Rehabilitation post op - dreading it...

Goldenstar said:
What would be people rather have a conservative and careful vet or a hey bung it and see what happens vet .
Some might think it because they are afraid of being sued but it's much more likely IMO that they take the careful belt and braces line to try to guarantee you the best result for your money and the horse the best result for its soundness .
If people choose to ignore their vets advice that up to them it's their money and horse to risk wasting .
Personally when I have put a horse through surgery or put in plaster I do every single thing I can to get the best result and that includes the hated box rest .
I know why people hate box rest the horses don't like it , its very hard work and ties you to yard with not much fun to be had .
I do think OP's vet needs to give her better advice so she's clear about why they want this hand walking and grazing .
The worst bit of C's recovery from the KS surgery was defiantly the hand grazing but we got through it . In that case it was necessary because it's done the encourage the neck to be lowered while the horse is moving so I had to get on with it but in OP's case I am not sure she can't get away without doing it .
OP have you got one of those snack ball things C loved that I filled it with grass nuts and he rolled it about .
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GS, would you have box rested a sound horse with clear x rays and clear scans and a clean wound 2mm x 15 mm, if that, on the inside of the hock? I suspect you have a vet you trust who would never have suggested it. So do I now. I simply can't deal with a vet who is that risk averse.
 
I've not read all the replies but if the wound is healed with no risk of splitting then I would lightly bandage just to keep clean, dope to an extent (enough to make the horse drowsy and not fussed about moving but not so out of it they drop the head and wobble) and turf it out in a field. By the time it comes round it will have gradually been more aware of it's surroundings and less likely to hoon around. Which should in turn give you a quieter, more obliging horse to deal with.
 
So tomorrow I may have a chat with the vet.
I decided I'd try my best to continue to in hand graze on an upped doesdage of Sedalin but she's been gradually getting worse. She's sound as a pound if her careering around me, bucking, going up vertically and broncking is anything to go by. One day she'll be fine and the next I take my life into my own hands. Today was the last straw, the entire time I've been justifying her actions (to both myself and everybody looking on in horrified fascination at her circus tricks) that she's not being nasty she's just fresh.
Well...
Not today when she was busy rearing up and down and flicking her back end and then turned super quick and aimed at my head. My husband turned an interesting colour and has banned me from grazing. I've had enough and left the yard in tears. Sooo frustrated and fed up. This isn't my horse, she's not nasty at all. She's continued to kick the crap out of her partition, even with extra padding and has actually been attempting to properly bite passers by. She's never done any of these things before.

14 weeks box rest as of tomorro but I will be ringing the vets and telling them she's going out and asking if they think a small pen or just the big field and what they want on the leg. I think she's immune to Sedalin now if that's possible?
On a slight positive the leg looks fantastic. The scabs from when the staples were removed two weeks ago are falling off and leaving nice pink skin. No swelling but there is heat to the leg, but I'm not sure if it's due to the amount of wrapping they've still had me dressing her leg with and the mild weather...and the impact injuries from kicking the partition with that particular leg all day...either way that's the only thing bothering me about the leg itself. I can't physically or mentally keep doing this to her or myself, we have peaked I'm afraid. I don't think her going out is going to harm her anymore then what she's been trying to do on concrete and when 'grazing.'

Never felt so miserable :(
 
I think that's sensible. Honestly, Basil became so viscous after extended box rest as a four year old that he was sent to the Oppenheimers to be sorted out. The most genuine sweet boy became lethal.

Sometimes you just have to take the risk and shut your eyes re turnout!

Edited to say- he was WORSE on dope.

Bav said:
So tomorrow I may have a chat with the vet.
I decided I'd try my best to continue to in hand graze on an upped doesdage of Sedalin but she's been gradually getting worse. She's sound as a pound if her careering around me, bucking, going up vertically and broncking is anything to go by. One day she'll be fine and the next I take my life into my own hands. Today was the last straw, the entire time I've been justifying her actions (to both myself and everybody looking on in horrified fascination at her circus tricks) that she's not being nasty she's just fresh.
Well...
Not today when she was busy rearing up and down and flicking her back end and then turned super quick and aimed at my head. My husband turned an interesting colour and has banned me from grazing. I've had enough and left the yard in tears. Sooo frustrated and fed up. This isn't my horse, she's not nasty at all. She's continued to kick the crap out of her partition, even with extra padding and has actually been attempting to properly bite passers by. She's never done any of these things before.

14 weeks box rest as of tomorro but I will be ringing the vets and telling them she's going out and asking if they think a small pen or just the big field and what they want on the leg. I think she's immune to Sedalin now if that's possible?
On a slight positive the leg looks fantastic. The scabs from when the staples were removed two weeks ago are falling off and leaving nice pink skin. No swelling but there is heat to the leg, but I'm not sure if it's due to the amount of wrapping they've still had me dressing her leg with and the mild weather...and the impact injuries from kicking the partition with that particular leg all day...either way that's the only thing bothering me about the leg itself. I can't physically or mentally keep doing this to her or myself, we have peaked I'm afraid. I don't think her going out is going to harm her anymore then what she's been trying to do on concrete and when 'grazing.'

Never felt so miserable :(
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Michen said:
I think that's sensible. Honestly, Basil became so viscous after extended box rest as a four year old that he was sent to the Oppenheimers to be sorted out. The most genuine sweet boy became lethal.

Sometimes you just have to take the risk and shut your eyes re turnout!

Edited to say- he was WORSE on dope.
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It makes me feel so much better to know other people have experiences the same! Thankyou!

I saw Basil on my newsfeed on bookface the other day when you posted a wanted advert on twitter eventing (I think it was) I was going to comment saying how lovely it was to see his face scrolling down but didn't want to seem like a stalker 👀
 
Ahhh not at all! I've done that loads of times to fellow HHO when I recognise the horse on FB. Good luck with your mare I am certain she will revert back to her normal self once normal life resumes and it will be so worth it. You had really bad luck with that splint bone but hopefully now all the bad bits are out the way!

Bav said:
It makes me feel so much better to know other people have experiences the same! Thankyou!

I saw Basil on my newsfeed on bookface the other day when you posted a wanted advert on twitter eventing (I think it was) I was going to comment saying how lovely it was to see his face scrolling down but didn't want to seem like a stalker ��
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You just have to do what you have to do .
No horse is worth getting hurt for .
Very bad luck it's not easy to do box rest with a difficult horse on a livery yard .
On the small pen verses big field my choice would be a smallish paddock that she can stay in a good while with no changes .
 
Super quick update for all you gorgeous people!

Fizz spent the last two weeks being allowed turnout in a small paddock for a couple of hours. The change in her behaviour was almost instantaneous. I cried in relief 😂
The vet and I popped her out after she was intravenously(is that a word) sedated and although the sod was practically wobbling over, the minute her tootsies touched the grass she was wide awake! But she soon settled and has been a doll to bring in and turnout.

Today was her 6 weeks post op checkup. The leg looks wonderful! No swelling and no heat even with naked legs all throughout the day (stable bandages at night only) only minimal thickening of the leg. I'm proud as punch at how it looks! The scar is practically unoticable, in fact the area of leg that reacted when she was clipped and scrubbed up looks worse! We trotted her up (hah, lol, attempted to) and flexion tested today, would she stand still for the test, no. But the vet was happy enough, perhaps the very first stride is slightly off, but she was busy prancing around the yard like bambi so we agreed it was the best we could do and she was running circles around us on the concrete sound as a pound. Soooooo....she went out in the big field overnight tonight! Two weeks of regular turnout then I'm getting on!!!


Oohhh my god I'm this strange mix of excited and nervous!!!

If I remember I'll get a photo for you lovely people cause I can't believe how good the leg looks for something that had surgery and a 4 inch scar!
 
Bav said:
Super quick update for all you gorgeous people!

Fizz spent the last two weeks being allowed turnout in a small paddock for a couple of hours. The change in her behaviour was almost instantaneous. I cried in relief 😂
The vet and I popped her out after she was intravenously(is that a word) sedated and although the sod was practically wobbling over, the minute her tootsies touched the grass she was wide awake! But she soon settled and has been a doll to bring in and turnout.

Today was her 6 weeks post op checkup. The leg looks wonderful! No swelling and no heat even with naked legs all throughout the day (stable bandages at night only) only minimal thickening of the leg. I'm proud as punch at how it looks! The scar is practically unoticable, in fact the area of leg that reacted when she was clipped and scrubbed up looks worse! We trotted her up (hah, lol, attempted to) and flexion tested today, would she stand still for the test, no. But the vet was happy enough, perhaps the very first stride is slightly off, but she was busy prancing around the yard like bambi so we agreed it was the best we could do and she was running circles around us on the concrete sound as a pound. Soooooo....she went out in the big field overnight tonight! Two weeks of regular turnout then I'm getting on!!!


Oohhh my god I'm this strange mix of excited and nervous!!!

If I remember I'll get a photo for you lovely people cause I can't believe how good the leg looks for something that had surgery and a 4 inch scar!
Click to expand...

So pleased for you!
 
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