SI injection- bought a horse that's had one

J

Jonathan89

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Hi anyone else bought a horse that's had an Si injection without you knowing? My horse went unridabe after a few months and we think he had an SI injection hence why he was perfect when I got him to ride. Any advise welcome
 
I confess I sold one that way several years ago. He went through a competition dealer who pretty much insisted that I have the SI and both hocks injected before they would produce so it didn't show in the vetting. He broke down within months in his new competition home and was PTS. He was 9. I learned a valuable lesson. I have never used a competition dealer - to sell or to buy - since.

Joint injections are relatively common - particularly in competition horses. I do still use them, but DD is out of juniors and we don't sell on in the way we did. Since the very sad story above we learned to look at competition histories a lot more closely. Early starts, greater heights too soon and unexplained (or sometimes explained!) gaps in competition history. The thing is - it happens. You won't pick it up on blood tests as long as it was more than 28 days before. Vetting only assess the horse's suitability on that day. You need experienced eyes on the ground - and on the internet. So many folk post videos of their rounds these days - you can trace a horse and spot differences in the way of going.

You are where you are. Whether the horse was injected or not you won't be able to prove it now, months after you took posession. Even if you stored bloods from the vetting it still may not show (but have them tested in case!) You have to decide if you can afford the horse the treatement he needs and if you can't you may need to consider PTS. If joint injections worked before they may again - it isn't uncommon to have them done every 12 months. Discuss that with your vet. Either way you have no recourse now against the seller - unless stored bloods come up positive.
 
Shay said:
I confess I sold one that way several years ago. He went through a competition dealer who pretty much insisted that I have the SI and both hocks injected before they would produce so it didn't show in the vetting. He broke down within months in his new competition home and was PTS. He was 9. I learned a valuable lesson. I have never used a competition dealer - to sell or to buy - since.

Joint injections are relatively common - particularly in competition horses. I do still use them, but DD is out of juniors and we don't sell on in the way we did. Since the very sad story above we learned to look at competition histories a lot more closely. Early starts, greater heights too soon and unexplained (or sometimes explained!) gaps in competition history. The thing is - it happens. You won't pick it up on blood tests as long as it was more than 28 days before. Vetting only assess the horse's suitability on that day. You need experienced eyes on the ground - and on the internet. So many folk post videos of their rounds these days - you can trace a horse and spot differences in the way of going.

You are where you are. Whether the horse was injected or not you won't be able to prove it now, months after you took posession. Even if you stored bloods from the vetting it still may not show (but have them tested in case!) You have to decide if you can afford the horse the treatement he needs and if you can't you may need to consider PTS. If joint injections worked before they may again - it isn't uncommon to have them done every 12 months. Discuss that with your vet. Either way you have no recourse now against the seller - unless stored bloods come up positive.
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Thankyou until yesterday I had no idea or ever come across this. My physio / cyro on a 2nd session said it's a huge possibility that after ridden fine for 3-4 months he went to pot. How long do these treatments usually last and also whats the cost? My lad is insured but for 5-6 we've been led down every route going so it's taken no end of time to get to this point unfortunately. Vet is currently unaware as we all know a conversation is never off the record
 
Have I understood correctly that the horse has not been seen by a vet? If so, please get one, as your physio/chiro will have acted illegally in diagnosing an SI strain and suggesting that the horse has already been treated for it.

SI strains are often caused by the sliding stop 'sit down' that many horses do messing around in the field. It could have happened at any time.



ETA I have checked your previous posts and I assume that this is your ex racer that came out of racing after prolonged rest with a known tendon injury. I would think it is extremely unlikely in that scenario that the horse had its SI joint medicated prior to sale.

.
 
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My horse did the ‘sliding stop’ in the field 6 months after I bought her. She presented with a over reach cut on her front heel bulbs, a couple of days of looking abit stiff but then ok. So thought no more about it.

It wasn’t until 3 months later when she absolutely launched me at a polework Clinic and I sent her to a very experienced trainer for reschooling and selling that she identified that something was not quite right behind.

Full lameness workup, neck, back, hocks, front feet all scanned / xrayed which showed she had inflamed both her stifles. They were medicated and also her right fore. She was so sore all over her body and had been carrying herself tight for 3 months, poor girl.

We had done a very thorough rehab programme with physio, equibanding and her saddle has been refitted twice as her muscles are redeveloping. All told it’s cost me about £1500 to get to where we are now ( I don’t insure).

Basically, what I am saying is that your horse may have had the SI injected but had a full rehab programme been followed?
 
^^^
Think mine went over backwards. Huge, huge amount of muscle rehab being done alongside joint injections.

If an ex-racer then could it be soreness from a different style of riding? I've seen that before. They turn up racing fit (or just blobby if from field), then asked to work more "up" & it's different muscles in play.
 
I think people buy horses who have had pain relieving jabs all the time .
It’s a real problem .
I always ask the owner the question directly it’s the best you can do if you can’t get your hands on his medical history even then you have no idea if it’s compete .
And changing homes means changing management ,farrier ,work, rider ,saddles and all these things can flare up a chronic injury
 
Jonathan89 said:
Thankyou until yesterday I had no idea or ever come across this. My physio / cyro on a 2nd session said it's a huge possibility that after ridden fine for 3-4 months he went to pot. How long do these treatments usually last and also whats the cost? My lad is insured but for 5-6 we've been led down every route going so it's taken no end of time to get to this point unfortunately. Vet is currently unaware as we all know a conversation is never off the record
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No physio or chiro should be treating a horse with a known issue that hasn’t had that issue diagnosed by a vet and then given permission to treat by the vet. They also cannot (by law) diagnose a condition. Your horse could have been fine for 3-4 months and then gone lame, it’s not necessarily related to an existing condition. Horses get joints injected all the time, it’s really common. Some need re injecting more regularly than others, but 6 monthly is quite usual. Please get the vet to diagnose and treat correctly. Hope you get to the bottom of the issue and get your horse sorted.
 
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