What am I doing wrong? long....

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sonjafoers

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I posted re my mare in the middle of Jan as she is constantly off work for various reasons, and we are now at the end of Feb and I still haven't been able to ride her. I am really getting to the point of getting rid of her as I can't seem to cope with the constant worry, cost and emotional strain but i love her so much I know if she went I would look back and regret it. I bought her with the hope of eventing her and in the 4 years I have had her I haven't been able to ride her for more than about 6 weeks consistently (although last summer I think we had a few months with no major problems) so we haven't actually been able to get on with anything. In fact I have nicknamed her ' the horse that never was' due to the complete lack of being able to DO anything!

I'll keep this brief but this is a snapshot of the last few months and is pretty typical of life with her:
Rode for about 3 weeks in November after she had been off work for about a month due to an abcess
then she skinned a back leg by somehow getting it inside her fillet string so had a week off
next she was kicked badly so had a few more weeks off
then we had snow
the day it was ok to ride again she came in with a massive fetlock so more time off
tacked her up 10 days ago thinking yippee I can ride then had the feeling something wasn't right - took her temperature only to find it was 40 so of course more time off
she is still off work now because of above infection but the vet is coming next week to retake blood & hopefully give me the ok to ride - so yesterday afternoon she came in totally lame just to make sure she can't be ridden if the blood tests come back ok.

I have ridden her 3 times since the end of November, and I have had 2 non-routine farrier visits and 3 vets visits since then at cost of over £800 so far and another farrier visit yesterday to check it isn't an abcess and the vet due again on Wednesday.

Has anyone else had or got a horse like this, and if so have you kept it? I am so so worried/fed up/frustrated that I honestly don't know what to do about her. I am starting to think I am doing something very wrong with her but she is kept exactly the same as my other girl and she is never off work. Do you think it is something to do with her management?

Any advice greatly appreciated.
 
maybe she is a horse that needs lots of stabling and individual turnout, my horse doesnt get turned out with anyone else coz hes a self harmer! and wrap her in cotton wool!!
 
Don't really know what to suggest other than hugs! It sounds like a total nightmare.

Regarding the coming in with injuries- is she charging around with others? Is individual turnout a possibility?

Other than that. Hope things get better soon xx
 
Is she a TB hun? Judging by friends who have TBs, that's pretty much par for the course. Hang in there hun and it will be worth it in the end. In the meantime, let's hope Mrs M reads your post as she is the best Giver Of Hugs And Hot Choccie on the Forum xxx
 
Sorry but i dont think many people will take on a horse with a comprehensive injury history! 6 weeks consistant work in 4 years isnt a strong selling point.

Have you looked at your mangement routine and facilities? Could the way she is looked after or the facilities be contributing to the problem? Are there any changes that you can identify to solve certain problems? e.g change of yard, different shoeing, more turnout, different company, etc

Your other horse is exactly that- a different horse. And what works for one doesnt automatically work for another. Maybe that is some of the problem?
 
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Sorry but i dont think many people will take on a horse with a comprehensive injury history!

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To be fair, none of the injuries are particularly serious, just all silly nigggly things- just a virus, cuts and bruises! I'd be far more worried if it was tendon injuries/navicular/arthritis serious things like that!

To the OP- I think it sounds as tho she is turned out with lots of others-you simply have to keep her on her own as it sounds like all injuries /aliments are a result of what is going on in the field. Work out a way to stop her hooling around the field- turn out early&for longer, or turn out at night and bring in for the day.
As for the virus- can reccomend silverlining herbs to get her immume system back on track quickly.

Hopefully this is all just a bad patch & you'll be back on board properly soon- you must be due some good luck now!
 
I agree with this OB. It sounds like the injuries are all minor things and you've just been really unlucky.

Can you turn her out alone or just with one other, very quiet, horse? The injuries all seem to be a result of hooning around or being silly in the field. Maybe you could put some hay out so that she concentrates on eating rather than being silly.

What sort of horse is she?
 
She hasn't had any serious or long term injuries, as mentioned they are all niggles but just seem to come one after another. When she is worked & having lessons the 2 instructors I've had have absolutely praised her - she is brave, quick to learn and a quality, scopey girl - in fact when she was backed the peson backing her phoned & offered me more than double that I'd paid for her (regrets....well,maybe!!) She is 7/8 TB but not too fine or weedy, although she has had low heel/long toe foot issues in the past which have now been rectified by a change of farrier.

Our turn out is wet and muddy with poor grazing. I used to keep her in by night over winter but on the advice of my vet I have kept her turned out this winter, although she is in twice during the day for a total of about 4-5 hours a day and she is sstill in overnight if we are having a lot of rain. I don't think she has been any worse for being out as these type of ongoing problems are common whatever I do.

Please note if I decide to part with her I wouldn't DREAM of selling her to someone without being honest about her history.

Edited as I forgot to say yes she is out with 3 others and they are all mares, but they have a huge turnout area so plenty of space to charge around if they feel like it. Do you think I should start bringing her back in at night over winter but it would mean she would be in on her own.
 
I've got a horse like yours, if I put him out with a full suit of armour he would still find something to injure himself on. I bought him to do dressage 4 years ago but he has been off work every season with one thing or another. He has bone spavin, suspensory lig damage and is always knocking himself so the vet is a regular visitor. But, I love him to death and he is a sweetheart, I am just hoping that having got him sound enough to hack he has grown out of his injuries. I gave up on the dressage and have just bought another horse for that but I would never part with him, I would worry that somebody else wouldn't look after him as well as he is here. I think some horses are just like that. Good luck - you may find that yours too will grow out of all his problems, they often do.
 
I had a TB like this. Though we had 3 chestnut geldings on the yard andthey took it in turn being lame. He was a woss and when attacked he would run and stand in the corner. Obviously this just meant he was pinned! I found the only way to keep him safe was to turn him out with one other, prefferably elderly companion who would ignore him. Unfortunately if turned out alone he would jump out.
Have you tried hiding and watching them in the field to see what's happening? It might be nothing but you might see something.
Good luck
 
My mare was like this when she was turned out in a group. The solution, in her case, was to turn her out with one quiet, unshod, elderly companion on approx 1/2 acre so they don't have loads of space and don't tend to play and we no longer have any field injuries.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies - I do appreciate what some of you are saying re turning her out with someone quiet but apart from when she was kicked in December the other issues haven't been caused by being turned out in a group. I'm just at a loss as to what to do with her to keep her sound and rideable.
 
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