What to do with (possibly) ex eventer....?

[Bedlam]

We bought a fabulous intermediate eventer just over a year ago with the intention of him taking my daughter around JRN. He started off just great with us but his dressage started to deteriorate slowly and things just started to go wrong over a few months ending up with her pulling up on her 1st affiliated Novice course because he wasn't right.

Turned out he had damaged his sacroiliac, poor chap. Well a good few months on from our 1st visit to Sue Dyson, scintigraphy and injections and he's just looking and feeling fabulous. I'm jumping the gun a bit as he's only being ridden in walk at the moment, but I'm starting to wonder whether he might return to competition - not at his original level I shouldn't think, but maybe up to Novice again? Trouble is my daughter who wants to go to vet school is now in full throes of A-Level frenzy at boarding school and I don't think we have the heart or time to get him back out affiliated this year. I was thinking of loaning him out or selling at a low price to a hacking home, but my heart is telling me that he could still go on and do the job that we bought him for for someone else.

What to do? If I advertise him how should I price him? I would want whoever took him on to know everything about him. Should I try a sales livery? Should I loan him out to compete to see if he can and then sell him for more? I wouldn't be looking to move him on for a few months yet until I know exactly how fit we can get him, but I'm just going round in circles trying to work out what to do with him. We were always going to sell him on this year because of A-Levels, but had hoped to have added a few successful JRNs to his record first.

Anyone have any ideas or words of wisdom?

 

[tigers_eye]

Depending a bit on what he's like to ride my experience may be relevant. A few years ago I loaned out an advanced event mare. I had been unable to get her back in foal, trying for a couple of seasons after she gave me a filly. She must have been about 16 at the time. She was a real schoolmistress type, excellent correct flatwork without too much power, and a lovely pop on her, although once she got going xc she could get out-of-control strong. Anyway, when I took the decision to loan her out she hadn't been ridden for years, was fat, unfit and quite stiff. I advertised her on Horsequest and made it quite clear she would need to be brought back into work slowly and carefully, and that I was not at all sure what she would be capable of again. I was inundated with enquiries, and was able to be really picky. She went to a fab place, they fully agreed with me re amount of walking, and in fact did even more than I stipulated, got her seen by physio etc, they were excellent towards her and after 2 months asked me to come and see her as they wanted to know if the stiffness she showed was a lot greater than before, and sadly that was the case and we decided she shouldn't be worked further. They were brilliant about it, of course they were sad she wouldn't do the job they wanted, but everyone had been upfront from the start so there were no hard feelings. Being a loan not a sale I stayed in control, more than if I'd sold her.

 

[blueblonde123]

I suppose it depends if you really need rid of him. If you don't and its feasible for you to bring him back to competing, and from your post it would seem not, but if you could, then get him fit and if it turns out he is going to be permanently unsound put him at grass to get fat and hairy and sell/loan as a hacking horse.
Or sell him just now as he is - maybe sound - but obviously this would deter a lot of people.
I assume you would be selling him at a low price and this may attract numpties so maybe LWVTB to a well vetted home?
Hope this is helpful.

 

[amage]

You don't mention how old he is which is fairly important. Is he an older fella? Would you consider sending him to someone to get him up & running and back competing...if you found the right person there is no reason why horse could not be ready to go for your daughter at hols etc Obviously finances are a consideration but if it is feasible then it is definitely worth considering. Somebody like Rosiefan's grand-daughter may be suited to the job you want?

 

[Luci07]

Was it joint or ligament? And also what did Dr Dyson feel would be the best outcome? It was my understanding that horses who suffered a sacroiliac injury did not often return to the same competitive level. However that could be your boy could go back to Novice but not Intermediate. You are trying to be honest and do the best for your horse and I appreciate you will probably imcure a real financial cost too.

My advise would be to firstly see what level of work Dr Dysom thinks your boy could do. Once you know that, if she feels with the correct care he could compete, then I would advertise him as a schoolmaster but as a LVWTB. However with a difference. I would agree the programme to bring the horse back into work. An agreed price if the horse gets to an agreed level of fitness and competitive level after x months of work. An action plan if this does not work out. In addition, loaners vet to assess the horse first and share results with yours and a further assessement, again with results shared.

This could work out. Good event schoolmasters are like hens teeth so you could well find someone who would do this. This way you share the risk as well. Where are actually located as well?

 

[Grey_Eventer]

I think it really depends on how serious the injury was?

One of our polo ponies damaged his sacroiliac joint- had injections and then physio. He is now at a good "base" level and we are now re-building his muscle correctly as he had compensated due to the injury. He should return to polo fine at the level he was playing at last season. It has taken us a good 5 months to get to now, but he's been in work throughout, although only light hacking and doing his exercises from the physio.

Worth finding out more as to what vet/physio think of his future and then go from there. As others have said LWVTB is a good option or sending him to someone to get him going again?

 

[Bedlam]

All good replies - thankyou!

He won't be going anywhere until he's fit. He currently is doing 30 mins each way on the walker in a Pessoa (as per Sue Dyson's recommendation) and is now up to an hour ridden walk work as well and will carry on at this level for another 3 weeks. We are a good couple of months off deciding what he may or may not be able to do long term to be honest, but having thought that I may well need to retire him completely I am now looking at him and thinking he looks better than he has ever done and I just wonder whether he couldn't go on and do more?

His value is no issue - we accepted that we had lost what we paid for him when he was diagnosed. It would be easy to throw him in a field and let him get hairy and fat - but actually the recommendation is to keep him fit to keep his sacroiliac joint stable.

I am just torn between hanging onto control of his future and loaning him to a hack home or letting him go to someone who wants to take a punt on whether he would compete and cope.

He is a fabulous person with a great nature and he deserves the best - I'm just arguing with myself about what the best may be!

 

[seabsicuit2]

I have to say, hand on heart, that if all that sue Dyson found was wrong with him was a damaged sacroliliac that is just AMAZING!! Especially in a older, intermediate event horse with miles on the clock. Youv'e got a pretty sound and tough horse there! Its a shame that your not anywhere near Hampshire because we have a brilliant physio here who is great at maintaining horses with this sort of problem. It makes it all seem very easy and straightforward to manage. Whereas in other areas sacroilliac damage is a nightmare to manage if you havent got the right support team and knowledge behind you- which comes from having the right physio and the right farrier, saddler etc- its the whole overall picture.

I guess what I'm saying is that this condition is easy ( but a little expensive ) to manage if you can find the right person to send him to. Of course I cant judge on your horse's individual condition but have had quite a few with this problem and once you get the feet right and the right, regular physio support it should be easy to stay on top of it.

 

[.Redmerl]

What about some where in between. Get him fitter and loan to someone who wants to do PN stuff over summer, if he copes with that go from there? At least you will know how he manage the work.

 

[Bedlam]

I have to say, hand on heart, that if all that sue Dyson found was wrong with him was a damaged sacroliliac that is just AMAZING!! Especially in a older, intermediate event horse with miles on the clock. Youv'e got a pretty sound and tough horse there! Its a shame that your not anywhere near Hampshire because we have a brilliant physio here who is great at maintaining horses with this sort of problem. It makes it all seem very easy and straightforward to manage. Whereas in other areas sacroilliac damage is a nightmare to manage if you havent got the right support team and knowledge behind you- which comes from having the right physio and the right farrier, saddler etc- its the whole overall picture.

I guess what I'm saying is that this condition is easy ( but a little expensive ) to manage if you can find the right person to send him to. Of course I cant judge on your horse's individual condition but have had quite a few with this problem and once you get the feet right and the right, regular physio support it should be easy to stay on top of it.

Now that's a good way of looking at it. I have a super physio who came this morning actually and released a bit of tension that's built up behind the saddle and then he did his hour on the walker and then another hour ridden in a resistance band over lines of raised poles - and he was fabulous. I think we'll hold fire on any decisions until we have him fully fit and can assess what he may or may not be able to do. Thanks to all for making me look at things a little more positively! It can get hard in the middle of winter walking for hours on end.....!!