Rescue horse dilemma

[S.AAnderson]

Sorry in advance for my ramblings! I have been mulling this over NON-STOP and just want somebody else's feedback before I go crazy!

At the end of last year I helped rescue a 17hh OTT from awful conditions, he was literally skin and bones and the vet who examined him said he had a couple of weeks left to live. We have spent the past 6 months working alongside his vets and nutritionist to slowly bring him back to health. His weight gain has been very carefully managed & fortunately he hasn't experienced any hiccups along the way.

He underwent an echocardiagram in Feb which revealed a diastolic heart murmur and some atrial fibrillation, the vet agreed whilst he could still be a ridden horse it would be restricted to hacking and low level dressage. We moved yards a couple of weeks ago (somewhere closer to home) with the intention of bringing him back into work, I had a new vet check him over and his opinion was to 'throw some front shoes on him and get on with it'. The fact he was lame trotting in hand didn't seem to deter his opinion...so I have ANOTHER vet booked for next week.

I will obviously wait and see what the new vet suggests, but I'm trying to figure out how far I am going to pursue things. I don't have any issues with the money spent to date getting him back to health, but there will come a point where I can't keep paying vet/chiro/feed etc for a horse on full livery that may never be ridden.

There is no timeline or budget set atm, I am just wanting to hear what others would do in my position. He is an absolute poppet and the fact he has overcome so much already makes me want to give this a red hot go. However we already have one old pony with cushings and we cannot afford to add another lame horse to our list!!



P.S. No insurance as the numerous exclusions didn't make it viable

 

[AmyMay]

So if you can’t ride him what’s your plan?

 

[S.AAnderson]

So if you can’t ride him what’s your plan?

If that is the case I think I would retire him back to his previous yard as I don't need all our current facilities, this way I could pay for his keep until the end of the year.

After all he has suffered I would never pass him on as a companion horse so would most likely PTS.

 

[Red-1]

If you have a plan and a timeframe to work to, that makes it easier.

I would have the 2nd opinion, then shoe up if that is what is suggested. He may do better, the ground has been rock hard and if he has old issues, the shoes may ease the transition into ridden work.

I would start with long reining then hack in company and see how it goes.

 

[be positive]

Will hacking and low level dressage be enough for you longer term? if so as you have moved I would crack on, with shoes on, long rein then if all is well get on and start building up his fitness slowly and put a limit on how long you will give him, as you have put so much in up to this point I would probably want 6 months to really assess how he is, obviously if he is lame or does not cope with the building up you stop earlier, then make a decision as to whether he stays as your horse or not.

If you have a fairly clear plan and timeframe it will help focus the mind and having limits will stop you going round in circles, getting a vet every time you have a minor blip, the vet who said shoe and crack on was probably the one looking at the situation from a realistic point of view and not suggesting taking him in for diagnostics at this stage was very sensible.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I would also pop shoes on and start some low level work. Some horses just don't cope without shoes and it's not obvious until they get them back on and 3 weeks down the line they are noticeably better. I would avoid lunging and circles for the time being.

 

[Patterdale]

I would also get shoes on and start walk work. Most tbs would be lame barefoot on a hard surface.

 

[MissTyc]

I've known a few rescue horses that needed shoes despite best efforts and trimming and care. I think the starvation and negligence puts their feet into a state beyond saving. Or, beyond the timeframe most people can give them ... In all cases these horses have been intermittently lame on hard or uneven surfaces and in all cases they've come sound instantly in shoes and completely changed their way of going.

 

[Northern]

I believe the OP is in Australia and it's winter here - the softest the ground is during our seasons.

OP, I think you need to decide how far you are willing to go with diagnostics. If the new vet recommends nerve blocks and xrays, would you agree to do them to see where you're at? It could be something as simple as flat ouchy feet that need shoes, or something more sinister. I think you need to be realistic when deciding how far to go, if he cannot be ridden and you do pop him back to his previous place, what will you do once the year is up or once the money runs out? Without trying to sound harsh, you took on this horse knowing full well he was going to be a money pit and in no state to be ridden - presumably you had the cushings pony as well at the same time. Unfortunately he does have long term effects from his emaciated state which are going to limit what you can do with him as a ridden horse anyway, not just the lameness.

The way I see it if he doesn't come sound, you can either keep him going on retirement type agistment or give him a good few months on the current agistment and put him to sleep. I agree that you shouldn't move him on and lose control of where he might end up. It's such a tough decision for you and I don't envy you at all. Plotting up a timeline might help makes things clearer, as the others have said.

 

[S.AAnderson]

I believe the OP is in Australia and it's winter here - the softest the ground is during our seasons.

OP, I think you need to decide how far you are willing to go with diagnostics. If the new vet recommends nerve blocks and xrays, would you agree to do them to see where you're at? It could be something as simple as flat ouchy feet that need shoes, or something more sinister. I think you need to be realistic when deciding how far to go, if he cannot be ridden and you do pop him back to his previous place, what will you do once the year is up or once the money runs out? Without trying to sound harsh, you took on this horse knowing full well he was going to be a money pit and in no state to be ridden - presumably you had the cushings pony as well at the same time. Unfortunately he does have long term effects from his emaciated state which are going to limit what you can do with him as a ridden horse anyway, not just the lameness.

The way I see it if he doesn't come sound, you can either keep him going on retirement type agistment or give him a good few months on the current agistment and put him to sleep. I agree that you shouldn't move him on and lose control of where he might end up. It's such a tough decision for you and I don't envy you at all. Plotting up a timeline might help makes things clearer, as the others have said.

Yes that is correct, we are based in NSW and about to hit middle of our Winter.

I have the farrier out today and will see what he says about that state of his feet. I would be willing to cover the cost of Xrays but not an MRI (unless we win the lottery!). That's assuming he stays unsound.

Having run over the comments overnight I feel financially we can cover his livery costs if we retire him further up the coast, his previous yard was 2.5yrs from Sydney so I only got to visit a couple of times a month, however the yard owner was fabulous & took great care of him. I will most likely pursue things until the end of the year before moving him back to the previous yard, if he is happy mooching around in a paddock then I'd like to provide that for as long as possible...it would just mean I couldn't buy a new horse until we stop paying daycare fees in 2 years time. HORSES!!

Thank you everyone for being my sounding boards! It really does help x

 

[Northern]

Yes that is correct, we are based in NSW and about to hit middle of our Winter.

I have the farrier out today and will see what he says about that state of his feet. I would be willing to cover the cost of Xrays but not an MRI (unless we win the lottery!). That's assuming he stays unsound.

Having run over the comments overnight I feel financially we can cover his livery costs if we retire him further up the coast, his previous yard was 2.5yrs from Sydney so I only got to visit a couple of times a month, however the yard owner was fabulous & took great care of him. I will most likely pursue things until the end of the year before moving him back to the previous yard, if he is happy mooching around in a paddock then I'd like to provide that for as long as possible...it would just mean I couldn't buy a new horse until we stop paying daycare fees in 2 years time. HORSES!!

Thank you everyone for being my sounding boards! It really does help x

Good luck, I certainly wouldn't begrudge you if you decided to PTS - you have given him more life than he has otherwise gotten. For what it's worth I wouldn't MRI either, it's just not something I would ever trump up the money for if not insured. I hope the farrier has some ideas you can try and he comes sound enough to do trails

 

[S.AAnderson]

Bit of an update: I admit I am feeling a little stupid for writing him off like I did. The farrier shod him (fronts only) and he trotted up sound the following day! The farrier mentioned he has bad feet so we will have to keep a careful watch on them going forward. For now its a huge relief.

He has now started walking out in hand & I hope to have a saddle that fits him properly by next week. I have attached a couple of photos of his before and after (taken last week)...the weight tape shows him at 535kg, so still a bit more weight to go on but we are super proud of how far he has come!

 

[hobo]

Bless him that first picture is so sad but he looks fab in the second one. So pleased he is sound in shoes and hope you get to turn him in to the riding horse you deserve for looking after him.

 

[tristar]

if he has been poor i would would put him on a good barefoot diet, not over trim his feet, allow soles to thicken but trim flare once a fortnight, a few months could see a big difference, i would use easy boot gloves, for work or turnout if needed, but would not shoe, i would wet his hooves twice daily and oil them a few times a week.

i have a tb here who in the winter had huge cracks which have now gone, and he is working on a surface and is happy to work a bit on the very hard field,, and on the road, he has no shoes or boots.

it makes you wonder if some of his other problems are related to his former state, mineral deficiencies, etc.,

i think a year would be a realistic timescale to come through from where he was when you got him

 

[Goldenstar]

I would shoe but make sure it’s a good farrier and start long reining and leading for another horse .
But if it where me I would X-ray those front feet first if that showing something horrible I would not be putting the horse or myself through it .

 

[DD]

Very well done for rescuing him and getting him into such good condition so soon ! I would continue with the shoes on the front feet and give him long reining work and also a little light ridden work when you think he's capable but I would take things very slowly indeed for around 12 months. he's very lucky to have found you to care so much about him. Best wishes with him he's lovely x

 

[ester]

From his pic I would have some concerns about his LS gap.

 

[S.AAnderson]

From his pic I would have some concerns about his LS gap.

100% agree. His chiro also said the same as you have. Something else to closely monitor.

 

[buddylove]

From his pic I would have some concerns about his LS gap.

Is the LS gap the reason he looks like he is camped out behind as well?
OP you have done a fab job getting him this far ?

 

[Ceriann]

Agree with others - you’ve done a great job getting him to where he is. You should be proud of what you’ve achieved. I would take it nice and slow and build him up very gradually, keeping an eye on the known issues (including the LS dip). I rehabbed my mare for months by in hand walking (up to an hour twice a day). Got her fitter/stronger and helped our trust in each other.

 

[Orangehorse]

You may also find that his heart condition improves with gentle work. What is his iron status? I know a horse that had a severe heart problem and it turned out with a blood test that he was anaemic, with supplementation he was OK.

This might be clutching at straws, but who knows? I would give him a few weeks gentle work and then have another think.

 

[babymare]

I agree with others in that you should be proud what you have acheieved so much. He's a lovely lucky lad to have someone like you on his side x

 

[Berpisc]

Bloody hell, lucky boy to have found you! Hope things work out for you and him; at least you have a sensible plan of action.

 

[splashgirl45]

thankyou so much for giving him such good care, he is looking great and you should be very proud that you saved him from an awful life. good news he is sound in shoes and hope you can get to ride him soon. a lovely story ..