Not a good day :(

[Crosshill Pacers]

My three year old filly is booked in for an appointment with the vet this evening with a suspected stifle problem

Her trainer, who's a young Irish lad whose mad about horses and really knows his stuff, isn't confident that the prognosis is going to be good and without potentially an operation (which we simply can't afford) it looks like my girl's racing career is over before it even started.

I'm really disheartened. We bred the filly and having raced her older sister (with some continued success) we had high hopes for Baby Dee. We've all put in a lot of time, effort and money in as a family and now it seems our dreams have been snatched away

Fingers crossed the vet can find something positive to say. I know that even if her racing career is over (which is a huge blow), Dee will make a fantastic riding horse as she has the calm nature of her mother and sister, and the strength and build of her father. Still feeling a bit down about it all though

 

[itsonlyme]

Oh no, Im sorry to hear that. Well like you say, hopefully it won't be as bad as you're thinking. Is she not insured?
Fingers crossed for you.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Thank you. I'm feeling better than I did this morning, have heard off the trainer and he's said he'll ring me once he's taken the filly to the vet and discussed our options.

Unfortunately we don't have any insurance. We started out just breeding and the only insurance my dad considered was for if something happened to the mares whilst giving birth. Baby Dee is only the second horse we've raced and insurance has never crossed either of our minds. There's probably plenty of people who would say 'better safe than sorry' but the whole process of getting a horse in training and on to the track is so overwhelming if you've never done it before and you just don't think of everything.

I know stifle problems are common in racehorses too, another one in the same yard was suffering with a slight niggle but after the trainer blistered it a few times that resolved the problem. That gave me hope when he reported the same problem to me but obviously we've not been so lucky. Will have to see what the vet says I guess!