Time to retire?

But the vet hasn't actually looked really? no diagnostics have been done so to suggest it isn't treatable seems a bit much to me!
 
MrsNorris said:
He’s just been trotted up on different surfaces, no signs of lameness, and had flexions which he passed, vet says he has remarkable joints for a horse of his age, he tracks up well and shows nothing really to investigate. He also sees a physio every few months as he carries a very old hind injury which alters his gait slightly and sometimes causes tightness behind his saddle, and he sees an osteopath too every 6 months or so.
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But how can a vet say that without X-rays and nerve blocks. He could be bilaterally lame. Is he shod, what’s his foot balance like? Does he need help, lateral extension shoes? Your vet would only know & be able to advise this upon examination of x-rays.

I’ve just had all the done with my 17 year old IDx, thrown up an old collateral ligament injury that had bony changes. Fortunately no arthritic changes and pedal bone looking good. He spent 2 days at the vets, X-rays, nerve blocks, cost £800 alltold.
 
My 24yo had his hinds taken off a fortnight ago. He has an arthritic knee and had only been ridden on the flat for the past year or so. He tripped in canter previously and I came off him, hadn't fallen in over 17 years. He hit the ground too so that's when I made the decision to stop canter work for both our sakes.

He goes out for walks in-hand and now and again may have a pootle down his favourite track under saddle but other than that he lives the life of Riley. Personally in your shoes I'd get him checked out by your vet and take their advice. I wouldn't be getting back on without investigation.
 
I had 2 horses who stated tripping:
1. He had been as sure footed as a mountain goat all his life but at 22yrs started tripping. He had fibrocitis of a ligament in both his front legs. Solution was more exercise on a surface to encourage him to stretch his front legs. He was worse in summer when the ground was hard so as soon as he felt a bit trippy I used to loose lunge over poles to encourage the stretch and avoid too much on a circle. The other problem was he has an inflamed angular ligament behind which would be better with less exercise so it was a delicate balance. He certainly didn't jump again but kept hacking until he was 27yrs when the angular ligament went completely and he was PTS. Horse never actually fell but was pretty damn close until diagnosed - and much worse going down hill so avoided steep down hills or walked down

No 2. At age 13yrs, horse starting loosing his hind legs when ridden and when in the field. Full work ups (stopped short of MRI) revealed nothing but remedial shoeing did help and I kept him going another 4 years (again no jumping). I retired him because of the tripping at 19yrs and he is still happily retired age 26yrs. He did fall a couple of times with me when it started and I couldn't face any more crashes

I would get to the bottom of it if you can but retirement is the safe option if he will be happy retired.
Good luck
 
Mahoganybay said:
But how can a vet say that without X-rays and nerve blocks. He could be bilaterally lame. Is he shod, what’s his foot balance like? Does he need help, lateral extension shoes? Your vet would only know & be able to advise this upon examination of x-rays.

I’ve just had all the done with my 17 year old IDx, thrown up an old collateral ligament injury that had bony changes. Fortunately no arthritic changes and pedal bone looking good. He spent 2 days at the vets, X-rays, nerve blocks, cost £800 alltold.
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I agree with this. My mare passed a workup and all other 'outside' tests... I still wasn't convinced she was right and vet was gobsmacked to find Ringbone, side bones, start of Navicular and DJD, he was sure I would never ride her again but I managed it for another 5 years, that's why I retired her as soon as she tripped
 
MrsNorris said:
He gets cushings tested almost every year (can you tell I’m paranoid :)) after having a borderline result about 5 years ago, so far all negative since then, worm counts always low to zero, no problems with wound healing or any of the other subtle signs of cushings, so vet thinks he is ok on that score. Bodyworkers see him every few month and he has no real problems.
He’s such a fantastic character and I’d trust him with my life, really don’t want to retire him, he’s not worked hard or anything, just a bit of low level dressage and hacking, but I’m in my 50s now and can’t be flying off like that too often!
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Ok that gives a lot more information and in that case it sounds as if you’ve given it a good crack. I love my oldie too and I can only afford one so I try everything to keep him ticking along but if I’d done all that you’ve done with no resolution then I absolutely think retirement is the only remaining option. I definitely would not want to risk getting back on unless a reason had been found and treated. :)
 
Thanks everyone for your input, I’m totally in 2 minds now, going to talk to my vet again about further investigations. Last time he was seen, vet said he’s sound as a pound, just crack on and stop worrying, but he hadn’t ever gone completely down at that point, just a bit stumbly.
He was actually at a saddle fitting when it happened and was cantering in this new saddle, which the saddler had just shimmed up quite a lot behind. Is there any chance that the different saddle unbalanced us and caused the trip? Probably just clutching at straws here but hey ho.
We’ve used a HM flexEE for the last five years, and been very happy with it, but my arthritic hip is starting to complain a bit now, and I was hoping changing to a treed saddle with a narrower twist might help with the pain a bit.
 
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MrsNorris said:
Thanks everyone for your input, I’m totally in 2 minds now, going to talk to my vet again about further investigations. Last time he was seen, vet said he’s sound as a pound, just crack on and stop worrying, but he hadn’t ever gone completely down at that point, just a bit stumbly.
He was actually at a saddle fitting when it happened and was cantering in this new saddle, which the saddler had just shimmed up quite a lot behind. Is there any chance that the different saddle unbalanced us and caused the trip? Probably just clutching at straws here but hey ho.
We’ve used a HM flexEE for the last five years, and been very happy with it, but my arthritic hip is starting to complain a bit now, and I was hoping changing to a treed saddle with a narrower twist might help with the pain a bit.
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Could the new saddle/shims have been pressing on the spine?
 
Yeah it’s possible, he did object a bit when the saddler tightened the girth whilst I was mounted, swished his tail and moved away, very unlike him but I just thought the saddler had been a bit rough, and horse is used to an elasticated girth (pro choice ven tech), but this saddler doesn’t like elastic girth’s and used what I thought was a horrid looking unelasticated one. Also he put loads of shims in, it was a Wintec wide dressage with cair, maybe a case of the horse just being uncomfortable and distracted?
 
Ah now you've said that then yes it is entirely possible that the new saddle played a part if it's maybe pinched somewhere / put him or you off balance due to the newness of it
 
I so hope you’re right Boulty, going to get the vet out again and ride in his old saddle for the time being, will stick to walk and trot for a bit though, till I have a better idea of what’s going on..
 
MrsNorris said:
Yeah it’s possible, he did object a bit when the saddler tightened the girth whilst I was mounted, swished his tail and moved away, very unlike him but I just thought the saddler had been a bit rough, and horse is used to an elasticated girth (pro choice ven tech), but this saddler doesn’t like elastic girth’s and used what I thought was a horrid looking unelasticated one. Also he put loads of shims in, it was a Wintec wide dressage with cair, maybe a case of the horse just being uncomfortable and distracted?
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Yes, I hope you didn't buy that saddle!
 
OP I'had a saddle with Cair and found the panels to be very hard compared with a flocked saddle, my gelding was very unhappy with it. I also have dodgy hips but find the Ideal Grandee is comfortable for me and the horse. You can pick them up secondhand for about £300. Best of luck.
 
My old boy did the same 6 months before he had to be retired with cushings, tripped on nothing much,crashed to the floor but amazingly got up to his feet with me still in saddle! Had ripped through his front brushing boot but not into his leg,trodden on his(very expensive) Pelham & pulled the bit apart but luckily hadn’t damaged his mouth. When he got up the bit was broken in 2 & reins were hanging round his neck,we were in a 10 acre field & had just been coming back to walk after a canter. Nothing happened again but I kept things very steady as it shook me up, 6 months after this he was diagnosed with Cushing & not good at all so I was quite relieved to retire him. Now fully retired,Cushings is stable & he’s happy as Larry!
 
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