Suspensory injuries - second time :( WWYD?

[The wife]

Good morning you lovely lot.

Hind Suspensory injuries... Background.

17hh(ish), 9 yr old Hannoverian, modern stamp. Panic runner, bought 4 years ago. Competed very successfully up to BD Ele, was planning to move up to Med in Summer of 2015, also planned to BS him as has an astounding jump. Fell on the ice in December 2014, remained lame - Although suspected constant running on a surface caused a weakness, the fall was the catalyst. Never any heat, swelling to affected leg etc. Vet diagnosed hind suspensory, didn't want to spend alot of money on the horse for treatment as he is worthless to anyone else but us due to his running and very very hot temperament so vet advised turning him away for a period of time in the field.

Fast forward to October 2015. Horse is sound in field and remains sound in all paces and brought back into work in July 2016, timed carefully so we have the weather on our side and to give him a few extra months - we try not to ride him in wind, it sets him doing laps. Lots of very careful and quiet walk work mainly in long lines and in-hand (to prevent him running) and a couple of quiet session with rider. Plan was to do around 10 weeks of steady walking before trotting. He cannot be hacked on the roads as dangerous in traffic and so most work was done around the flat fields and a little bit in the school. Horse is now lame again on the same leg and I know in my gut its the suspensory again but I don't want to get the vet out to tell me the inevitable. Although I know it is going to have to happen at some point.

The prognosis to me is poor, it's the second time it has gone and this time he had only managed 6 weeks of steady walking so he is never going to remain sound to the level he was competing at. He does not play nicely with others in the field (coltish, mounts mares and fights with most geldings) and so has to have individual turnout, although is an absolute poppet to deal with from the ground.

I know the inevitable is going to happen and ordinarily I am quite pragmatic about horses coming to the end of their lives and have not yet questioned whether it is the right thing with any other horse and almost treat my horses as a business (granted one that pours money down the drain) but this horse has got under my skin. I don't want to say he is my horse of a lifetime but we have put so much time, money and effort into him to get him to the level he was at, especially with his temperament that I just don't want it to happen.

I actually have no clue why I am asking WWYD, but I am feeling quite sorry for myself right now, very fed up and sad as I know what the answer is. Why, why, why did this one horse have to get under my skin?

 

[Asha]

Honestly, i'd PTS.

I'm so sorry for you, you've tried everything, and clearly adore him. In my experience, its the ones we love the most/have the most potential that seem to been suicidal.

 

[Bernster]

Oh dear, doesn't sounds good. I've not experience of this type of injury but he does sound like he can't keep up with the rehab even at a basic level. Are there further treatments he could have, although they are likely to be expensive with no gaurantee he'll come right to the level you want him to? They break your heart at times.

 

[The wife]

Oh dear, doesn't sounds good. I've not experience of this type of injury but he does sound like he can't keep up with the rehab even at a basic level. Are there further treatments he could have, although they are likely to be expensive with no gaurantee he'll come right to the level you want him to? They break your heart at times.

There are probably lots of treatments but he is not insured and pretty much uninsurable due to his temperament. As much as I love him, I am not able to spend unlimited amounts of money on him for there not to be a 100% success rate to going back to the level he was at. He is never going to be a happy hacker, or a riding club level horse as he gets hot in warm ups and puts the more nervous and true grass roots riders off and it isn't fair on them, whereas at BD, we have found most riders just ignore him and breath a sigh of relief they aren't on him or leading him down to the arena! His rider is an ex-pro and even then he has frightened her at times during the early days.

I know what the answer is but needed somewhere to feel sorry for myself. They do indeed break hearts. Why couldn't it have been one i wasn't attached to. I don't think it helps the fact he was on death row and we were his last chance when we bought him and to turn him around makes me so proud of his rider and him for trusting people again (He always had the run in him and always had to be very very carefully managed to avoid a run).

Perhaps if I think of it another way and remember we were his last chance anyway, it might make it feel a bit better that we gave him 4 years of exceptional care and kind understanding rather than belted and abused for his issues. Nope, not working

 

[milliepops]

Perhaps if I think of it another way and remember we were his last chance anyway, it might make it feel a bit better that we gave him 4 years of exceptional care and kind understanding rather than belted and abused for his issues. Nope, not working

This is a good way of looking at it and you might need to train your brain to accept it, but of course you are going to feel sad that he seems to be coming to the end of the road

IIRC the main 'treatment' for hind suspensories seems to be denerving them and I'm not sure that's a great route to go down for a horse which has broken down twice in quick succession, so you need not beat yourself up about that one, either. Life is poo sometimes.

 

[Annagain]

I think I would get the vet out to confirm it is the suspensory. Although it's likely to be the same injury, there's always a chance it's something else that might be easily sorted.

If it is the same injury, am I right in thinking you have your own land? If so, could you keep him as a field ornament? If he's got under your skin, he's field sound and you have resources to keep him there's nothing wrong with having one to just cuddle. I know he's on his own but if he's used to it and can see other horses there's no reason why he couldn't be happy, at least until you're ready to say goodbye?

 

[Flicker]

Oh OP I am sorry to hear if your situation and, if it is his suspensory again it does sound like you are resigned to having him put to sleep (however gutting that decision is).
I would echo the others who suggested getting the vet to see him, if only to confirm your fears. You will probably find it marginally easier to say goodbye with a definite diagnosis and the acceptance that you are all at the end of the road.
Awful situation to be in. Your horse is lucky to have found you.

 

[The wife]

The vet will definitely be coming out, even just to put my mind at rest. To top it off I have had my lovely physio out to him this morning and showed extreme tightness across his lumbar, alot more than is normal from a horse who has had this much time off, with limited ridden work, especially with a light and very experienced rider on board.

He has cleared well but presented 3/10ths lame in the near fore (diagonal to injured hind) after treatment, potentially showing he has been holding himself across his back to not load the near fore. How could I have missed this?

We are now in a dilemma as to whether the fore is now creating the hind lameness or if the hind is causing the fore. Foot balance is excellent, she made a special comment about that, so no issues with shoeing causing it.

I.GIVE.UP. I have had a cry and it's not even 3pm.

It's funny how quickly things can change. It was only a few weeks or so ago I questioned about entering HC in some intro tests to just get him out and keep him interested when he had started his trot work. That will teach me for making plans.

 

[oldie48]

I'm so sorry it's horrid when this happens. I had a horse that did a front suspensory, I suspect he'd done it before hence being sold, I really struggled to get him sound as he was tricky to bring back into work. He did eventually come right but within months had injured the suspensory again so reluctantly he was pts. I have never regretted the decision it was the right thing to do.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would call it a day .
Easier to type than to do .
Have a huge hug it's the pits .

 

[The wife]

I would call it a day .
Easier to type than to do .
Have a huge hug it's the pits .

This is going to be what happens BUT I need the vet to almost confirm it for me, for my own sanity, if that makes sense? Just this horse. Don't get me wrong, I have happily put a 5yr old to sleep for behavioural problems without investigations - It had taken to bolting and was at the point of throwing itself on the floor. I very nearly did with this horse with his running in the past, I was so close to calling our knackerman to just do it but I could see in his expression and way of going that he just wanted help, someone to trust and tell him life was OK and it worked. People thought we were mad. There were dark days where I questioned my own sanity on him, why I would want to put someone in danger with him but then bit by bit he became more confident and started working with that 'can do' attitude and sparkle that makes him so very special. The only thing that kept him alive really was his self preservation. Had he bolted blind, it would have been game over. I would be more than happy to call it a day with all of the others for whatever reason without needing the vet to give their views but I just can't with this one.

I am confident in my own ability and experience to 'see' problems but with this fella I almost need someone else to tell me it's OK, just to tell me there is something going on that isn't going to be fixed through time, love and care.

Sorry, I don't even know why I am writing all this but it kind of feels like therapy, so thank you to you all.

 

[mytwofriends]

It sounds like you're making your own decision. He sounds a wonderful horse, but the odds are stacked against him. You've done what you can.

He wants to run, and he can't. You've given him every chance and prolonged his life already.

I'm not sure what I'm trying to say here, except life isn't fair sometimes is it?

 

[Goldenstar]

No it's not fair .
No matter how hard you work ,how many stones you turn ,how much money you shovel at it you can't make right for them all .

But if you need to pay for a vet call out to put your mind at rest it's not a lot of money for a call out if it gives you peace .
When I pts Sam I knew what was wrong I knew in my bones he had KS and he was not a good candidate for surgery but I needed to see the X-ray before I did it so I understand were you are OP.

 

[Tiddlypom]

As said by others, a vet call out with a portable scanner to confirm the re injury would be cheap enough.

Suspensory injuries can be absolute b00gers. My dressage horse did his hind suspensory and even though he was a perfect candidate to retire, it kept deteriorating further and we couldn't even keep him field sound, so we had to let him go aged 10.

Owning horses can be heart breaking at times.

 

[PolarSkye]

I know this will sound unbelievably trite, but how lucky he is to have found you. You asked for advice, but you don't really need it. The quirky ones, the ones who chuck their heart and soul at you when life has already handed them a poo sandwich - they're the ones who get under the skin.

I'm so sorry you are facing this.

P

 

[The wife]

Thank you everyone for your kind words. Thankfully he has never been abused but very easily could have been through mishandling and 'fixers' had he ended up in the wrong hands. Vet will be coming later this week to have a look but your kind words from you all have made me feel slightly less low about him.

I do take peace knowing that this horse has never known abuse or hunger and even though he is too young to really go,he has had a better life than alot older than him, which is quite sad really.

Thanks again. X

 

[The wife]

Just an update for everyone who kindly took the time to reply. Horse has been x-rayed and my gut was correct on the fore-feet. He has navicular. Horse was 100% sound behind on a straight line before blocking out front feet. Showed 4/10ths lame behind on the hard AFTER the block...

So we could get him fore feet sorted and still be faced with an unknown lameness behind, although current vet does not think his hind is suspensory and saw no point in scanning it as it would be a waste of money... She is, however, at a loss of what it could be without extensive investigations - MRI (I do not have the money for this)

Bad week, want to cry again. Don't want to play adult right now.

Am I actually clutching at straws right now as to heart bars keeping him sound in front?

 

[ihatework]

Just an update for everyone who kindly took the time to reply. Horse has been x-rayed and my gut was correct on the fore-feet. He has navicular. Horse was 100% sound behind on a straight line before blocking out front feet. Showed 4/10ths lame behind on the hard AFTER the block...

So we could get him fore feet sorted and still be faced with an unknown lameness behind, although current vet does not think his hind is suspensory and saw no point in scanning it as it would be a waste of money... She is, however, at a loss of what it could be without extensive investigations - MRI (I do not have the money for this)

Bad week, want to cry again. Don't want to play adult right now.

Am I actually clutching at straws right now as to heart bars keeping him sound in front?

These are the trickest type. Essentially Crocked all round and in my experience once you think you have fixed one thing something else crops up.

I had one and I retired him at 12, he had 8 years of happy retirement before loosing him this year. Many would have PTS at 12 and that wouldn't have been wrong either.

IMO it is not worth going down the line of treating to ride. Expensive, emotional and to be frank unlikely to work and what is the point?. In my mind the options are straightforward - retire or PTS, and the former only if there is a quality of life to be had

 

[Regandal]

Read the Rockley blogs. He may not be beyond help. It is doable at home as well, I and lots of others have done it. Wishing you all the best.

 

[ester]

I have questions sorry, xray = navicular isn't terribly diagnostic these days, are they saying changes to the navicular bone?
Was the front blocked one at a time?
TBH I would take shoes off and retire to field until I decided to call it a day knowing that 4/10 lame is pretty significant. I definitely wouldn't put bar shoes on a navicular horse anyway.

 

[The wife]

I have questions sorry, xray = navicular isn't terribly diagnostic these days, are they saying changes to the navicular bone?
Was the front blocked one at a time?
TBH I would take shoes off and retire to field until I decided to call it a day knowing that 4/10 lame is pretty significant. I definitely wouldn't put bar shoes on a navicular horse anyway.

Yes, changes to the outline and commented on how large (Don't know the significance of this) it was as well as holes appearing. No, both front blocked at the same time and only one x-rayed on my request as to be honest, if he had it, he has it regardless, and money is rather tight at the moment. I know in my gut you are right with heart-bars but being brutally honest, I have had a life changing week and I know I am clutching at straws. I know how tricky navicular can be, some respond to treatment, others don't but a happy prognosis/saying I was being neurotic and wasting their time/insert whatever daft response you like, was what was kind of keeping me going this week.

Ihatework - You are completely right, what would we be achieving? At best we may get a couple of years of work from him but we will always be worrying and trying to protect him and what is the fun in owning a horse like that. At worst we can throw money at him and it not work and for it being soul destroying.

Rational side of me think he needs throwing in the field until we are ready to say goodbye... I think I need to listen to rational side.

 

[Goldenstar]

So sad for you.
Turning him away without shoes keeping the feet well trimmed and having some time with him as a field ornament is an option if it suits you and him .it totally depends on your set up if that fits in well .
It's just between the two of you now .

 

[The wife]

He can be turned away, although our ground gets wet during the winter and he can't be turned out with others. I think it may be a decision that has to happen before winter sets in now. A few weeks to go at least, depending on the weather.

Thanks all again for your kindness. I know what has to happen and as I have said before, I take peace knowing he has never known abuse, even though he is so young.

Thanks guys.