Please can someone give me a good talking to!

Hullabaloo

Hullabaloo

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 April 2007
Messages
2,805
Location
Wilts
Visit site
I'm feeling very sorry for myself and need a good slap.

My horse has got over his lameness from last week - we think he was a bit footsore and I over reacted a bit as he has had so many problems.
We went back to our lunging (for his back problem) and he was great for a few days but last night he was struggling and turned his bum in and bucked everytime I asked him for canter. He wasn't that bad even when it was first diagnosed.

It just seems everytime one bit gets a bit better something else goes wrong. We're back at the vets on Monday anyway for a follow up on his back so it will be checked out then. Meanwhile I've got myself into a state worrying about him. I just feel like he's never going to come right. He's been poked, prodded, x-rayed and scanned and they can't find anything conclusive.

I worry what I'm going to do with him if we can't get him better. I make a lot of sacrifices to keep a horse and I don't know that I can keep him if he can't work. Also he's not the sort of horse that's happy doing nothing, but I can't bear to think about the alternative either. Since I got back from the yard I've spent most of the afternoon in tears as I just don't know what to do anymore.

My OH is on holiday until tomorrow and I know if he was here he's tell me off for looking on the black side and to wait and see what the vet says on Monday. I also know he's be right!
As he's not here, could someone else give me a good telling off instead please.
 
Stop worrying and wait until the vet has checked him on Monday. Was it definitely a pain thing regarding the bucking? Could he not just be having fun? My mare does that to me when I lunge her because she is lazy and doesn't want to go forwards so kicks out at me to tell me so.
 
No he was definately uncomfortable. He does sometimes throw in a "fun" buck but this was completely different. It looks like he's struggling to engage behind and doing it to resist.
You're right I should try not to worry - nothing I can do til Monday.
 
Sometimes I think it is possible to fuss too much, and in an effort to do the right thing, to actually overdo things. Give yourself a break and spend some time doing some very slow controlled work with your horse, working on accuracy and obedience rather than whizzing around on a lunge or being ridden. Even quiet walk and halt work is useful training.

It may be that your horse was just having a bit of a sore day and all might be fine tomorrow so cheer up and stop putting yourself under so much pressure.
 
The lunge work is what the vet prescribed to help his back - we're meant to do 20 - 30 mins a day in a pessoa. Obviously I won't do it while he's so uncomfortable and will see what the vet says on Monday.
Its getting me down because he's only been right for brief spells over the last year and after lots of tests we're not much the wiser what's wrong. Its so frustating!
Never mind, Monday will soon be here.
 
If it was me i would turn him away for 6 months, stop worriying give his back time to heal, i cant see its doing his back much good being lunged in a pessoa everyday, i thought that would strectch it more! Sometimes i think vets just like taking your money, there is nothing better than rest.
 
I went through something like this with a Mare I had. She was my first Horse. She became almost unrideable and I knew she was sore. She was sent to the vet college who X-rayed and could find nothing. Sent her home on bute and no improvement. She then had a scintigraphy scan and nothing. They told me to use draw reins and ride her through it!!

Anyway..I found a great equine bowen therapist who worked with my mare to treat muscle spasm (vet did not find this). I lunged in a pessoa for months. When it came to ridden work it took a particular way of riding to get her over the psychological aspect and a fantastic instructor really helped.

I'd highly recommend bowen therapy. My faith in vets was very much tarnished, as it has been on other occasions with one of my dogs, after that case.
http://www.equinebowentherapy.com/
 
Thanks for your help. The situation is much more complicated than I've said as I didn't want to bore people with all the details yet again.
He's being treated by a vet who specialises in orthopaedics and he has been great. The problem has been lack of muscle in the back so he is struggling to support weight and the pessoa is being used to build up the right muscles. The problem was probably made worse by his losing muscle tone through having had time off from an injury last year so I'd only turn him away as a last resort. We've done 11 weeks work and he's looking fab and has been moving really well until yesterday.
A couple of people have mentioned Bowen therapy and I will definately look into it. He has had regular physio which helps for short periods so I'd be interested to see what Bowen did for him.
 
I had Bowen therapy on an ex racehorse a few years back, his problem was condition, I took him on as a serious welfare case , prominant withers so worn through by winter rugs he was nearly down to the bone.

He LOVED the treatment, we measured his heart rate before and after and he was so chilled by it, there was a signficant drop in pulse rate. I also measured how much water and feed he was taking in before and after and his weight. The imporvement was dramatic, especially in the amount of water he started drinking. The most pleasing aspect was taking a measurement over his withers weekly and watching him fill up into his spine again. I don't pretent to understand HOW it works, but it does seem to help horses detox and unblock whatever is stopping their bodies working. I also had Bowen on myself once - I wish I could tell you more about it but I fell asleep and and awoke with a raging thirst.
 
Sounds like I could do with some - never mind my horse! Mind you neither of us need to be taking in any more food at the moment!
He loves his physio - she's the only person allowed to get right up to his ears - so I'm sure he's adore it. I'll discuss it with the vet when I see him tomorrow. I'm normally a bit sceptical about these things but have heard so many good reports about Bowen it'd like to give it a go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top