this is just about the most arrogant piece I have read in a long time.

[ihatework]

Pammy Hutton is currently the only person I’ve seen who is still calling out Helgstrand. Shes using her platform as somebody people respect and consider knowledgable to call out abuse. Shes being a lot more vocal about it than the Horse Physio too, but I can’t see anyone advising her to keep her opinions to herself.

What’s the difference?

Conceptually nothing is different.
Practically though it is.

Pammy is established, older and dare I say it a little belligerent, and doesn’t give a flying . She also has a big network behind her to back it up.

That is different to a one (wo)man band with a small business to keep afloat.

I’m not saying don’t do it, but if you do be mentally prepared for a backlash!

 

[equinerebel]

Well, this is a new level of unhinged cult behaviour.

 

[Rowreach]

ACPAT have said on their page this morning that there is someone impersonating her so she's at least escalated it to her professional body.

Social media at its worst.

And the comment from the other "Horse physio" was pretty gentle anyway IMO.

Sue's response was very gracious, there and on her own page. It's not just the fact that she has been wrongfully targeted, it's that anyone has been targeted at all, for perfectly acceptable comments. Obviously not great to be posting under a fake profile, I'm not excusing that part of it.

 

[meleeka]

Sue's response was very gracious, there and on her own page. It's not just the fact that she has been wrongfully targeted, it's that anyone has been targeted at all, for perfectly acceptable comments. Obviously not great to be posting under a fake profile, I'm not excusing that part of it.

I wonder what the motivation was to use that name in the fake profile? I can only think the person thought it would give them some credibility, to pick a name of an already established professional. I don’t think the comment was ‘vile’ or ‘rude’ anyway, so goodness knows what the followers would think if they knew what most people actually think of the vet

 

[nutjob]

Obviously not great to be posting under a fake profile

Is it definitely a fake profile or someone else with a similar name?

 

[meleeka]

Is it definitely a fake profile or someone else with a similar name?

It’s fake. There are only 2 photos on the page and no other content.

 

[Needtoretire]

Aside from the awful comments on social media. Looking at the video of the foot after the surgery, it will take a miracle for a 24 year old big horse to recover, heal and regrow the foot. It would be a long old job with a young horse.

Keeping the foot clean and infection free is going to be a real challenge.

 

[Peglo]

I started reading the comments on that post and had to stop as I was getting so annoyed at the hypocrisy and sanctimonious comments on it. Just shocking.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Isn't she the one who was so against pros being slated yet here she is doing the same to a professional

Pot, kettle, black huh?

 

[Hannahkayj]

She’s got one of her minions to leave a review. Funny the minion lives in US and doesn’t know the actual THP. People will literally blindly follow anyone won’t they

 

[Cloball]

People lack of insight into their own behaviour and hypocrisy never ceases to baffle me. We're probably all guilty of it to a minor sense but this just boggles the mind in a very public way.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I also think the physio put the comment about Harry in a really nice well worded way

I saw the video of his foot and nearly heaved, how long is his rehab even meant to take. It's also not very professional (I can't remember who did) to use the term "killing" as it could put people off doing their animal an act of kindness

 

[meleeka]

I also think the physio put the comment about Harry in a really nice well worded way

I saw the video of his foot and nearly heaved, how long is his rehab even meant to take. It's also not very professional (I can't remember who did) to use the term "killing" as it could put people off doing their animal an act of kindness

It was Natalie herself. Shameful

Most normal people would look at it that if a horse only has a few years left at most, it’s probably not fair to put it through a long rehab. I’m sure her clients will thrilled to know what she thinks of them ‘killing’ their old horses

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Lol at 'if you can't spend money...' - is there not a crowdfunder going for this horse's care?

 

[Cloball]

It was Natalie herself. Shameful

Most normal people would look at it that if a horse only has a few years left at most, it’s probably not fair to put it through a long rehab. I’m sure her clients will thrilled to know what she thinks of them ‘killing’ their old horses

Which is in complete contradiction to a previous post she made about knowing when it was time to call it.

 

[cauda equina]

I can think of reasons why it's ok to rehab a 6yo but not a 24yo with the same issues
I bet she could too, if she were being honest

 

[Goldenstar]

Pammy Hutton is currently the only person I’ve seen who is still calling out Helgstrand. Shes using her platform as somebody people respect and consider knowledgable to call out abuse. Shes being a lot more vocal about it than the Horse Physio too, but I can’t see anyone advising her to keep her opinions to herself.

What’s the difference?

There’s probably no difference but I would say it’s unwise for any professional to go there atm .
I am not sure what’s going with this vet and her posse of supporters but it’s not normal it’s not nice and it will end badly .

 

[Michen]

Wow. How can she not understand why rehabbing a 6 year old is different to a 24 year old. The 6 year old hopefully has its whole life ahead of it, so 6-12 months of discomfort can be deemed a worthwhile price to pay for a long life. The 24 year old has months or years and is going to spend a huge amount of that in discomfort.

Jeez. This woman is utterly mental.

 

[Chianti]

I've been trying to avoid the lady's page but after the last posts on here had a look. The poor horse looks such a mess. Heaven knows how long he's going to be on box rest with a couple of sessions a day in his exercise yard. What did amaze me on her page was the post about the goodies she'd been sent by a company called Shaw Equestrian. Do these companies that are sponsoring her not monitor her social media accounts. Presumably once she won Vet of the Year they decided they were on a winner?

 

[ycbm]

It was Natalie herself. Shameful

Most normal people would look at it that if a horse only has a few years left at most, it’s probably not fair to put it through a long rehab. I’m sure her clients will thrilled to know what she thinks of them ‘killing’ their old horses

Now that's the first thing I've seen that makes me want to report her to the RCVS. It's completely unethical of her to criticise either her own or another vet's customers for believing that it's in the best interests of a big 24 year old horse with a long history of injury not to go through a foot resection.
.

 

[Rowreach]

Regarding ethics at any age, it really needs to be factored in that the horse (or other animal) does not understand the treatment it is being given, nor the rehab programme, nor the long-term "benefits" of being subjected to it, unlike humans who can at least have a discussion with their physician beforehand. She's not just putting the poor horse through this once, it's the third attempt after two unsuccessful ones. I'm not a vet (so how dare I have an opinion) but I'm confident that my approach to my horses is far more compassionate and humane than hers.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Wow. How can she not understand why rehabbing a 6 year old is different to a 24 year old. The 6 year old hopefully has its whole life ahead of it, so 6-12 months of discomfort can be deemed a worthwhile price to pay for a long life. The 24 year old has months or years and is going to spend a huge amount of that in discomfort.

Jeez. This woman is utterly mental.

Not to mention longer recovery times, less ability to tolerate physical and emotional stress, and poorer outcomes the older a horse is.

 

[Ratface]

FWIW I don’t think she is well .

I am beginning to think that as well. However, I don't think that should be a reason to excuse or justify her behaviour.
Has anybody thought of calling a reputable animal welfare charity to attend and examine the poorly horse? There appears to be enough readily available pictorial evidence to warrant it.

 

[scats]

Can she not recognise how putting a 24 year old horse through a long rehab process perhaps isn’t actually in the horses best interests??

I’ve always thought she was a bit odd, but I genuinely can’t understand her thinking here at all.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would think many of us can’t understand it but he’s her horse and he’s getting care it’s not illegal .

 

[ycbm]

I would think many of us can’t understand it but he’s her horse and he’s getting care it’s not illegal .

True. What she can't do, without breaking professional standards, is state that nobody can have a big 24 year old horse with similar history PTS in the best interests of the horse.
.

 

[scats]

I would think many of us can’t understand it but he’s her horse and he’s getting care it’s not illegal .

True, but its more her thinking that anyone else who wouldn’t put an animal through it is needlessly killing them that I find hard to stomach.

 

[marmalade76]

Not to mention longer recovery times, less ability to tolerate physical and emotional stress, and poorer outcomes the older a horse is.

My YO's old horse at 28 fractured a pedal bone. Her vet led her to believe that the mare would recover no problem but she didn't, she dropped weight like nobody's business and looked like a hat rack within a fortnight, she was obviously not coping at all and YO had her PTS. She was so upset and guilt ridden for putting her beloved mare through those two weeks of suffering. After she'd got over it a bit she phoned her vet and gave him a right b0ll0cking.

 

[ester]

Regarding ethics at any age, it really needs to be factored in that the horse (or other animal) does not understand the treatment it is being given, nor the rehab programme, nor the long-term "benefits" of being subjected to it, unlike humans who can at least have a discussion with their physician beforehand. She's not just putting the poor horse through this once, it's the third attempt after two unsuccessful ones. I'm not a vet (so how dare I have an opinion) but I'm confident that my approach to my horses is far more compassionate and humane than hers.

It's the 3rd time that does it for me.

 

[SO1]

True, but its more her thinking that anyone else who wouldn’t put an animal through it is needlessly killing them that I find hard to stomach.

I think it is totally inappropriate for a vet to use "killing" to refer to PTS. When people have to make the awful decision to have to have their horse PTS for whatever reason it is very insensitive to use that phrase.

I do have sympathy for her as a horse owner. She is in a situation in which a lot of horse owners get into where they are desperate to save a beloved horse and are perhaps blinded by love and will try absolutely anything even if the chance of it working is low because they cling on to it being their horse that is the in the 5% that makes it. Perhaps she thinks as she is a vet he will have a better chance of it succeeding due to the aftercare she can provide.

Many of us will rely on our vets to support us in making the right decision for horses and because she is her horse's vet she doesn't perhaps she doesn't have that support or recommendations in the normal way.

She has in her post said she would not recommend colic surgery for an elderly horse but I expect if Harry got colic and needed that she might change her mind on that. It is very easy to when it is not your horse to make recommendations but a lot harder when it comes down to your horse.

Having an unwell horse can lead to mental health issues linked to decision making, treatments, box rest and I would not be surprised if her mental health is quite poor at the moment.

I believe she doesn't prescibe prasend for Cushings so if he does have Cushings and many veterans do and if is untreated he may be more prone to infections and laminitis which may not help with his recovery.