so upset and heartbroken for my mare

Finn

Finn

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My mare was being schooled on Tues afternoon and was fully sound. Within 5 mins of stopping she was hopping lame ( but was fully sound when being ridden). I called the vet and he came out within 20 mins and diagnosed a tendon problem. Had to take her in to horsepital on Weds for nerve blocks and Xrays and various other test and was told she has a torn tendon in her left hind leg and will need surgery in around 10 days time when all the swelling and fluid has gone down. Shes on complete box rest until then and then after her surgery will be on box rest for another 3 to 18 months. Im so upset for her but all I want is for her to get well again. There is a 30% chance she will never be sound again but I dont care as long as shes well and healthy, she will be with me for life. I will never part with her just because she cant be ridden again. We will take one day at a time and we will get through this together. Im so upset for her and cant stop crying, and Im really not looking forward to the day she goes in for her surgery coz I know I will be an emtional wreck. I just want her to be happy, healthy and well and have got no idea how she will cope with being on such along term constant box rest. She's my world and my life and feel so helpless seeing her in so much pain.
 
Awww thanks Mrs M. Shes on Danilon at the min as she wouldnt take the bute the vet gave her, but when shes in pain she really ( quiet violenlty) kicks her bad leg out and I just feel so helpless. There is nothing you can do for them apart from be there, love them and help/ support them in the best possible way. I do have to say though, everyone at my yard has been lovely and so supportive and concerned about her. I'm just an emtional wreck at the min. dread to think how I will be come the day of her surgery. i just love her so much and hate seeing her in so much pain and frustration because shes in her stable and all the others are out.
 
Hope everything works out well for you and your mare.
Sending good vibes and hope all goes well with the op. Keep us updated.
 
Hope everything turns out ok, I've recently gone through the same worry of my own lad going to horse hospital for x-rays and bone scans, the worry alone of what they will find is enough, I have everything crossed for you. Keep us posted x
 
It is so scary not knowing the extent of a tendon injury & I hope she recovers quickly.

Why have they decided to do surgery & I'm quite surprised that they nerve blocked when a tendon injury was already diagnosed, presumably from a scan?

I rescued an ex racer with a tendon injury in one of his front legs. He was 9/10ths lame and the tendon was horribly bowed. The good news is that it looked worse than the scan showed up and he only needed 6 weeks 'box rest'. He was very stressed in the stable so after only a few days, the vet agreed that he should be put on field rest instead........ that worked a treat. He was very sensible and only started charging around when he felt better. I gave him 3 months off instead of 6 weeks and he's had no further problems 3 years on :)
 
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I have been through exactly the same thing. It's such a sense of loss, as though your horse as she was is gone & you just hope to be able to get a bit back. It's almost like a bereavement in a way. It's just heartbreaking to see your beautiful mare so lame.

Have hope. I stabled my girl at night, then in the day put her in a very tiny paddock next to her mates. This kept her mentally calm, & restricted her movement yet allowed her a little to reduce the swelling. I also gave her a treat ball to keep her slowly walking about. She had ultrasound, then adquan. After that the vet said at most she'd be field sound, but I'd never ride her again (I opted against surgery as the chance of it helping was lower than the risk from the anaesthetic). Once the heat had gone I brought in an osteopath, which worked wonders & broke down the adhesions. I fed her green lipped mussels & bromolain to maximise the healing that was taking place. Once allowed I walked in hand for miles after building up slowly. I'd always wanted a foal from my girl, so I took this chance & now have a gorgeous 3 yr old filly I aim to compete in a few years. It took 3 years to get back riding her again. I can hack her out & do short/flat endurance rides on her, with the leg coping without any problems. I am extra careful, but I have my girl back.

The best piece of advice I was given came from my farrier. He said however long it takes for them to come sound (18 months in my girls case), give them as much time off again before you try to ride them (hence her 3 years off). The worst thing you can do is start to ride them just after they have come sound, as it is still very fragile & liable to breakdown again. It must be given time to heal & in hand work (walking in hand with no circles) to strengthen.

I know it's gutting & it seems such a long wait, but there is an end to it & you can get her through this. If you need any support, pm me.
 
Oh bless what hard luck. I have one on box rest at the moment (albeit only 6 weeks assuming it works) and it is so frustrating. I have now put her on Wendals Herb Valerian calmer and it is fab and really helping settle her
 
Thankyou so much everyone for all your kind words and advice. She's getting bored now and frustrated so think Im going to invest in a stable mirror and a few other useful stable toys for her to keep her occupied. Its just so heartbeaking seeing them like that and you cant do anything to help them or even explain to them why they are stuck in a stable 24/7 while their mates are all out in the fields. I will keep you all updated a soon as I have any more news. I do have to say though, Im getting loads of cuddles and snuggles of her so am quite enjoying that lol.
 
The vets are coming out to her tomorow to re scan the tendon to see if it is torn and if she does need surgery. I do have to say she is coping with the box rest really well and the swelling has gone down massively compared to what it was like 2 weeks ago. Im doing all I can to help her through this, cold hosing, arnica gel and stable bandages every day and various other things to try to keep her entertained while on box rest. She loves apple bobbing! lol
I will update you all further tomorrow after the vet has been, I'm so nervous for her but whatever the outcome is we will get through it together.
 
If its any consolation hun My old livery her horse torn a huge hole in his tendon, he had months off but he did come back sound.

my mare has been diagnosed with lami. We did think it was tendon or abscess so we were giving her treats ready grass etc to keep her from being bore. Now she can't have anything. Keep your spirit up she will sense something wrong otherwise be brave around her. Fingers cross she will come sound I didn't see you put her age but Rockey was 13 when he did his.
 
Hi, many thanks to you all for your kind words and support. Shes 10 yrs old and a Shire Cross Cob. Its strange but when Im with her Im not nervous for her at all as she keeps me very busy with all the mucking out, cold hosing, arnica etc etc. Plus I dont want her to pick up on it either.I only seem to get myself in a pickle about it when Im away from her either at home or at work. I am really enjoying all the snuggles and cuddles off her though. I have only had her for a year but have an amazing bond already with her and we was working so well together both in hand and ridden then this happened. Shes my life and my world and I just want her to be happy, fit and healthy. Im being really careful on what she eats aswell while on box rest and its taken me nearly a year to get some weight off her, ( she was really overweight when I bought her) and if it is her tendon then putting the weight back on wont help her leg. The vet has said though that there is a 30% chance she will never be sound again. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed for tomorrow for her xxx
 
Well... the vet came back out on Tues and re scanned her leg and said its not a torn tendon but she does have a mass of damaged tissue and might still need surgery due to having any fibres floating around in there that could make her lame again within 3 months of being bought back into work. Shes got 2 more weeks box rest and has been taken off the Danilon as she has gone from hopping lame to less than 2/10ths lame in only 2 weeks since she first injured herself. The vet was really surprised and pleased with how well she is recovering so far and will be coming back out in another 2 weeks to re assess her and has also said I could possibly be able to start walking her out in hand then if she carries on recovering as well as she is now :)
 
Only just seen this, but glad the recovery is much quicker than first anticipated. I have a cat who's quite ill at the mo, so appreciate how awful it is seeing them in pain.
 
Thats great news for you. I sometimes think vets spend so much time treating the TB and Warmbloods that they forget how tough these cobs are.

I spend more in vets bills in a year on our warmblood than I have in 30 years on my old cob.

With luck she will be 100% again in no time.
 
Finn said:
Well... the vet came back out on Tues and re scanned her leg and said its not a torn tendon but she does have a mass of damaged tissue and might still need surgery due to having any fibres floating around in there that could make her lame again within 3 months of being bought back into work. Shes got 2 more weeks box rest and has been taken off the Danilon as she has gone from hopping lame to less than 2/10ths lame in only 2 weeks since she first injured herself. The vet was really surprised and pleased with how well she is recovering so far and will be coming back out in another 2 weeks to re assess her and has also said I could possibly be able to start walking her out in hand then if she carries on recovering as well as she is now :)
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oops just read this, great news then that it's not as 1st thought still keeping everything crossed for her and yourself.
 
Good news! You must be so relieved.
I think that we must always remember that vets have to give us the worst case scenario just in case but that doesn't always mean that the worst will happen.
Fingers crossed for a continued good recovery.
 
Awwww thanks for the kind words and support everyone. I am relieved that its not a torn tendon but will be even more relieved if she doesnt need surgery and can heal ( hopefully) on her own. Only time will tell I suppose and I have to say she is coping really well with the box rest although starting to get a little bored now and not looking forward to the first walking out in hand as shes a Shire X Cob and has been known to be a little bit bolschy, well she was when I first got her until I taught her some manners and did loads of ground work with her. Shes an angel now, bless her.
 
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