Retirement blues

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colourville 17

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So I've had to retire my 9yo gelding after owning him less than 2 years. He is sound and has no pain issues. However he's jst seems miserable all the time. He lives out with a gang of retired ponies, when I bring him in for some tlc he dosent want to come in when I go to put him out he dosent want to go out. He's jst not happy. He's only 9 n I just don't want him to be miserable for the nxt 20 years.
 
Is he sound enough to go out in hand/ponied off another horse? Some horses do like to have something to do, he might perk up if he has the opportunity to have a good nosey every so often?
Is he on any pain relief? Horses are very goof at hiding mild lameness, if he's not on it already it might be worth a Bute trial just to check he's not got any niggles making him miserable?
 
Nocturnal said:
How long has he been retired for? It might take him some time to settle to his new routine.
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He has been semi retired since oct, hacking out a couple times a week but he has breathing issues when under saddle so now can't even manage that. So fully retired for a few weeks x
 
SpeedyPony said:
Is he sound enough to go out in hand/ponied off another horse? Some horses do like to have something to do, he might perk up if he has the opportunity to have a good nosey every so often?
Is he on any pain relief? Horses are very goof at hiding mild lameness, if he's not on it already it might be worth a Bute trial just to check he's not got any niggles making him miserable?
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He has breathing issues x
 
Amymay Again said:
What has the vet said is wrong with him?
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He has breathing issues, failed tie back and failed vocal fold augmentation. At first it was only in trot n canter he had a bad cough so could still manage a wee toddle round the lanes but now even in walk he has a bit of a wheeze so decided to let him jst be a horse but he jst dosent seem happy x
 
colourville 17 said:
He has breathing issues, failed tie back and failed vocal fold augmentation. At first it was only in trot n canter he had a bad cough so could still manage a wee toddle round the lanes but now even in walk he has a bit of a wheeze so decided to let him jst be a horse but he jst dosent seem happy x
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I had a horse who couldn't breath with laryngeal hemiplegia. I took him to Leahurst for assessment for a tieback. The professor there told me that it can be very difficult to keep weight on some of these horses because they are so stressed at knowing that the haven't the breath to run away from a predator if they wanted to.

If your horse doesn't seem happier quite soon, and you are sure he has no infection or allergy, then I'm afraid that I would let him have a stress free and peaceful end.
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Another here with difficulty breathing, I would not be happy to see any horse having to live its life struggling to breath, and on bad days the pain is real just trying to get a good breath in, so I imagine it might be for your horse. I am sorry for you both, he is so young too but unless he perks up very soon I would be calling it a day. :(
 
ycbm said:
I had a horse who couldn't breath with laryngeal hemiplegia. I took him to Leahurst for assessment for a tieback. The professor there told me that it can be very difficult to keep weight on some of these horses because they are so stressed at knowing that the haven't the breath to run away from a predator if they wanted to.

If your horse doesn't seem happier quite soon, and you are sure he had no infection or allergy, then I'm afraid that I would let him have a stress free and peaceful end.
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Clodagh said:
I was going to say that. My mums body is permanently stressed with working to breathe.
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Can I jst clarify he can breathe when he's jst chilling n he dosent seem at all stressed jst a bit miserable. But I will defo be speaking to my vet again. Had to get my girl of 16 years pts in Sept so this us particularly hard but at end if day will do what's best for him x
 
colourville 17 said:
So I've had to retire my 9yo gelding after owning him less than 2 years. He is sound and has no pain issues. However he's jst seems miserable all the time. He lives out with a gang of retired ponies, when I bring him in for some tlc he dosent want to come in when I go to put him out he dosent want to go out. He's jst not happy. He's only 9 n I just don't want him to be miserable for the nxt 20 years.
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Why have you retired him if he’s sound & not in any pain
 
colourville 17 said:
Hes had a failed tie back op and a failed vocal fold augmentation. So he has breathing issues when ridden. Absolutely fine stood in field eating hay xx
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Have you tried bitless? My pony had the same operation and I was going to have to retire her she was so unhappy in ridden work - then I borrowed a bitless bridle and we haven't looked back.

I'm also quick to hand out piriton if she starts to wheeze. I've got an inhaler but haven't needed it for 2 years.
 
I have to agree with those who say pts might be the kinder option. Having witnessed a pony with breathing issues.
 
SEL said:
Have you tried bitless? My pony had the same operation and I was going to have to retire her she was so unhappy in ridden work - then I borrowed a bitless bridle and we haven't looked back.

I'm also quick to hand out piriton if she starts to wheeze. I've got an inhaler but haven't needed it for 2 years.
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If its a failed tie back then my understanding is it will be soft tissue blocking breathing rather than inflammation caused by an allergy, which it sounds like is your problem?
No external changes to tack or medication would help OP's, much like it wouldn't a french bulldog.
 
SEL said:
Have you tried bitless? My pony had the same operation and I was going to have to retire her she was so unhappy in ridden work - then I borrowed a bitless bridle and we haven't looked back.

I'm also quick to hand out piriton if she starts to wheeze. I've got an inhaler but haven't needed it for 2 years.
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When he has to breath harder its his soft pallette that displaces so wouldn't matter what kind of bit he's in
 
SpeedyPony said:
Is he sound enough to go out in hand/ponied off another horse? Some horses do like to have something to do, he might perk up if he has the opportunity to have a good nosey every so often?
Is he on any pain relief? Horses are very goof at hiding mild lameness, if he's not on it already it might be worth a Bute trial just to check he's not got any niggles making him miserable?
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Hi there, you are maybe doing all this already. I would advise a very strict regular routine even just grooming same stuff each time. Calm and slow. Feed before and after just small amounts. Maybe try short times at first.
Sometimes it can be simply your horse is bored and then has something to look forward to he could improve.
If he's in pain you'll find it sooner if you're with him.
Good luck, hope you do find a good solution, he's too young to retire?
 
I've no advice really but I was given a gorgeous county level show job who hadn't quite come sound after a nasty injury. After a year off he came sound so I gave him another month and then planned to start some groundwork. A month to the day he was clearly lame again, vet found side bone and ringbone. Vet couldn't give me any guarantee for his future and after much discussion, and heartbreak, I put him to sleep. He was rising 6. It was so hard but I have not regretted it for a minute, he was the sort of cob everyone wants and whilst I could keep him he would have been safe but I could not bear the thought of him ever being passed on if anything happened to me. There are worse things for an animal than a peaceful end.
 
Wee update on my boy, rather than jst living out full time with the retired ponies I've got home more of a companion for my ridden boy. So both coming in and out together n he's definitely perked up. Jst seems so much happier in himself. He has always loved attention so getting to come in regularly for some cuddles seems to be working. Costing me a fortune on hay n bedding but as long as he's happy that's the important thing
 
colourville 17 said:
Wee update on my boy, rather than jst living out full time with the retired ponies I've got home more of a companion for my ridden boy. So both coming in and out together n he's definitely perked up. Jst seems so much happier in himself. He has always loved attention so getting to come in regularly for some cuddles seems to be working. Costing me a fortune on hay n bedding but as long as he's happy that's the important thing
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That's good news. I had one that I tried to retire to the ponies, he too had breathing issues but he hated it. Didn't want to live out and wasn't pony ( in reality he kind of was!) so he carried on with a normal routine, In part of the day and had to come in whilst I rode but he was way way happier like that.
 
Colin2005 said:
I've no advice really but I was given a gorgeous county level show job who hadn't quite come sound after a nasty injury. After a year off he came sound so I gave him another month and then planned to start some groundwork. A month to the day he was clearly lame again, vet found side bone and ringbone. Vet couldn't give me any guarantee for his future and after much discussion, and heartbreak, I put him to sleep. He was rising 6. It was so hard but I have not regretted it for a minute, he was the sort of cob everyone wants and whilst I could keep him he would have been safe but I could not bear the thought of him ever being passed on if anything happened to me. There are worse things for an animal than a peaceful end.
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You made a brave decision and imo fwiw, the right one.
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colourville 17 said:
Wee update on my boy, rather than jst living out full time with the retired ponies I've got home more of a companion for my ridden boy. So both coming in and out together n he's definitely perked up. Jst seems so much happier in himself. He has always loved attention so getting to come in regularly for some cuddles seems to be working. Costing me a fortune on hay n bedding but as long as he's happy that's the important thing
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This is great news, pleased for you both!
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