Life or death....... life changing decision made..

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monica987

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ok...welll mum spoke to Jo and the vet and the vet says she isnt in pain in everyday life, just being worked properly etc and having weight on her all the time but she can still hack OCCASIONALY. anyway the vet said the best thing to do was to give/sell her to someone to put in foal as she is a purdy girl and there is no evidence that kissing spine is hereditory so that is the way forward.
so if anyone want s a mare to put in foal then you know where to come
i am pleased that she isnt actualy in pain in everyday life and that i will not have to say a final goodbye......
so she will be going to someone asap i think...
xxxx
 
i hope so too!! it is a turnaround
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but i am delighted that she osnt in pain!
 
Well no doubt I am going to be the person to dampen your spirits here...what's new
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Personally I would never ever breed from a mare with kissing spine - I actually think it is verging on cruelty. Spondylitis does not just "go away".....it worsens with age. Can you imagine how this poor mare will feel at 8 or 9 months in-foal?

No sorry it's not right - if she was mine and I couldn't afford to keep her then she would be put to sleep instead of being passed around like this. I apologise if I have upset you but I urge you to seriously re-think this decision.....for the sake of this horse.
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I have to say I agree with Tia on this one.It may not be bad now, but what will it be like when she's well and truly in foal??? If I remember from your original post, I thought the vet said she was in pain even when not ridden, and that it would just get worse?
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Hey LPR - sorry to hear of your situation, but i feel i have to agree with Tia on this.

here is a simplified picture of what kissing spines looks like

http://www.sustainabledressage.net/rollkur/behind_the_vertical/kissing_spines.gif

if Oakey was put on foal, especially in the late stages of pregnancy, the foal would be pretty heavy - not to mention all the extra fluid she would have to carrry too. although the weight would be below her spine (unlike when ridden) it would still exert a downwards force on her spine, which could push the spinal protrusions together even more than they are. so although you say she could be ridden for short periods, being heavily pregnant would put the same strain on her as if you were on her back all the time. i dont know the extent of Oakeys problems, but i hope you can reach a decision that is right for everyone. Good Luck
 
tia - you said just what i was going to say, i would certainly NOT put her in foal.
 
As soon as I read your post I was already writing what others have written - breeding from a kissing spines mare is cruelty IMHO
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Also breeding from a mare because she is "pretty" is a pretty irresponsible thing for a vet to suggest - there are too many mares out there breeding for no particular reason and it needs to be curtailed

If I was in your position, I would do the right thing and have her PTS now if you do not have the facilities to keep her for her lifetime

Sorry
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MMmm well here's my opinion, unless she is something special re competiton wise or temperament I wouldn't breed from her.
Not for the same reason as the others, as we have three horses here all retired with kissing spines and I have never seen one of them lame sick or sorry in years!
I think they would cope easily with the weight of a foal but it may be different actually foaling, I wouldn't like to guess.
You don't know it isn't hereditary and it is a weakness that you wouldn't want to reproduce. try through project horses perhaps to find her a home as merely a companion (someone I know has just managed to do that via them)
If you are still totally determined to find her a breeding home there is someone advertising in the wanted bit of adtrader for a brood mare.
A companion home would be kinder to her I feel.
 
I agree. I would try very very hard to be able to keep her myself and would not have her pts if I could keep her and she would be painfree as a companion BUT if there was no way I could keep her then I would have her PTS rather than sell (I would maybe lend to a friend or neighbour as a companion if it was long term and I could oversee). Certainly wouldn't breed either - am schocked that vet suggested it tbh (one of my family members is an equine vet and they are shocked too).
Despite the kissing spines issue, I really do not think that mare's should be bred from "just because".
This is an awful situation for you to be in but i don't think that this is the right answer for your mare.
 
Is it me or do more and more horses seem to be suffering from kissing spine? Is it hereditary or are we just more knowledgeable now?
 
I am surprised that your vet suggested breeding from her. I too have a mare with kissing spine, not suitable for the op, and my vet felt it could cause her at least some discomfort to breed from her. She's an arabian with top bloodlines, so it really is a great shame. Actually, I've cried bitter tears over that one more disappointment. Anyway, as I have owned her from weaning and backed her myself I just can't bear to part with her. So I pay for her to live at grass livery with a friend with a group of others. I couldn't keep her with me because as the condition deteriorated with time she found my hilly grazing difficult, but where she is now it is flat. Some think I am mad, because even now she is only 8 years old, but she gave me the best (and worst!) times of my life, so I will let her live a quiet life for as long as she is happy.
Sorry, this probably isn't what you want to hear, but better now than when your girl is heavily in foal and you can see her struggling.
I suspect that there were always the cases of kissing spine, but we are more on the ball with getting problems checked out. As it can only be diagnosed by xray, and these were less readily available in the "old days". I wonder how many problem horses had kissing spine, and were sold down and down the line. Certainly I was told several times that I should be pushing my mare through her "trying it on" and "taking the p" - but I always knew there was a reason.
 
Just to add - about the pain. How can we tell? I am sure that my girl has some times worse than others, but she is normally happy in herself and runs about with the others. I think you'd know if your horse was suffering. I give mine Reflex, cider vinegar and a remedy from a homeopathic vet to try to help her.
You might see your mare start to lock up sometimes when she's turning tightly for example. As long as she comes out of it happy then I think that's acceptable. I am sure my horse works around her weaknesses. But one day I will see it's getting all a bit much, and then we'll have to say goodbye.
 
Have to agree with others. I have never put a mare in foal but as with most pregnancies it's got to be a huge strain on all areas of a horse and what will you do afterwards? If this ailment only gets worse you'll need to consider again PTS option when she has given birth. Seems a bit unfair to animal to be honest and can't believe vet suggested it. As someone suggested maybe loan as companion to someone you already know or I'm afraid PTS. I really feel for you having to make this decision.
 
There are some very mixed views on putting mares with KS in foal. Carrying a foal puts huge pressure on the mare's body. If she's already in pain (and KS gets progressively worse generally) then carrying babies may not be the best thing for her.
 
Sorry, I have to agree with the others. Putting her in foal could cause her a lot of pain and if you sell her or give her away it is possible someone will try and work her or breed from her and then you don't know where she may end up.

Personally I would either make the decision to PTS or keep myself as a pet/companion if I could afford to.

Good luck whatever you decide.
 
thankies guys - i am a bit late replying but i am not knowledgable on this and WAS going =with ehat vet said but new post explaining what IS happening
thanx and i agree now and would rather not breed
x
 
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