What would you do?

[BenjaminBunny]

Ok I wasn't sure of the best place to post this - veterinary or here but i decided upon here - apologies if it's the wrong place

Now, I want people's opinions

I bought a horse in April - a 16.2hh TBxID he's 9 and black (except his muzzle goes brown in winter).... i had him vetted and he passed a stage 5

a month down the line (after i finally got a saddle to fit) i realised something wasn't right - he wasn't lame, just had issues with the farrier all of a sudden, was really on the forehand

anyway i got the vet out and he was diagnosed with hindlimb suspensory desmitis - he has since undergone (in order)
4 weeks of box rest with shockwave therapy
A scan
4 weeks of box rest with walking 5 mins a day building to 1 hour
A scan
4 weeks of box rest with 2 hours in a small paddock a day and ridden
4 weeks of being in a paddock all day with ridden work building in trot work (as at this point it got dark at nights i've only been able to ride at the weekends)

Anyway on thursday I had the farrier come and the farrier nailed a nail in a sensitive bit so he has a further week off work (just as i was getting over some major confidence issues)

Once i've built the trot to 20 mins per day the vet will come out and assess him (no scan this time)

only if he takes any backwards steps will he go for other scans

so congrats if you've got this far

my dilema is - i want to do hacking with schooling and dressage - because of this ligament problem he has low pasterns (the angle low) I am worried that he will just be a happy hacker and I won't be able to do the things i want to do or if i took him showing (ridden hunter) and to dressage that i would have to explain his back leg issue every time (although he's not lame and moves nicely)

Now i have had this horse for 7 months and we have really bonded and personality wise we match perfectly

he's a complete gent, never has a bad face for any person or horse - he is never aggressive to any person or horse

is happy stabled or out in the field - has no issues with travelling in trailers or boxes

he just needs a patient farrier as he struggles to keep his balance as his muscle tone on his back end is low because of the injury - but he's getting better (he was fine with his back legs this time shame the farrier freaked him out by hurting his front)

but i know once he's recovered if he's not doing what i want I will have to sell - but i'm terrified no one will want to buy him - he would make a perfect happy hacker as he's fab in traffic - and isn't spooky in the slightest (loves plastic bags rustling)
and i'd be worried about him being passed from pillar to post as he so obviously has been in his past

i guess i'm after some reassurance that i'm doing right by him and me - and could do with some kind words from fellow suspensory ligament people

i guess i am feeling low because a few people at my yard keep telling me what to do and it's difficult

 

[samp]

Sorry to hear about your horses problems, sounds like you did not get off on a good note. I am unsure if your horse would cope well with dressage due to the pressure placed on the hind legs. May be worth discussing options with your vet?

 

[AmyMay]

I think you're just going to have to suck and see. And it's probably going to be maybe next spring before you know how far you can push him.

The key is how you bring him back in to work - plenty of road work. Make sure you keep out of the school until you are 100% happy that he is sound doing everything up to fast work and staying sound. You'll then be ok to start working in a softer and deeper arena environment.

You must be so frustrated. But I think that only time will tell, and you've got to let him have it.

 

[BenjaminBunny]

Upto now when our work was just in walk - i just hacked out

as i work full time this is no longer an option during the week

as i was bringing trot into the equation (on confirmation from the vet) i took him into a school arena which isn't too deep

once he's recovered from his shoeing thing i plan to hack out at the weekend - gradually building again and in the school at least 3 times a week (again gradually bringing him back)

so far he's been doing well - and intially i was told by the vet that he'll be ok for flat work but jumping would potentially be out

it's all been very gradual with him (so far 6 months recovery time) and i will give him the best i can

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
as i work full time this is no longer an option during the week

[/ QUOTE ]
You're going to have to find someone to do this for you then, as it's the only way you are going to give your horse the optimum chance of recovery.

I paid someone to ride my horse on the roads for two months during the winter when she came off box rest for ligament damage as I was in the same predicament as you.

 

[Kelly1982]

I brought a horse and after only 6 months of owning him i started noticing quite a few problems. To cut a long story short he was backwards and forwards to the vets and had nearly a year off of work. I perservered (sp) with him as i loved him to pieces. The vet told me that he would return to jumping (which is what i brought him for) but i would have to give him a lot of time and it was going to be a very bumpy road.

I started to work him again and after a few months i decided enough was enough. Even though i loved him i knew that he was never going to be the horse for me and go to the level i wanted.

I sold him to a forum memeber in the end, he is back out jumping again now but still has his off days. Luckily they are not bothered by this and if he finds competing too hard then they will just use him for hacking and to have fun on.

I have since brought a new horse and she is perfect for me (although we do have ours ups and downs too but thats coz she is a youngster).

I think you should wait and see what happens when the injury is healed and see what the vet advises.

If you feel he wont be able to cope with the work you want him to do then cross that bridge when you come to it. For now i would just concentrate on getting him better.

If you do decide to sell as he can only be used for hacking then YOU WILL be able to sell him, when i decided to sell my horse i had loads of people wanting a bomb proof hack who weren't bothered in the slightest about his problems just as long as he was safe. Your horse seems to fit this bill perfectly so i wouldn't worry to much if thats the route you decide to take.

 

[BenjaminBunny]

Thanks Kelly - that is basically what i've decided to do is do my best by him get him right and then assess things once he's recovered

Amymay - i have considered this for sometime - but i cannot really afford this - it's not helped that my husband was made redundant and through my horse's recovery has been unemployed - hence my finances have taken a severe beating - he now has a job (for the past 2 months) but we are in a state of recovery financially
- my best option is to do road work during the weekend and during the week do our trot work in the school - i have confirmed with the vet that this is ok - and i wasn't doing stupid schooling manovers (just sticking to simple changes of rein in walk and trotting large) - i also mentioned about my recent inability to ride during the week to the vet (as i've been beating myself up about not working him as much as i'd like) and my vet said the problems they come across with these injuries is people rushing to get their horse fit and back to competing

doesn't help when you keep getting set backs