JessGingerfred
Member
Hi everyone, hoping I may be able to pick some brains (I apologise in advance for the lengthy post!).
In November my lovely pony stupidly stuck his front left leg through a fence, impaling himself in the process resulting in a 2 inch long hole down through the side of the knee. After extensive boxrest, painkillers and antibiotics, he went into the vets in January for a full lameness work up and scans which showed that he had severed his extensor tendon- the scan shows nothing but a big black hole where the tendon should be.
I was told he would learn to cope with it but would probably never be sound in anything other than walk and would be almost certainly in pain if he did so... so I retired him immediately and he’s been a field ornament ever since.
Fast forward to now; he is COMPLETELY sound in all 3 paces (though perhaps looks a little more awkward than he used to), bucks, farts, rears and gallops around the field like an absolute lunatic and not once has he been lame, tripped or showed any sort of instability on that leg. Farrier came last week and said that he has normal flexion in that leg again (after not even being able to pick that foot up off the ground back at the end of January!).
I was just wondering if anybody has had a similar experience? I truly thought he was a right off and was preparing myself to have him put to sleep the second he became uncomfortable, however that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen?! The vets told me that he would be classified as loss of use and I’m certainly not second guessing their diagnosis, but with the way he has improved, I have been considering bringing him back into light ridden work (with the idea that it may just settle him in the field and he will be LESS likely to break on me!!).... am I completely backwards for thinking about doing this?! Is it worth me trying?! Now would be a good time to mention that he is not on any supplements/painkillers etc. He’s a 14.1hh newforest x Welsh d gelding and I am only 5ft tall and a measly 7 stone.
Am really stuck between a rock and a hard place and would appreciate any experiences, good or bad!! Picture of the little orange heartbreaker attached!!
Thanks in advance.
In November my lovely pony stupidly stuck his front left leg through a fence, impaling himself in the process resulting in a 2 inch long hole down through the side of the knee. After extensive boxrest, painkillers and antibiotics, he went into the vets in January for a full lameness work up and scans which showed that he had severed his extensor tendon- the scan shows nothing but a big black hole where the tendon should be.
I was told he would learn to cope with it but would probably never be sound in anything other than walk and would be almost certainly in pain if he did so... so I retired him immediately and he’s been a field ornament ever since.
Fast forward to now; he is COMPLETELY sound in all 3 paces (though perhaps looks a little more awkward than he used to), bucks, farts, rears and gallops around the field like an absolute lunatic and not once has he been lame, tripped or showed any sort of instability on that leg. Farrier came last week and said that he has normal flexion in that leg again (after not even being able to pick that foot up off the ground back at the end of January!).
I was just wondering if anybody has had a similar experience? I truly thought he was a right off and was preparing myself to have him put to sleep the second he became uncomfortable, however that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen?! The vets told me that he would be classified as loss of use and I’m certainly not second guessing their diagnosis, but with the way he has improved, I have been considering bringing him back into light ridden work (with the idea that it may just settle him in the field and he will be LESS likely to break on me!!).... am I completely backwards for thinking about doing this?! Is it worth me trying?! Now would be a good time to mention that he is not on any supplements/painkillers etc. He’s a 14.1hh newforest x Welsh d gelding and I am only 5ft tall and a measly 7 stone.
Am really stuck between a rock and a hard place and would appreciate any experiences, good or bad!! Picture of the little orange heartbreaker attached!!
Thanks in advance.