Success stories when turning away due to injury?

[Jellymoon]

I once had a tour around a hi- tech rehab yard in Newmarket and I asked about turning away instead of all the fancy treatments they try on young thoroughbreds. The manager pretty much said that if they were all turned away for a year or two, 99% of them would come right. They just don’t have that luxury of time as most owners want to see them back on the track asap. I think you’re very sensible to turn away and I would do it before all vet avenues have been exhausted

This is pretty much what I was going to write. Years ago, I had a 5 yr old horse with a suspensory injury, vet offered various solutions to try to get the horse sound asap, but when I told him I wasn’t in a great rush, he said, well this is unusual! Normally people want them sound again as quickly as possible for the next competition. So we gave him about 9m off and then 6m building up very slowly walking, and he’s only just retired age 23, went to Novice BE and could have done more but for me being a wimp!
That was a big lesson for me, and I’ve stuck with that vet ever since, and we work well together!

 

[Skib]

I shared a much older mare. She was turned away for one summer, aged about 23, first for a time on her own in a field where she was pretty static just grazing and then she was moved into another field with 3 geldings who seem to have kept her moving around. She couldnt live out 24/7 in winter so the next autumn she came back into work and being turned away had solved the problem. I hacked her twice a week. Pretty gently but with a short canter now and then when we both felt like it. Her only other work was RDA, with a child rider, led.

 

[Pinkvboots]

For anyone interested, it's now 6 months later and I have a sound horse Couldn't believe it when I trotted him up for the vet (bearing in mind he's now barefoot and this was on concrete) and he said he looks great, no reason why you can't get back on. Planning on keeping him barefoot and have invested in some hoof boots. Will take everything very slowly but fingers crossed he stays sound

Great update thanks for sharing please let us know how your getting on.

 

[Goldenstar]

That’s wonderful news so nice to hear .

 

[Jellymoon]

Yay, well done!