Retiring Horse

[suzyseymour]

I have a 26 year old mare that has arthritis. I have been light hacking her on half a sachet of bute. She is obviously going down hill, she has her good days and her bad days, but seems to be having more bad days. I am having a really hard time trying to decide what is best for her. To up her pain killers and to try carry on riding her or retire her.

I have had the vet out tonight but she says it is up to me. I did give her last winter off and was going to do the same this year, as she winters out so she gets plenty of exercise. Possible see how she is in the spring. I want what ever is best for her. Does any one have any experience or ideas that can help me decide what is best for her?

 

[rabatsa]

At 26 I would retire her from riding, but how about doing ground work to keep her mind and your figure young? (That latter very tongue in cheek!)

 

[kerilli]

when she lies down, does she struggle to get up, or get up easily in one go? the moment they start having a bit of a struggle, or a breather between sitting up and getting up, that makes my mind up for me.
i'd up her bute, definitely, and see how she is for a week or so. if she looks in pain still, i'd know what to do. if she looks as if she's enjoying life, is happy to trot across the field, interact with the others etc, then great.
if she's out all winter, i'd get her in overnight at least twice a week to have a really good sleep in warmth and comfort on a deep bed, as she's an old girl.

 

[ExRacers]

You could also lead her out in hand for exercise - we used to do that with our old boy who was 28yrs & he loved the change of scenery & chance of a bite of grass elsewhere!

 

[kerilli]

btw, i've never let one of mine get to the stage where they struggle to get up, but i've seen it, and urged the owner to do the right thing.

 

[debradley]

I'd agree with exracers. I finally retired my pony at 34 years, but she wasn't happy so she used to come for a walk when I took my horse out, but only for a short time; and she still really loved following my daughter around the arena following her over jumps etc and seeing who could win follow my leader, it kept her mind really active and my daughter fit, which is the bit she really enjoyed. Also if your old girl is suffering from arthritis the damp grass and cold ground over winter will make her very stiff. A couple of nights in a sheltered area on a deep dry bed will do wonders and she'll love you forever!! Good luck whatever you're decision, but we had lovely quality time with Polly once we'd made the decision to retire her and just let her play instead when she felt able to.

 

[suzyseymour]

She is OK getting up and lying down and can still role right over. But she is really stiff when I'm riding her. She was lame front and back when the vet trotted her up today.

She still likes going out, but I think you might be right about taking her out in hand. I may try her a week riding on a sachet of bute and see how she goes, failing that just walk her out.

As far as the stabling or taking her out to a sheltered area goes, I have tried this with her, but she gets very distessed and won't eat and stresses all her weight off and usually dismantles the back of the stable door!!! The top of the field is usually quite dry and they do usually go up there a lot in the winter. There is a 6ft hedge round the field so at least there is shelter for her. I wonder if there is anything that I can put down in an area of the field she could use. But not sure if she would use it.

I had her for 18 years and I want what is best for her, its just trying to figure out what that is!!

 

[spaniel]

My cob retired this time last year ... he is 30. I tried to retire him a few years before but he obviously wasnt ready, he sulked and then started to get cheeky so I started gentle riding again. Last summer it became clear that he was struggling with me on him dispite only doing short sessions in walk and trot so I retired him for a second time. He is still very active and does in hand stuff plus we get to go on nice lead walks and have picnics together. He will still kick up his heels in the field and enjoys a good roll in the dirt although I have to watch him if he rolls on a slope as he can get stuck!

I would up your bute and retire your horse although Im assuming you have the facilities/finance to keep an aged pet. I am fortunate to have been able to afford to buy and keep a second younger model so my urge to ride is satisfied so my old friend will be with me till his end. I do understand that others may not be so blessed.

 

[suzyseymour]

Spaniel

Yes I am also really lucky, I also have a youngster, a 5 year old who I have been bringing on as I have been doing less with Minski. But Miinski is with me for life. I have had a fab 18 years riding and having fun with her, the least I can do for her is give her a comfortable retirement and do what is best for her, its just a shame its not always so clear what that is!!

 

[lucylocket]

I would up the bute half a sachet is not very much. My boy has been on 3 for ages, at the vets suggestion, although he is quite a big horse. We are perhaps on the verge of retirement now as he has other probnlems that dont seem to respond to bute, but it does help with arthritis.

 

[kerilli]

if she's happier out, leave her out. if you can make some kind of a shelter with a deep bed, i'm sure she would use it on cold nights. i'd put rubber mats down under the bed too, for extra insulation against the cold ground for her old bones!

 

[Skhosu]

If she is not happy being ridden, I think you know from making this post that it isn't really fair to continue riding her. At 26 she deserves her retirment

 

[Llwyncwn]

It sounds to me as though she still has plenty of life left in her yet! We lost our old boy last August at 41. He was full up 17hh and had hunted and jumped most of his life, and been in a riding school. We had buted him every day for the last 3 years as during damp weather his rheumatics and arthritis would make him stiff. One a day, but throughout the summer months he didnt need bute. He had access all areas during the day and would graze the banks, lawn and grass verges - go into the stable block and groom its inmates, babysit the weaners. Never once did he lose condition or tell us it was his time. The day we lost him, he came in as per usual for brekkies and within half an hour began to colic. The vet tried all sorts but was unable to save him. It was very quick. He had the most wonderful life.

Enjoy your girl - just give her a little help with the aches and pains, just like you would yourself.

 

[suzyseymour]

I know that she deserves her retirement, but obviously with arthritis it is important to keep them active as long as possible and up until now I have been reconmended by the vet to keep riding her and that she is fine to ride.

Unfortunately earlier this year we had problems with kids chasing her round the field, not only did this obviously make her arthritis worse, but I couldn't catch her to give her her bute, nor could she be ridden. We were getting her back into work and then went lame for 3 weeks and has been off again, and then trying to get her back into work. It is only now these issues have settled that I can assess what amount of the discomfort is long term. What is best for my mare always comes first, it's just deciding when she has reached the point when it is better for her not to be ridden.

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]
I know that she deserves her retirement, but obviously with arthritis it is important to keep them active as long as possible and up until now I have been reconmended by the vet to keep riding her and that she is fine to ride.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is the dilemma I'm having with Chex too. He's about 25 now, and just doesn't seem happy being ridden

. I don't know whether to keep pushing him and hope that he perks up, or just give up and retire him. I've always thought it was important to keep them active, but I just don't know anymore

. I can't even lead him out in hand because it always ends up in a fight when he starts squealing and galloping round me

 

[Llwyncwn]

Cant Chex be lead out from another horse on a ride? If he isnt happy being ridden (have you had the chiro?) then he can still enjoy hacking. There is so much you can do from the ground to keep him active and interested

 

[henryhorn]

I have some experience of oldies as we have at least 5 at any one time over twenty.
Most are lame when they arrive having been retired by their owners.
Within six months all without exception are sounder and healthier having had their shoes removed and being made less stiff by the constant moving about over undulating terrain, it's just the job for arthritic joints, flat fields are quite the worst thing for them!
None get bute yet all are noticeably sounder.
I would rug your mare up well, provide her with hay inside a shelter if possible and retire her.
(remove her shoes and allow her feet to form their natural shape for a couple of months too)
There comes a point where bute won't work, and if after retiring her she appears in constant pain, do the right thing and have her pts.
I wish I could show you the oldies here, they gallop, play with each other, and yes some are still slightly lame but not enough to spoil their quality of life.
(no this isn't an ad either, I don't take any new ones)

 

[Chex]

[ QUOTE ]
Cant Chex be lead out from another horse on a ride? If he isnt happy being ridden (have you had the chiro?) then he can still enjoy hacking. There is so much you can do from the ground to keep him active and interested

[/ QUOTE ]

He could, but I don't have another horse to lead him from

. I've not had a chiro, just the vet (who said bute him and keep him working

)

 

[Charlie77]

I also would take her shoes off, My old girl has never been better since she had hers off, I never made the decision to retire her it just kind of happened, but she is happy was with it, I think she was ready to retire, she worked hard all her life,

Since retiring she has lived out, she has a large field shelter that she shares with 5 pet sheep, She lives out because she got to stiff in her stable! this way she can come a go as she pleases, though I have to say she uses it more in the summer months than winter, I would not dream of bringing her in to a stable now in fact I think it would be the worst thing I could do to her!