The forum saved my horses life.... <pics>

Vickijay

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 November 2004
Messages
3,243
Visit site
Its a funny title, but its pretty much true....

The forum is a funny place, people sharing their hints, tips and experiences, making friends and bickering. I have made a few real life friends from HHO but didn't realise one of them would be the reason my pony is still alive.

I first spoke to Smartiebean09 as she recognised where my horses where from a picture, we first met when I let her borrow my micklem bridle, we became friends and I persuaded her and her pony came to live at the yard.

In the meantime one of my horses had a funny swelling, it was poked and prodded for a while by various vets and in the end went to a hospital for more tests. You can imagine my shock when they found out he had a septic bursa. You think of infected joints etc as being very dramatic, serious and time dependent. My horse was sound and happy. I was told that the chances of saving him were very slim, the only chance was a expensive operation which would be around £6000-£7000 (not including the £1500ish I had already spent at this point) The chances were not good enough so it was decided we would try aggressive treatment with antibiotics but nobody was hopeful.

Him sedated at the vets

541765_10151314892377109_1614508024_n.jpg


Medicine (and kitten)

15088_10151317644162109_1475548725_n.jpg


Smartiebean09 is a quiet person and nether I or her know why she spoke to her vet about my pony, but she did. He was there within 5 hours. After the surgery the vet said there was no way he would of recovered without it. He said the likelihood was that he still may not recover but before he had no chance, now he had a slim one.

At the vets being sleepy after

547580_10151329373332109_1652711909_n.jpg

559035_10151330037617109_1936478286_n.jpg


Being cheery the next day

544695_10151328271392109_1261830340_n.jpg


He carried on with the crazy dose of antibiotics for a few weeks. It finished and the crossing of fingers began. I was shocked to speak to the vet who said it could be up to 6 weeks after the antibiotics that it would reinfect, although cases towards the end of the 6 weeks were rare. Every day I would come to the yard and worry it would be hot or he would be sore. He came back into work pretty quickly, quietly to start and back doing a bit in the school and out hacking. The vet was keen for this as he said he didn't have a injury per say and that work would keep him quiet while the bursa would do what it would do..

Today week 6 is done :)

I hope that writing this wont be tempting fate for him but I wanted to write it as a sort of thank you to Smartiebean09, Im not sure how you are meant to say thank you for helping to save my pony :confused:

I felt quite emotional when I said thank you to her in real life earlier, she laughed it all off saying it was my ££££s that had saved him, but I hope she realises how much it means to me and Bug xxxxxxxx

Some pictures of him and I today having a little play in the school...

1003888_10151422236452109_1376065437_n.jpg

1010776_10151422236542109_1219141295_n.jpg

1013944_10151422236657109_1475426614_n.jpg

21351_10151422236807109_587832271_n.jpg

1001785_10151422236852109_1976039470_n.jpg


Thanks for reading xx
 
Thanks, he really is super. I should of added that he is only rising 5 and I had only backed him in the autumn so it feels like he's been given his whole life back :)
 
Lovely story and a gorgeous horse too :) Really pleased for you.

Very similar for me, my boy was diagnosed with severe collateral ligament damage and navicular in both fronts on MRI. If it hadn't been for some of the amazing barefoot fanatics (Oberon, TallyHo and a few more) suggesting I look into Rockley Farm my lad would be a field ornament now, and instead he's back in full work. Love this forum! :D
 
So pleased for u n yr horse. What a great friend you have made.
A great outcome, you may have seen my post today that I had my 5 yr old, Jay, pts today after joint problems.
I hope your boy continues to improve.
 
Horrible thing to happen but lovely story! Hope its all onwards and upwards for you and your horse now and what a great friendship you and your friend have :)
 
Lovely post. He's a beautiful looking horse. I nearly lost a just backed 4yo myself, and know how it feels to have to face losing a baby on the cusp of of his future.

So happy for you that it worked out well.
 
Stop making me cry!

On a serious note, Horse and Hound IS an amazing place and I've also made an amazing friend. Not many would help someone as much as you have with my confidence issues and even fewer would go to the lengths you did to allow my pony to attend my wedding. Bug is lucky to have found you too. Yes I spoke to the vet and yes the option of surgery was more within reach but the odds were still against him and not many would give him a chance but you did. He is alive today because he found you and I'm finally moving on from Jamin and enjoying my new boy because of you too!

Thank you xx
 
Lovely story and a gorgeous horse too :) Really pleased for you.

Very similar for me, my boy was diagnosed with severe collateral ligament damage and navicular in both fronts on MRI. If it hadn't been for some of the amazing barefoot fanatics (Oberon, TallyHo and a few more) suggesting I look into Rockley Farm my lad would be a field ornament now, and instead he's back in full work. Love this forum! :D

Wow, it's amazing to think that the forum can have such a positive effect on people's lives.

So pleased for u n yr horse. What a great friend you have made.
A great outcome, you may have seen my post today that I had my 5 yr old, Jay, pts today after joint problems.
I hope your boy continues to improve.

I am so sorry to see this, life can be so unfair. I feel exceptionally lucky that this time it worked out ok for him, I'm sorry for your loss xx

HHO is an amazing place, and I am SO glad your boy has pulled through :)

It really is

Horrible thing to happen but lovely story! Hope its all onwards and upwards for you and your horse now and what a great friendship you and your friend have :)

Yes he is so lucky and as am I

Omg he looks a lot like my bug! And what a good friend

Oh really? Do you have any pictures?

What a lovely post :)

I'm so pleased that he's out of the woods and looking so great!

Me tooooooo!

Lovely post. He's a beautiful looking horse. I nearly lost a just backed 4yo myself, and know how it feels to have to face losing a baby on the cusp of of his future.

So happy for you that it worked out well.

It's awful isn't it, I felt like he was just getting going and all of a sudden his whole future was uncertain
 
An utterly lovely thread!

I'm so sorry to add an even slightly down note to it but can you have a look at his mouth (and ears) in the ridden pics? He looks unhappy. And in the non-ridden ones the affection is clearly there.

But aside from that... a lovely, lovely story (given how scary it must have been!).

Very best of luck to both of you.
 
Stop making me cry!

On a serious note, Horse and Hound IS an amazing place and I've also made an amazing friend. Not many would help someone as much as you have with my confidence issues and even fewer would go to the lengths you did to allow my pony to attend my wedding. Bug is lucky to have found you too. Yes I spoke to the vet and yes the option of surgery was more within reach but the odds were still against him and not many would give him a chance but you did. He is alive today because he found you and I'm finally moving on from Jamin and enjoying my new boy because of you too!

Thank you xx

Awwwww. We (and our ponies, especially my pony) are all very lucky! Am super proud of how your confidence is coming along, there will be no stopping you soon xx

An utterly lovely thread!

I'm so sorry to add an even slightly down note to it but can you have a look at his mouth (and ears) in the ridden pics? He looks unhappy. And in the non-ridden ones the affection is clearly there.

But aside from that... a lovely, lovely story (given how scary it must have been!).

Very best of luck to both of you.

Thanks for the concern. He has the dentist coming next week just to give him the once over just incase, he had some teeth drama just before I started him so want to check there is nothing up in his mouth. 5 is a funny time for babies teeth!!
 
I've found hho mates to be most useful plenty of times :). I remember the original thread and he's looking fab :).
 
What a lovely thread, Bug looks lovely!! He's a very lucky boy to have you.. I hope he continues to go from strength to strength!!:D
 
Well done bug!!! You guys did so well today and he looks so happy and back to his normal self! The transformation is incredible. From the person behind the camera xxxx
 
Top