Update on horse with bone spavin.

[milz88]

Hi just a little update for anyone interested.

My horse was diagnosed with fairly onset spavins in feb, we had him treated with injections in each hock, 3x shockwave and 2x physio sessions. There was no immediate improval in ridden work although he looked alot more cheery and comfortable in normal stable/yard life, but he was sound on flexion tests, however incredibly stiff to school still!

We then had the physio out twice, 2 weeks apart and this appears to have made a huge difference in the last 4 weeks! I began from basics again, hacking for 3 weeks with increasing trot work, to then small short canters, and 10 mins schooling, loads and loads of flexing and bending and now he's like a different horse and appears to improve each time I ride him We think as he had a total of 7 months out of work (including over snow period in winter) he went very stiff and just hadn't got the flexibility in his body, also possibly caused by moving awkwardly because of the spavins.

I just wanted to say that for others that may have horses diagnosed with spavins in the future, if you're lucky (which at the moment I think I am) sometimes they can be treated with just injections, I know others have been much less fortunate and have had tildren/IRAP/ethanol etc etc and still see no improvement, I really really feel for you!

5 weeks ago he couldn't even trot a 20m circle, he would almost go lame, it was so impossible for him, and now he can school for 20mins in trot and do lovely comfortable 10m circles, and with the way he felt before, I honestly thought it'd take a miriacle if he's ever be able to do a dressage test again, now I feel if I keep building him up steadily then we may just be able to do that, touch wood!!

 

[djb]

Nice to gear a positive story

My horse was diagnosed with spavins on both hinds 2 weeks ago and has had his joints injected. The vet said hopefully I should feel a difference after 4-7 days as it quite fast acting. He told me to give my horse an easy week and then ride as normal and he will come and have another look in another month.

I am so impatient and feel no improvement so far but I know it's early days - so you have given me hope!

 

[Birker2020]

thats brilliant, I'm glad its worked out for you.

It worked out for my horse too, his was only mild spavin and we threw the lot at him, adequan, tildren x 3, intra articular HA injections, steroid injections, remedial shoeing, period of box rest and rehab programme.

Currently competing unaff elem dressage, one day events, fun rides, show jumping, le trec, hacking (no trotting on road) and lots of schooling.

 

[milz88]

Oh wow nice to hear some other positive stories!

djb- definitely be patient, they say 4-7 days, but sometimes it can take 2 weeks? how much time has your horse had off? if you feel not much improvement, I would definitely recommend a qualified physio a couple of times, as they can suffer alot with stiffness if they haven't been working or working properly, I honestly don't think my boy would feel as good as he does without physio treatment, he felt flippin awful to be to the point, now he feels so much looser, flexible etc so give it a thought.

applecart- another success story, glad to hear it! its working out for us so far, but step by step I will build him up, just introducing canters now, but already he's become so much lighter in my hands in trot and soft so fingers crossed! I hope we can do some dressage tests soon and a little jumping if things go well and of course i'd love to event again but I just want him to be comfortable is my priority!