispute!

since he has had a well fitting saddle he cannot canter behind, instead doing one time changes, whether ridden or on the lunge, and with or without the saddle. His back problems have been worked on also during this period, but are far from solved. Prescription pain killers don't make a difference to his way of going.

He has also now started getting nasty, running backwards on hacks, kicking out at people walking by and trying to bite he owner in the stable. He's not like this all the time - it's like he has a switch that flips on and off - he could be fine 10 mine later.

He will also play up in the school, threatening her with teeth adnd feet when lunging, or throwing his toys out of the pram when being ridden. a friend who used to deal in problem horses rode him and felt she couldn't use a whip or he'd throw himself on the floor, and was mighty relieved once she felt she'd done enough to get of (and hasn't been back on since).

The owner isn't the most confident, but the horse has never been allowed to get away with it - for example when he plays up out hacking she'll get off, lead him for a bit (continuing on the hack) and then get back on. He chills out once she's off.

In desperation shes had a horse whisperer out (MR/KM trained) who's told her he has serious mental and physical probs (as if we didn't know that!) and whilst she might be able to fix the mental problems, she's not sure he'll ever be safe due to the physical.

Owner now believes the best thing to do for the horse is to put him down as he's so unpredictable and, she believes, unhappy. This decision is breaking her heart, but she's ultimatly very responsible, won't let him go anywhere else and can't afford to keep a pet (and esp not one that doesn't reciprocate her love!).

I agree with her decision as I can't see she can do anything else for it, she feels she's let him down, so I though i'd appeal to anyone who might have any idea of something else to try .....

thanks for listening

xxx

 

[Bossanova]

It sounds like he's in pain somewhere and the pain's getting worse.
Has she had an MRI scan?

 

[Sarah Sum1]

I'm sorry to hear that your friend is having these problems. My initial thought was that he is reacting like this because of his back, if he is in pain then i would think he would play up a hell of a lot. I would concentrate on getting his back right. But i'm no expert and i'm sure others will have some ideas for you. I hope she gets him sorted out.

ETS I would get someone qualified to do some reiki on his back, it can work wonders.

 

[Cliqmo]

Have you had him checked for ulcers? They are common in racehorses and can cause intermittent grumpiness and stiffness caused by carrying themselves awkwardly to minimise the pain

 

[eoe]

I am no vet but have been in horses a very long time, can you get this horse referred to Rossdales in Newmarket for an MRI scan, these cost around £1000 and you would need to get this agreed by your insurance company, from what you say about this horse it sounds like he may have a back/pelvis problem, the MRI scan will show up any "hot spots" which may or may not answer the questions of why he is behaving as he is. We had and ex-racer on my yard a couple of years ago and the girl who owned it kept getting thrown off, lost her confidence with him as his behaviour was not consistent. In the end she decided to sell him, another friend said she would take him on, I said she should get our lameness vet out to check him over, after about 30 minutes of the vetting he was diagnosed as having Kissing Spine, when he had the MRI it showed that he did in fact have KS, he was then operated on, successfully, after 3 months recuberation and 2 months of propery physio care he was a completely different horse. It might be a long shot but if you can get him referred for an MRI and insurance comapny will pay for scan its worth a shot, the MRI will show up any problems he has so if its not his back it will show where there is a problem in fact it is skeletal. Where are you based?

 

[Flame_]

Sue Dyson at The Animal Health Trust is very good at finding the root of physical problems. However that does not mean to say that the vets can actually, necessarily fix them, particularly if there is more than one physical problem alongside mental issues. IME going down that road gives you some answers but ultimately doesn't change the outcome and I think your friend's doing the right thing.

 

[ladyearl]

I see she's already gone down the trad back, tack and teeth road. I'd support the MRI suggestion as a way of eliminating something more serious but if that's not conclusive then perhaps she should think about giving him some time off and then bringing back him really slowly.

I have a good friend who works with racers and reckons that when you want to start riding them in a non racing context you have to think of them as babies in every sense. In racing they are backed very young and ridden in a certain way and therefore their muscles develop in a different way to the riding horses. To ask them to use muscles they have never before used will be sore and will hurt.

Let him have a good long holiday and then break him in very slowly. I have another friend, with an ex racer, who took this advice and stopped trying to get her horse going about the school on a contact and in an orderly fashion. She simply gave him a holiday and has hacked him on a long rein to start with. He started back in the school for short periods and in a very gentle way. Now he's picking it up again and seems a lot more comfortable. So far so good!!

 

[dozzie]

I would send him for scans.

 

[ladyt25]

I agree with others re scan as I would hate to feel I'd not done all I could if I was in the situation. From what you're saying about his movement it does point to there being some discomfort somewhere and I'd want to know where. It could be something curable and it also may not be but at least you'd know.

If no physical problem them this may be a horse that does need re-starting completely.

The stabling/kicking out issues are a different issue (although could be related to the pain just causing general misery). It seems a bit of a dominance issue over his 'personal space' so this needs addressing and your friend may need professional help with that. Many horses are miserable buggers about their stables/personal space but they cannot be allowed to get away with being dominant or aggressive with people.

You certainly need to rule out the physical first though. I think mental issues can be improved. You only had to hear (was it Polly Stockton?) saying how the horse she was riding, at Burghley had to be broken in 3 times as it previously had been deemed unrideable! So, some things are possible!