retiring?

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harrihjc

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My pony is in her twenties now and this winter has started to suffer from arthritis in one of her legs. Sometimes she's absolutely fine and she's definitely very happy, but recently she's been a bit stiff and lame.
Our vet said that riding her wouldn't do her any harm, she's only in light work and that the exercise may help with the stiffness, but our farrier said she should have her shoes taken off and be retired.
I was wondering what people's views on this were? I'm worried that she would deteriorate if she was completely brought out of work, but then again she's perfectly happy munching away in the field
 
She sounds like Chex. He was like this at the start of the winter, and the vet put him on Danilon every other day. He told me to ride as regularly as possible, and Chex is much better for it. Strangely I asked the farrier about taking his shoes off when I'm thinking of retiring him and he said not to bother as he'll be happier pottering about on hacks than being retired.
 
I think light work would do her good ...if shes out of work completely I think there would be more chance of her stiffening up .

We have a pony at the riding school who is 38/39 and she is out every saturday , i think if she stopped , she would be stiff as a board.
 
One of mine has athritis. Only mildly Im told, but she's like yours - some days are better than others. Some days she will literally be galloping round the field, the next she will look lame and sore. My vet just said to have a supply of bute and on her bad days, give her one. Although I havent done this to date as I dont feel she's sore enough to do so plus I hate giving bute unless I really have to.

My vet recommended she was turned out 24/7 (which she is anyway) and it would be good to give her light exercise (she's not ridden so I take her out in hand occassionally).

I think its good to keep them active. But I would only ride lightly, say just on a 15 minute hack. And only on the ponies "good days".

Highly recommend putting her onto NAF Supeflex. Brilliant stuff.
 
I would personally go along with the vets advice rather than the farrier...keeping active would be better to be honest.
 
Maybe Chex is different, but it usually takes him 10-15 minutes to really loosen up and get rid of the stiffness (before he was on Danilon, now he's just not really stiff). I still gallop, jump go for long hacks - all under the advise of my vet of course.
 
unfortunately the pony is a bit of a nutter despite her age, there is no such thing as a quiet hack as she likes to go everywhere at 100 miles per hour, even when she's really lame! She has been having devils claw in her feed on the recommendation of someone or other (farrier or vet, forget which) and that really seems to help, but with the sudden lower temperatures again she's suffereing bless her
frown.gif
 
If you retire her she may go downhill more quickly. Can she not go barefoot if she is only in light work? know where you are coming from as y old pony is 21 this year. He has a bit of a creaky shoulder so his movement is a little short in damp weather until he gets warmed up. I have put him on NAF superflex and no problems are now apparent. I have recently got another horse so my boy is on loan to an older lady and her daughter who will do less jumping with him and more steady hacking I think if he wasnt ridden everyday he would decline and become more stiff. TBH with spring/summer coming, the weather will not aggravate the arthritis and your girl should be happy to work as long as she is able.

Edited to say mine is on Naf Superflex, not Extraflex (Superflex is cheaper and as good, but not as tasty!)
 
perhaps taking her shoes off may be an option, but I was worried about the fact she's always scraping her feet in the stable and I don't want her getting foot sore, she's a complete wimp.
 
What she wants is regular riding on a daily basis.
Keep riding her gently every day.
Put down a very thick bed in her stable.
Rug her up at night.
Put a lightweight rainsheet on her during the day or when you turn her out.
Put her on one Danillon Bute per day.
Put her on a scoop of Linseed per day (Simple Systems).
...and a nice groom every day.
 
Took on an old horse and was told he had athritis and was on 1 but a day but was only turned out every other day. got him home he lived out never had bute again was never lame and we hacked every day and weekend sometimes was out for four/five hours went to beach and he was best horse ever.
 
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