Opinions on retiring with potential health problems

R

redapple

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 June 2017
Messages
192
Visit site
Just wondering what the general concensus is on retiring horses with potentially treatable conditions without treatment?

For context the horse in question has front and back lameness from diagnosed issues. Alongside some arthritis. Undiagnosed she has suspected ulcers (vet suggestion) and I wouldn't be surprised if kissing spines. She's started objecting to work (understandably) and has a fab owner who has previously paid God knows how much on vet calls and treatments but is now thinking of calling it a day with trying to keep her in work and retire her to grass.

I thought this is completely reasonable but another livery was very funny about it. Just wondering what the concensus is.
 
We bought a young horse for my teenage daughter, and a year later she was diagnosed with facet joint arthritis. We spent the next year or so throwing everything at her to get her right but she just doesn't seem able to hold up to much work. So now she's mainly a beautiful field ornament who goes for the odd plod round, and she seems very happy (and comfortable) with her lot.

At the time she was diagnosed I did have advice from yo to pts as she'd never fulfil the purpose we bought her for. All the time she's comfortable in the field I couldnt do that, she brings a smile to my face every day and I can afford to keep her. It has meant that daughter has had to make do with loans and rides since, so she's missed out on competing and progressing, but that's been her choice and she's off to uni soon without having to worry about what to do with her horse.

I think it's a very personal decision and as long as horse isn't suffering, no one else should judge really. I totally understand people who need a horse to do a job but the time comes when you have to stop throwing money at it, as well as the emotional heartache every time you think you've found a treatment that's working to return to square one. And then it's retire or pts, and people are always going to have different opinions about which way to go.
 
As long as the horse is comfortable in the field, it's no one else's business what the owner does.

In terms of opinions, I can understand those who say put down, or retire; I struggle with those who seem to think the owner should continue to expend vast amounts of time, money and - most of all - emotional energy in trying to fix something perennially broken.

Another thought: often, when people suggest PTS they aren't necessarily judging or dicatating what the owner should do - they're letting the owner know that they wouldn't be judged if they choose that option. Some people face such condemnation for putting a horse down unless it's a welfare case; it's sometimes meant kindly when people talk about calling it a day, as a roundabout way of showing the owner won't be judged / will have their support.
 
Last edited:
My sports horse has retired to grass. He has kissing spines, navicular and arthritis in his hocks. Too many issues to keep him in work, but strangely you wouldn't think there was a thing wrong with him if you saw him moving, so he lives out now and will do as long as he is happy and comfortable.

The day he is no longer comfortable then he will be put to sleep. He is thirteen.
 
Just because it may be possible to treat a condition doesn't mean that is always the right thing to do even if you take the financial aspect out of the equation, when a horse has a lot of problems it can be hard to fix when the primary issue may be slightly hidden among everything else and at the end of the day the horse may never be physically able to cope with the work that the owner wishes to do.
There are 3 choices, chuck everything you have at trying to fix it and probably fail after spending £££s, pts or retire if they are field sound and happy, to my mind option 3 makes most sense as it means the owner can move on, the horse can lead a fairly normal life without going through the stress and possibly pain of various treatments and rehabs, the majority of horses can live contentedly in a field, I retired several of mine without fixing whatever was stopping them working to their full capacity, one only had a short time others lived far longer than expected once they were out 24/7 doing no work.
 
I've got a retired arthritic draft who is more than happy as a companion horse. His ringbone is severe and on the day of the x-rays I suspect the vet would have agreed with PTS if I'd wanted to go down that route. Now he is completely out of ridden work he's happy pottering and being henpecked by my stroppy mare. Danilon used as required.

He's plastered in mud this morning so obviously still able to roll and get up again, which is what was worrying me. I get people asking me why I don't ride him and I think there are a lot of people who can't see the point in owning a horse who can't be ridden. For me he's worth his considerable weight in gold keeping the mare company.

The mare has her own issues and I have a horrible suspicion that her lifespan will be limited. She is not companion or pasture pet material due to both her PSSM (incredibly sugar sensitive) and her attitude. She's very special to me and even the thought of not having her in my life gives me sleepless nights.
 
As long as the horse is still given suitable medication so it can remain comfortable it shouldn't be a problem.Some horses that have worked hard all their life often fall apart when retired so may be a short hack once a week to keep it hacking over would be a better option, with 24/7 turnout in between.Its her horse, its up to her what she does with it I guess. People are always going to have opinions, but no one knows her horse better than her and her vet at the end of the day.
 
Her horse, her choice as long as the horse isn't suffering (i.e. is able to act like a normal horse in the field, roll/groom/move around freely).

It wasn't so long ago that turning a horse away for months WAS a recognised way of treating some conditions.
 
hopscotch bandit said:
As long as the horse is still given suitable medication so it can remain comfortable it shouldn't be a problem... People are always going to have opinions, but no one knows her horse better than her and her vet at the end of the day.
Click to expand...

I think this is where the other livery had a bit of an eyebrow raise. I believe the plan is to retire her without further veterinary testing or scoping and treating for ulcers (which may or may not be there in her defence). I'm too of the opinion it's her horse (I actually part-loan the horse in question) but I've also never had an experience of retiring a horse for anything other than old age, hence the interest. I can't even guess how much she's cost her owners in vet bills over the years and I know they have done above and beyond to get her sound previously.

She's not the type of horse I think you could pop on for a short hack, nor unfortunately would she make the best companion as she's not particularly easy to have around; But she's young, has lived out before and seems happy in the field so the hope is she'll take to living out well. It's a shame she's not a bit more sensible as she is a lovely little mare but she'd probably more work for someone as a companion than anyone would want. She's not hugely human dependent so hopefully, just horsey friends and a check over will keep her happy.
 
redapple said:
I think this is where the other livery had a bit of an eyebrow raise. I believe the plan is to retire her without further veterinary testing or scoping and treating for ulcers (which may or may not be there in her defence). I'm too of the opinion it's her horse (I actually part-loan the horse in question) but I've also never had an experience of retiring a horse for anything other than old age, hence the interest. I can't even guess how much she's cost her owners in vet bills over the years and I know they have done above and beyond to get her sound previously.

She's not the type of horse I think you could pop on for a short hack, nor unfortunately would she make the best companion as she's not particularly easy to have around; But she's young, has lived out before and seems happy in the field so the hope is she'll take to living out well. It's a shame she's not a bit more sensible as she is a lovely little mare but she'd probably more work for someone as a companion than anyone would want. She's not hugely human dependent so hopefully, just horsey friends and a check over will keep her happy.
Click to expand...

If the horse has arthritis which is untreated then that is really unfair, this is a debilitating and painful condition. A sachet a bute costs as little as 64p a day on prescription, some horses do very well on half that amount.Ulcers are different, I know of some chap I used to ride out with who was quoted £300 a week for six weeks if his horse was found to have ulcers upon scoping, something that couldn't be contemplated without insurance which he no longer had (the horse was 16 but excluded from a lot of things) so he decided not to open a whole can of worms, and to be fair the vet doubted it had ulcers anyway as it didn't show the symptoms.And those symptoms it did display (weight loss and girthiness) disappeared with a different diet and physio intervention so it probably didn't.

I hope that the mare in question has a nice happy and painfree retirement.
 
hopscotch bandit said:
If the horse has arthritis which is untreated then that is really unfair, this is a debilitating and painful condition. A sachet a bute costs as little as 64p a day on prescription, some horses do very well on half that amount.
Click to expand...

I did wonder if this may be the cause of some of her hind problems as its arthritic changes in her neck i believe though I should be clear that I don't know the absolute ins and outs of what the diagnosis was. I have previously asked her owner and she said she's never had any symptoms and vet is happy that it's not causing any pain or problems. This is a bit of a new world to me as a previous owner of a super sound cob but I tend to trust this owner as this is a horse which has previously not gone without in terms of treatments and rehab. I know it is always debatable as to how horse's show pain but she specifically asked the vet about this on a recent visit. Although perhaps not important as it's obviously there but I feel the consensus was it would never have been noticed if not having a very thorough work up done for other issues.
 
Last edited:
redapple said:
I did wonder if this may be the cause of some of her hind problems as its arthritic changes in her neck i believe though I should be clear that I don't know the absolute ins and outs of what the diagnosis was. I have previously asked her owner and she said she's never had any symptoms and vet is happy that it's not causing any pain or problems. This is a bit of a new world to me as a previous owner of a super sound cob but I tend to trust this owner as this is a horse which has previously not gone without in terms of treatments and rehab. I know it is always debatable as to how horse's show pain but she specifically asked the vet about this on a recent visit. Although perhaps not important as it's obviously there but I feel the consensus was it would never have been noticed if not having a very thorough work up done for other issues.
Click to expand...

She seems like a very proactive and caring owner to me. I hope she gets some peace of mind whichever decision she takes.
 
I would eyebrow raise too TBH, I do think it depends on the condition untreated but I don't think because a horse is retired and out at grass it's medical issues do not need treatment or management. I'd always want to be happy that they have a certain level of comfort and if that cannot be achieved then it probably isn't the right option.

If a vet had suggested ulcers to me I'd certainly want a scope at some point, though I could understand that the suggested lifestyle will also help them I wouldn't want a horse of mine to have a painful condition ignored. - Of course ulcers are usually secondary to other pain. But that also makes it important because given her other conditions giving bute for them will aggrevate any ulcers.
 
I think these situations are quite individual to the horse and owner.
Provided the horse is with a knowledgable owner who knows their horse well then I wouldn't raise an eyebrow at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top