What would you do?

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Marchtime

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What would you do if this was your horse...
Jesper has has collateral ligament damage in his right fore (diagnosed eighteen months ago). He had the prescribed rest and treatment; we've exhausted the insurance and run out of options. He was still intermittently 1/10th lame when ridden. Vet came out and recommended one danilon every other day and light hacking work. Vet also believes he has low grade suspensory damage in right fore and has re-aggravated his old left hind suspensory injury. Vet believes best way forward is danilon and light work. However, Jesper seems incapable of being in work. Came in this week having thrown a splint. Had colic last month, removed a shoe before Christmas... Basically he's out of work more than he's in work due to his field antics, but he goes out in the smallest paddock available and alone - I can't keep him in as it's not fair on him.
I don't know whether to give up and retire him, whether to turn him away for a year and hope or what. He's 10yrs old. Can't be truly turned away as he's a TB who won't live out and won't share a field with other horses. He has to have remedial shoeing with silicon gel pads (very expensive) just to stay sound. I'm emotionally exhausted. The constant rollercoaster of him getting better then going lame again with something else has taken it's toll. It just feels like a battle I can't win. However he is very happy in himself and I'd never consider putting him down as the vet agrees he's not in pain. I'm just feeling a bit down. Any words of wisdom or advice? Is it best to give up temporarily? But I'm worried if I turn him away I won't bring him back in to work as he'll undoubtedly be a real handful and can have temperament issues especially after time off... Vet is out of advice. I think he's advised the danilon and light hacking route as he feels Jesper isn't really suitable to just be a pet...
Sorry for the long post
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Join the club. I'm in much the same boat as you, my horse has had a range of vet problems for well over a year and has just injured a tendon so probably out for another year.
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Just like you I'm feeling very down and exhausted and not sure what to do for the best.
Erm, sorry, no useful advice there as I'm not sure what to do either!
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but feel free to PM if you ever fancy a moan.
 
Thanks Butterbean, it's so difficult when they're accident prone.
Flames_Slave thanks for the honesty but I'm not ready to give up on him yet. If you could see him he is still full of beans and not in pain (unless ridden and even then he's only ever 1/10th lame). He looks fit and well and on days he does feel up to being ridden everyone always comments how well he still goes. I just wish he'd stop adding to the list of injuries! Vet also doesn't think he needs to be pts although he does except he is a very very expensive 'pet'.
 
I know you say he won't go in a field with another horse why is this ? I'm just thinking if you could get him a field companion he may settle more and stop injuring himself.
Having said this one of my horses is completely accident prone, and guess what he's got a lot of TB in him !!!
Fortunately I have others that I ride so this makes it a little easier, he is a very talented horse but just needs to have a little self preservation !
I thought about selling him, but decided he'd be more like a bomerang, he'd keep coming back !! Only kidding despite being a complete pain 'I do love him!!'
I've just stopped looking for problems now, I no longer look at his lumps or bumps unless he is lame or has a cut that needs treating I just get on with it, so far it appears to be working.
I know its easier said than done but try and remain positive, you probably feel like its all work and expense without the fun bit !
 
Hi This is my accident prone horse !
This was at a time he'd allowed the colt to chew his tail !
Note this is a friend on him as I'm on the sideline with a dislocated shoulder !!! (I swear he's the accident prone one
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I think there are a few of us in the same boat.Butterbean and I have a good support group going if you want to join us we could make it a three way moan of anguish.
You probably remember speaking to me re soft tissue injury gel pads eggbar and my accident prone tb.Sometimes you feel like you are going down a big black hole.
PTS has been suggest to me on various occassions but its not a option when there is some light at the end of the tunnel.Im hanging on until the summer then if all his treatment fails might have to look at companion home .My insurance have paid out nearly £8000 so Ive exhausted my options as well.Pm me or Butterbean if you want our emails we have propped each other up for the last few months.
 
hi marchtime, i could'nt agree with you more ! as you might be aware my horse has same problem as yours and up and till last week i was on a high - in mth 13 of rehab all going fine, tried on all my 'show clothes' for this season and got excited !!, checking out riding clubs etc etc.. then this monday had a fantastic schooling session, lunged on tuesday (very large circle, 15 mins only, have to as no turnout in winter and horse a crack pot if not got out) , wednesday slightly off/stiff, same thursday, total box rest friday but gave him a massage as i hope it is muscle stiffness been gutted and cried alot too . today i had a lesson booked with a very experianced top instructer and she said that he was sound and it was muscle stiffness due to him working alot straighter now ( being out of action for so long and compensating had made him very crooked) but i am so so paranoid i dont know whether to believe her!! its like walking on egg shells with him and has much as i love him i sometimes wish i had never set eyes on him and bought him. i have read all yours and cellies posts ( and others) and thought i had perhaps been lucky but i am not so sure now. think we all need counselling l.o.l
 
Chestnut cob - he can't go out in the field with another as he is extremely aggressive to other horses if they are in the same field. We've tried him with a few different horses, bigger, smaller, dominant, passive... but he's just not nice!
cellie thank you so much. I think like you I'm hanging on in the hope that when spring/summer come I can hack more and he'll settle in to going out and not be so much of an idiot. I hope yours, like mine, will come right with the sun!
blackned, don't lose hope. Jesper's set back seems to be caused by suspensory problems due to compensatory issues. The vet thinks he would have been ok without the previous hind suspensory injury. Have you tried giving yours bute or danilon for a day or two. I previously used the method if Jesper had a manic day in the field and came in stiff. It helps get down the inflammation. A day or two on bute and he always seemed to be fine. And yes to the counselling!
 
Hi blackned
you must have done some serious reading if you managed to get through all my posts well done!
Counselling sounds like a good idea, some days you feel completely despondent.Ive lost 2 years with Ollies op and injuries and every time we start again I seem to get a new set back.If you need a good moan you can pm me anytime.I hope things improve for you and your horse.
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