Showing Advice/Do you get frustrated if your horse is injured

[cellie]

Im feeling really cheesed off.My boy had spavin op jan then stood on 4 inch nail had a splint and straight after that a kick injury just below the splint.I missed all of last summer due to injuries and this one too I cant see a way forward.He is improving but I wonder if hes ever going to be sound.I keep telling myself that its just a run of bad luck but maybe some horses spend all their days broken.I cant give up on him but feel that maybe hes just not strong enough to be ridden .Hes ex racer and only 7 .I have contacted the training yard this last week and they said he was always lame but I dont know if it was spavin/hock or other lameness issues.I have a great vet but he doubts he will ever stay sound.Ive had his legs xrayed and knees and his legs scanned but cant keep throwing money at him.
He is a beautiful horse really handsome and I wonder if he would be suited to a showing home .Would he be able to be shown if he has had a op for spavin.

 

[Riverboy]

don't really have any advice but huge amount of sympathy - my boy has bone spavin and has just been diagnoised with early stages of navicular. he's been lame pretty much since november and totally out of work since may. I know he will never be able to do the things I want out of a horse, however the vet is hopeful he will return to be a light hack at which point I am going to find a loan home where I can continue to keep an eye on him, cover his 'special' fees and he can get pampered whilst I can get on with the youngster I have just bought...

Good luck

xx

 

[Jo C]

With a splint he is unlikely to have a showing home, my boy has a large splint and it effectively stopped his showing career dead. He now does dressage, would that be a possibility for yours?

 

[josiesmithuk]

There are several top show ponies with splints and they seem to be still qualifying and getting placed at HOYS etc. The key with splints I have found is too get to work on them as soon as they appear with a bit of work we have always got them to settle to quite a small size.

I find it very frustrating when one of ours goes lame/cuts before a big show, a mare we have is notorious for it around about 6 days before a big one!

Good luck with your beastie and lots of hugs and sympathy x x

 

[cellie]

You cant see the splint its really small once the hair has grown it wont notice.I think dressage will be a problem until the spavin has fully fused he is still very hoppy going up and down transitions.He never has worked well in the school which I think must be down to the pain that he had from the spavin.Im not doing anything with him at the moment because of the kick injury .I just want the best for him and Im frightened of even starting work because he just keeps breaking down.The only thing I havent looked into is navicular . He had tendon tear last year fortunately only 10 % and it has healed the Year before curb ligament its just never ending.He also seems to suffer from concussion type injuries as his feet arent great although I have had everything done that I can plus all the supplements.Maybe pads are the next option.

 

[cellie]

Hi riverboy where does your lad have navicular problems is it front feet or his back.Can you talk me through how you had him diagnosed.Ollie has had the rest of his legs xrayed only the feet left I wondered what type of symptoms you had.My horse is lame diagonally kick was to his front right and the splint is the same leg, spavin is left I do wonder if the extra pressure from not being able to work properly from behind is delaying his progress.I wish you luck with your horse .Ollies not the easiest horse to ride he is either very lazy or goes on high adrenaline rush and is probably not suited to loan home unless they were experienced riders.

 

[cellie]

thanks Josie splints are really small and wont even notice later .I just want him to have productive life I tend to ride 6 days a week given the choice and that is probably too much pressure on his front legs.Trouble is spavin needs regular work to get bone to fuse.Bit of a catch 22.
Hes been off nearly 8 weeks with kick injury and still seems to be tender more than lame in the same leg.He had 8 weeks off with splint so I have given him a good amount of rest.Just trying to think of some options .