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If she needs bute to cope with shoeing I'm afraid riding might be too much for her.
Mystery Nightmare Hacker *PLS READ EVERYTHING*
- Thread starter Ellie Ruby
- Start date
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Pressure from other people i guess. She doesn't get ridden often but we have had people check her over and they said she is fine but just light work.
That's why i want other peoples opinion cause everyone reckons she is fine.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Yea... I was thinking that but everyone at our yard is telling me to keep her going.
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You are responsible for her welfare. She doesn't sound happy and those legs don't look great. You need to do what's right for her, not what other people tell you.
Not only that it doesn't sound very fair to push her to do something at her age that is clearly not pleasant to her, but as you said you've already ended up in a neck brace , so you are risking serious injury to yourself. Take this from someone who broke her back 7 months ago.
Nari
Well-Known Member
As others have said, please get a vet out to give her a thorough assessment. Yes there looks to be a lot of swelling on the knee but even if it is arthritis it may not be causing a huge problem - I knew a mare whose knee looked nearly as bad but when the vet looked at her and did flexions it actually wasn't a problem for light work because the changes were all outside the joint. However you don't know without a vet examination and possibly x-rays. Without this information you can't decide whether or not she's best kept in a level of work and also whether or not she'd benefit from a bute a day.
IF she gets the all clear, or the vet says best to work her on pain relief, then you need to get some help with the hacking. However you may find that with some bute she's happier and the problem sorts itself out.
IF she gets the all clear, or the vet says best to work her on pain relief, then you need to get some help with the hacking. However you may find that with some bute she's happier and the problem sorts itself out.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
She has been off for 4months and sat on them times in the field and arena. The reason she was off for the 4months was basically retiring her. I have only been handwalking her recently and she is enjoying it. If i do work she only does 10mins. 20mins at the most. Also i don't think i am ever going to get back on her as i have lost my confidence completely.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Yes the vet is coming soon and will get them to check her over, all of the spooking is out hacking and i don't think i then help by having no confidence. We are going to try and get hold of this other bute (i can't remember what it is called), that isn't bad for there liver and try her on that.She is normally quiet in the arena. (only really places up if a lorry goes past)
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Allot of the biting and that ,when handling on the ground, is when there is food or dogs around.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Plays**
Shay
Well-Known Member
You may mean Danilon. You really need a good care plan from a vet. A bute for the farrier isn't sufficient. It might still be possible to medicate the joints to ease her arthitis - but the photos look fairly poor. It might be that she has gone past the point when that would help now. Another option to look at is devils claw.
She may still have a decade or more of life left - but it really does sound as if she is saying loud and clear that she is not longer capable of being worked. If retirement won't suit her - or you can't afford it - you are going to have a serious conversation with your vet.
I have a 29 yr old athritic cob still happily capable of short slow hacks a couple of times a week - but he has had his joints medicated every year for the last 5 or 6. He was hunting until 25. But I also had a 17yr old ISH who we had had as a BS 148 who would never have retired and we had to say goodbye. You have to so the best thing for the horse in front of you.
She may still have a decade or more of life left - but it really does sound as if she is saying loud and clear that she is not longer capable of being worked. If retirement won't suit her - or you can't afford it - you are going to have a serious conversation with your vet.
I have a 29 yr old athritic cob still happily capable of short slow hacks a couple of times a week - but he has had his joints medicated every year for the last 5 or 6. He was hunting until 25. But I also had a 17yr old ISH who we had had as a BS 148 who would never have retired and we had to say goodbye. You have to so the best thing for the horse in front of you.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Yea, i just finding it hard as i am going through counselling at the minute as i suffer from quite serve bad mental health ( i have had it since i was little,dropped out of school etc and only just receiving help).
I was bullied at school.
I struggle to even come out of the house sometimes
I have been looking at every supplement, emailing companies about their products. Just the thought of her being in pain just makes me cry as she is only thing that is keeping me going. I have never pushed her and never will. I am very affected about what people think of me so that's why i have been listening to people at my yard as i can't stand up for myself.
I don't want anyone to think that i am a bad owner.I am just a 15yr old. Everyone is trying to make me sell her to get a brand new horse but i couldn't ever do that, not after what she has been through. I just want whats best for her thats all.
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Equi
Well-Known Member
Selling her is not an option i think anyone here would urge you to do. You need to give yourself a break, this is not something that is avoidable. All horses get old and all horses get to the point they need to slow down and retire.
Is she happy in the field? If she is, its an option to move her to retirement livery, take her shoes off and then you won't have the bees in your ear buzzing about this and that...cause the other liveries will understand more.
Is she happy in the field? If she is, its an option to move her to retirement livery, take her shoes off and then you won't have the bees in your ear buzzing about this and that...cause the other liveries will understand more.
Winters100
Well-Known Member
Ellie can your parents help you with some of these tough decisions? It sounds like you were enjoying walking her in hand and wanted to retire her but somehow got pushed into riding her again. Maybe if you could explain to your parents that you would like her to be retired they can help you a little. For example, if they agree, you could just tell those on the yard that your parents pay for her keep and they do not want her ridden. You can still have a wonderful relationship with your pony and it sounds like she would appreciate a gentle life without being ridden.
Also I don't think that those who advise you to sell are being realistic. There is not really a market for older arthritic ponies. This is not a pony to sell, it is a pony to love.
Good luck and do make sure that you take the advice of the vet, not random people who happen to be on the same yard.
Also I don't think that those who advise you to sell are being realistic. There is not really a market for older arthritic ponies. This is not a pony to sell, it is a pony to love.
Good luck and do make sure that you take the advice of the vet, not random people who happen to be on the same yard.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
She doesn't have shoes on as i had them taken off a month after i got her. She likes the field and has lived out before but i started stabling her last year to keep the weight down. I have been thinking about it but i just over think everything. I have been considering her living out but can't find anything with shelter.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
I'm sorry but those pictures are really bad
. She is pointing with her left fore, she's not properly weight bearing on it. If she normally stands like that, I would say she either needs a lot more pain relief or to retire from work immediately, possibly both.
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Equi
Well-Known Member
Don't get too hung up on shelter. Thats why we invented rugs
stabling is the enemy of the arthritic horse.Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
Yes i have talked to my mum but not yet brave enough to tell my dad. Especially because he has just got me a new bridle and don't have the most amazing relationship with him. I work to pay for my livery myself and unfortunately most of them know this. I will try though. My parents are going through a separation but i will try and talk to them both.
Equi
Well-Known Member
Hows your relationship with your yard owner? Could they be some support to you?
You're doing really well, please don't think you're not. You're clearly a caring owner.
You're doing really well, please don't think you're not. You're clearly a caring owner.
Winters100
Well-Known Member
What did your Mum say? Can she help you?
Remember that this won't be your last horse. You can tell your Dad that bridles last for years and that you will keep it for when you have a horse that you need it for. Chin up.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Thanks, that means a lot. I don't really see her much to be honest, i will talk to her after i have figured everything out.
Firefly9410
Well-Known Member
Can you long-rein her in the arena? That would be easier for her than being ridden and any light work helps with weight gain and arthritis. Definitely speak to your vet about pain relief. It sounds like she was last assessed three years ago a lot can change in that time. Your confidence issues will not be helping but because you are going through counselling right now it is maybe not such a good time to work on confidence issues too? Perhaps discuss that with your counsellor. So find things to do with her that you already feel confident doing. Consider if the counselling could help you with the grief if you needed to PTS or if it would be too much at once right now and if that is true then tell the vet your situation and see if there is extra pain relief which would keep her going until after your counselling finished. If it would be a short term thing this extra pain relief then the long term health problems side effects like liver become irrelevant.
Edit: what area do you live? Someone might know a yard with turnout and shelter if that could help.
Edit: what area do you live? Someone might know a yard with turnout and shelter if that could help.
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
My mum agrees with retiring her. But she doesn't have much control over the horse as dad likes to take control. She maybe able to tho.
Haha thanks!
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Hi,
I do long rein her around the yard and she quite enjoys it. Yea it does feel like a big leap as i had so many plans with her.
Everything feels like it is falling apart at once.
But i will talk to my vet and weigh up my options. I just feel like i am letting her down in some way.
Thanks for your reply
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Im somewhat surprised the vets have continued to prescribe bute if they have not seen the horse in the last 6 months. Even though I know my vet very well it is something they are insistent on to comply with regulations.
She'd be retired and receiving adequate pain relief if she was mine.
She'd be retired and receiving adequate pain relief if she was mine.
Firefly9410
Well-Known Member
@Ellie Ruby you are not letting her down it is just there are no miracles. She is having a better time than all those old ones stuffed in a field and forgotten about.
skint1
Well-Known Member
It sounds like you love your mare very much and are trying to do right by her, that puts you miles ahead of the people on the yard suggesting you sell her. I wouldn’t pay them too much attention, it’s easy to speculate and run your mouth when it’s not your horse. Just smile sweetly and nod and do your thing, but get her properly assessed and medicated, she will probably be much easier to deal with if she’s not in pain, and hopefully you can still do your walks and enjoy life together
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
I congratulate you on being so caring for your horse.
The knee does look awful, yet I have known another horse with a knee as big and he was bang sound. This was in America, I borrowed a working cowboy's horse for a parade. The knee was interesting, but it was bursal enlargement not bone, and worked just fine. As you say that the knee goes down a bit with walking, I would imagine yours is burial enlargement as well.
I would treat your horse like any other exhibiting these behaviours. That would start with a vet exam. The vet may be able to out your numb at rest regarding the knee, or he/she may say that the knee is an issue but either medicate (inject) the joint or give Bute daily. For an older horse to potter around and be comfortable, Bute is fine, in my eyes. Bute is not fine to go competing etc, it just enhances an interesting live to potter around.
I would also have teeth checked. Then saddle. Then get a trainer in if the horse is comfortable, someone who can help you work through the issue.
The mare looks lovely, and you look a picture together.
If you are happy to potter on the school and lead on a hack, then that is what I would do. My mum has been ill and, for 2 years, in winter I have taken her shoes off and done just that. She is a nice horse to ride, I simply had too much on my plate. Luckily, I am 53 years old, stubborn and keep horses at home, so no one to bully me into riding when I don't want to!
The knee does look awful, yet I have known another horse with a knee as big and he was bang sound. This was in America, I borrowed a working cowboy's horse for a parade. The knee was interesting, but it was bursal enlargement not bone, and worked just fine. As you say that the knee goes down a bit with walking, I would imagine yours is burial enlargement as well.
I would treat your horse like any other exhibiting these behaviours. That would start with a vet exam. The vet may be able to out your numb at rest regarding the knee, or he/she may say that the knee is an issue but either medicate (inject) the joint or give Bute daily. For an older horse to potter around and be comfortable, Bute is fine, in my eyes. Bute is not fine to go competing etc, it just enhances an interesting live to potter around.
I would also have teeth checked. Then saddle. Then get a trainer in if the horse is comfortable, someone who can help you work through the issue.
The mare looks lovely, and you look a picture together.
If you are happy to potter on the school and lead on a hack, then that is what I would do. My mum has been ill and, for 2 years, in winter I have taken her shoes off and done just that. She is a nice horse to ride, I simply had too much on my plate. Luckily, I am 53 years old, stubborn and keep horses at home, so no one to bully me into riding when I don't want to!
jumbyjack
Well-Known Member
As others have said, it seems a pain reaction plus you are going to get hurt at some point. I would retire her.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
You may not like this but she really isn't suitable for riding anymore. If retiring her means you will be having to work to spend money on a grumpy horse who is uncomfortable it would likely be better for you to think about having her pts. Then you can save for a horse you can ride. It seems a shame to spend your, all too short, youth unable to do the things you want with your pony. It will hurt at the time but probably better in the long run.
Pearlsasinger
Up in the clouds
But that is 3 yrs ago! Has your vet actually seen her?
Ellie Ruby
Well-Known Member
Yes the vet has seen her.