Mares that have been stitched

[Crosshill Pacers]

I was just wondering whether anyone has a mare that has been stitched behind due to sucking wind?

My girl had a stitch put in at the start of the summer last year as the guy who was driving her in harness races had identified that she was sucking wind and carrying her tail exceptionally high whilst racing, and the trainer advised that this was the solution. The wind sucking was reduced, however the vet attended again and put in a second stitch. The wind sucking stopped, although the high tail carriage did not. At the time, I was shown another race mare who had had the same procedure, and had also stopped sucking wind but continued to carry her tail very high, so was quite happy with the result.

The wind sucking did not occur throughout her three year old race season (training or racing), nor in her training last year, only in races themselves. I have now decided to retire her from racing, for various reasons, and have convinced my dad to let me keep her as a riding horse. I don't have a set plan for what we're going to do yet in the future, but I started thinking about the stitches and whether I should have them removed as she's finished racing?

Has anybody got any experience of this?

 

[Auslander]

I've worked with a lot of older broodmares who have had a stitch or two, and we didn't bother about them (except for remembering to have them cut before foaling!!) once they were in. I'm no expert - so you'd probably be better asking in Breeding, but personally, wouldn't have them cut.

 

[thatsmygirl]

We use to have a lot of racers stitched due to sucking wind and giving themselves a sort of colic feeling. Never happened apart from fast work and stitches removed before re homing. Personally I would take them out but don't think it would really matter either way

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

We use to have a lot of racers stitched due to sucking wind and giving themselves a sort of colic feeling. Never happened apart from fast work and stitches removed before re homing. Personally I would take them out but don't think it would really matter either way

I was thinking along the lines of her never doing the same level of work as racing again, and that there's no real need for her to have them in anymore. Plus I might want to breed from her in the future.

Then I think that she's fine as she is, maybe I shouldn't interfere. As it was only when she was racing though and she'd had no previous problems with infections etc in that area, I don't think there'd be any harm in getting them removed? (As you can see I'm talking myself into having them taken out!)