0310Star
Well-Known Member
So... As you all know Star was diagnosed with Ringbone, Side bones and DJD about 2 months ago. We had the devastating news that she would be a light hack at most for life.
Well!!! Star decided that this wasn't going to be the case!! The last few weeks she has been a bit of a cow :frown: And to be honest I was worried about others handling her incase they got hurt!! She has been galloping around the field like a loon, a nightmare to handle, and is about ready to explode!!! Baring in mind she is a 16.3hh well built TB she is a big storng horse to be acting like that, against my 5ft2 & 9 stone self
So I did some research and called the vet today. He is very pleased with her progress and we have decided that work would be the best answer for her!! Her weight has been an issue, so she is on a handful of Hifi Good Doer twice a day for supplements and 3 sections of 12 hour soaked hay, double bagged. Work will obviously be beneficial to helping keep her weight down too!!
He said some horses defy the odds and return to full work with some competition/hunting involved and I definietly have a lot of hope that Star will also be one of these, defying the odds horses!!
We are going to start with some school work, 10 minutes twice a week encorporated with her hacking three times a week, only minimal walk and trot with a little canter if the ground is right and she feels ok for it, no circles etc in the school! Basically he thinks I should push her as far as I think she could go without being in any pain or discomfort. He understands that I know my horse better than he does and that in cases like this quality of life is normally the deciding card! For Star, being a field ornament is no life.
She is on bute only when ridden, one morning and evening on the day she is ridden and the vet is hopeful that eventually when she is fit and working well I can cut the bute down and eventually we hope that she will will be sound, in full work, with no bute at all
So everyone keep your fingers crossed for us
Well!!! Star decided that this wasn't going to be the case!! The last few weeks she has been a bit of a cow :frown: And to be honest I was worried about others handling her incase they got hurt!! She has been galloping around the field like a loon, a nightmare to handle, and is about ready to explode!!! Baring in mind she is a 16.3hh well built TB she is a big storng horse to be acting like that, against my 5ft2 & 9 stone self
So I did some research and called the vet today. He is very pleased with her progress and we have decided that work would be the best answer for her!! Her weight has been an issue, so she is on a handful of Hifi Good Doer twice a day for supplements and 3 sections of 12 hour soaked hay, double bagged. Work will obviously be beneficial to helping keep her weight down too!!
He said some horses defy the odds and return to full work with some competition/hunting involved and I definietly have a lot of hope that Star will also be one of these, defying the odds horses!!
We are going to start with some school work, 10 minutes twice a week encorporated with her hacking three times a week, only minimal walk and trot with a little canter if the ground is right and she feels ok for it, no circles etc in the school! Basically he thinks I should push her as far as I think she could go without being in any pain or discomfort. He understands that I know my horse better than he does and that in cases like this quality of life is normally the deciding card! For Star, being a field ornament is no life.
She is on bute only when ridden, one morning and evening on the day she is ridden and the vet is hopeful that eventually when she is fit and working well I can cut the bute down and eventually we hope that she will will be sound, in full work, with no bute at all
So everyone keep your fingers crossed for us
As a child my very good friend's pony had ringbone and still did all the usual PC activities with no ill effects. They were obviously very careful with her and were much more mindful about the state of the ground etc, but that pony certainly lead a happy and productive life for many years after her diagnosis so fingers crossed for Star too.