To Bute or not to Bute?

I did, years ago. I took an 18 year old mare on loan who had been started on bute at 15 because of navicular. I was always very careful of the ground and nearly always hacked alone so I could do what I wanted and not feel pressurized to go faster than I wanted to at any point. She got to 27 and then had to be put down for a reason unrelated to the navicular. As my first horse she has always felt very special to me as I never thought I would effectively own one. Her breeding was TB cross Welsh section B and I used to say that she got the worst of both of these in terms of behaviour! She loved hacking, could get very over excited and behave in ways which were quite ridiculous for an older lady. I think the bute gave her twelve years of fun and enjoyment and I don't regret for a moment giving it to her.
 
I have a horse who's on one bute a day for his arthritis... he is retired from ridden work but really enjoys being involved and getting out and about and needs the exercise to keep on top of his weight (Welsh Cob). I give him a bute a day because it enables me to keep him comfortable in the work we do (lots of long rein hacking and pole work) and very happy in the field. So he is buted to be exercised, but not specifically ridden... he probably wouldn't mind being ridden, but I think he does better without the extra 10 stone sat on board... plus he get's too excited undersaddle, where as on long reins he is slightly calmer. I do sometimes ride him bareback for 10 mins to run an errand, but not often - it makes me too sad as I miss riding him so much.

I also give him it to make sure he doesn't build up the wrong muscles/create poor posture/create issues elswhere by avoiding using his fetlock correctly.

I kind of think of it a bit like us... if I'm moving funny becauase my leg's hurting, eventually my back will get sore and my hips and whatever else. I'm also of the opinion that we should be doing whatever we can to allow a horse to have a long, happy, pain-free life, so long as we're not pushing the horse too much and whatever the exercise is of benefit to this, and not just for a rider chasing goals/rosettes etc, then I'm fine with it.
 
I’ve done it short term in the past to keep an older horse hacking. Everyone told me it was for the best and that he’d go downhill if I retired him.
In fact he didn’t and retired quite happily. I think it depends on the issue. I did it with him, he was a bit old, high mileage as a ex hunter and just a bit stiff and arthritic. I’d not bite an actual undiagnosed lameness to keep riding
 
It depends on if it's better to bute and do suitable work for that horse or wether it's better to retire. I wouldn't wish to bute a horse for ridden work if he could be field sound and do interesting things like inhand walks around the village. I have several areas so restriction wouldn't happen. However if he was on a yard on half an acre of feature less paddock and stabled overnight, which in practice tends to be for more than half the day then bute and ridden work would be preferable even if his joints were getting more work that might not be good for them. It's all very individual.
 
When my boy was a little unlevel on sharp turns my vets advice was to give him bute and take him hunting. We already did hunt. He was a big heavyweight boy, loved his hunting and carried on until his 20s. I have no ethical issue with it. He had some before and after hunting and hacked bute free the rest of the time. Tbh then there were a lot of horses who maybe were not sound enough for their day job but the odd bute kept them happy enough for hunting. I really don't see the problem with it when for arthritis type unsoundness. Whilst "some" may argue we were being selfish doing it for our pleasure I disagree.
 
I haven't, but would generally lean towards yes in the hypothetical. All evidence points to horses aging better if they're in shape, much like people. And while it's theoretically possible to keep a horse fit without riding, it's a lot harder (especially aerobic fitness). There are obviously unethical ways to do it, like pushing a horse in ways that damage their aging body, but I think generally if it's done with the aim of keeping them aging well, and with the needs of an older athlete in mind, then it's a good idea.
 
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