Spavin

[fredthoroughbred]

My horse Fred had some lameness and on the safe side I got the vet out yesterday to check him over. The vet did various tests and now thinks he may have spavin. I have just read another post about spavin but I just wanted to know what are peoples experiences of it and what should happen next?? Will he be rideable in the future as I only happy hack, no jumping/showing etc?? or are Fred and I doomed forever? I have never had any experience with this and would appreciate some advice.
My vet is coming out tomorrow with his xray machine to cancel out any other possibilities. Fingers crossed.

 

[brighteyes]

Stop worrying now.

Loads of us on here have horses with it and you might get a period of annoying unlevel-ness, but there's loads can be done and my lad is still hunting, galloping, jumping and doing everything we did before he got it.

 

[fredthoroughbred]

Brightinsel, you are exactly what I need right now!! Can you come and live with Fred and I?? haha...Fred isn't insured because the companies i've tried won't cover him because of various other problems haha so am I in for a lifetime of debt? Thankyou very much, I already feel a bit better xx

 

[cyearsley]

My last horse developed bone spavin in one of his hocks when he was 15, had the joint medicated, maintained him on Cortaflex and Cortavet and we went back to what we were doing before, riding club stuff inc SJ and XC upto about 3'3. I lost him about a year later to a puncture wound. In the year after the spavin we stopped scaled down the SJ and did mainly cross country as the horse can take the fence in his stride where as showjumping they go back onto their hocks more. After a couple of years if medicating the joint had continued to work I would prob have retired him to a happy hacker completely. If the treatment works I am sure you will be fine to carry on hacking, it's just working out what works for your horse and getting him sound again. Apple cider vinegar is cheap and also helps with arthritis and stiffness and used to keep his legs warm in the winter with leg wraps when really cold and basically just nurtured him a bit more. It also may take longer to loosen up etc but spavin can be managed nowadays and there are different treatments available including a drug called Tildren though my horse didn't progress to this. Good luck and be positive as am sure you will soon be back out together.

 

[fredthoroughbred]

Thankyou CLY, again, very nice to hear positivity about the spavin but so sorry for you losing your horse

I shall get him on apple cider vinegar tomorrow and let you know what the vet says xx

 

[merlinsquest]

Hi, please dont worry too much unless the vet gives you reason to!!

Merlin has an arthritic fetlock (he is only 9) and also had treatment for spavins in the summer. He had a course of Tildren and the hocks were medicated with steroids. He has been sound ever since and we are hacking out with no problems at all. We stopped jumping because of the arthritis but both my vet and myself are confident that we could start again if my confidence would allow it

Many of the horses and ponies on here have been treated and very few are write offs.

Keep us posted and keep positive