Dolphin
Well-Known Member
Will try and keep this as short as possible. Got my first horse at the age of 29 after 20 years of riding/sharing, and have now had had her for 6.5 years. She means a hell of a lot to me and I have been on a huge learning curve since owning her.
She damaged a tendon around 3.5 years ago, had 6 months off, and I successfully got her back into work (it took me 18 months but we got there in the end!) and we were doing everything we did before (i.e. competing at local level in SJ DR CT etc etc) although I decided not to do XC or ODE any more.
She then damaged the same tendon again last year - out in the field. She has just had 9 months off and I was given the OK to start riding her (for 5 minutes in walk!!) last week. Last night I got her in and it appears she has sustained the same injury (the tendon has "popped out" again - its the only way I can describe it but it looks exactly the same as it did the second time she did it). She is not lame, there is no heat in it but she hasn't been lame during the whole process.
My vet is coming on Monday to scan the leg, but I am pretty sure that she has done the same thing again, and as this is the third time I have an idea what the long-term prognosis is going to be.
I only have the time and finances to have one horse so another is not an option. I am trying not to think ahead until the vet has been but I am only human and already my brain has been going over and over my options.
I think they are: 1) keep her as a field ornament (which means I will be able to hack out once or twice a week on a friend's horse but that will be about it) 2) find her a companion home (easier said than done I know) and get another horse that I can compete or do more on.
I think I will go with Option 1, as Option 2 feels like I would be getting rid of her as she is no longer any use to me and she means to much to me for me to feel comfortable with that.
However, I admit I am a bit emotional about it all just now so I guess I am hoping that by posting on here I may get a different/wiser perspective on it all!
She damaged a tendon around 3.5 years ago, had 6 months off, and I successfully got her back into work (it took me 18 months but we got there in the end!) and we were doing everything we did before (i.e. competing at local level in SJ DR CT etc etc) although I decided not to do XC or ODE any more.
She then damaged the same tendon again last year - out in the field. She has just had 9 months off and I was given the OK to start riding her (for 5 minutes in walk!!) last week. Last night I got her in and it appears she has sustained the same injury (the tendon has "popped out" again - its the only way I can describe it but it looks exactly the same as it did the second time she did it). She is not lame, there is no heat in it but she hasn't been lame during the whole process.
My vet is coming on Monday to scan the leg, but I am pretty sure that she has done the same thing again, and as this is the third time I have an idea what the long-term prognosis is going to be.
I only have the time and finances to have one horse so another is not an option. I am trying not to think ahead until the vet has been but I am only human and already my brain has been going over and over my options.
I think they are: 1) keep her as a field ornament (which means I will be able to hack out once or twice a week on a friend's horse but that will be about it) 2) find her a companion home (easier said than done I know) and get another horse that I can compete or do more on.
I think I will go with Option 1, as Option 2 feels like I would be getting rid of her as she is no longer any use to me and she means to much to me for me to feel comfortable with that.
However, I admit I am a bit emotional about it all just now so I guess I am hoping that by posting on here I may get a different/wiser perspective on it all!
