Who would you go with - Farrier or trainer?

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ronansmum

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My beloved boy is now 19, we have a varied riding life, mainly trec, prelim dressage and hacking and lately my trainer, a superb BHSI who started with us nearly 2 years ago, has started to up the level of training to include counter canter and trot, halt, trot transitions, 10 meter circles etc. I have never called myself a "proper rider" so you can probably imagine my glee at being able to get some decent results! My horse is 16 2 and long, ID x so built quite big too....typical big Irish horse who tries his very best no matter what we are doing!

The farrier was at the yard the other day and I was telling him how pleased I am. He said I shouldn't be doing such active movements with the horse, straight lines were much better for him, he also pointed out that he is arthritic in one knee as well as having bone spavin which has now fused. He'd told me about the bone spavin some months ago but said there was no need to worry, the bones had fused so there was no more discomfort. BUT I was so ashamed I hadn't spotted it when it first developed. I did mention this to my trainer but her view was that the horse hadn't been asked to do hard work which would have made the bone spavin lameness obvious to me.

Anyway the question I want to ask you is who would you go with? The trainer or the farrier? Who knows best? I have a lesson later this week and intend to discuss it but I am wondering what experienced riders on here think! He is on Cortaflex HA and is living out on the basis that the more he moves about the better!! I bought him 6 years ago to give him an easier life, he'd been doing xc and sjing on a very regular basis with his previous owner.

Thanks in advance
 
That well known professional who has extensive training ............... the experienced equine vet!
Surprised your farrier is diagnosing so specifically, and surprised trainer has not noticed, or decided not to discuss it with you.
Maybe there have been other diagnoses.
I use a vet if there is something I am not sure of, that is his function.
 
Vet plus horse. I think xrays/ultrasound would show the degree of change in the various joints.
Also, you have to consider that both your horse and you are enjoying yourselves and your horse is not showing signs of pain. Yes the work may add wear and tear to the horse and it may not have as long an active life, but then on this principle not working a horse at all would be the best remedy and no one can predict how long a horse's limbs will last anyway. I know of one horse that never had the best conformation (front legs went a bit like an eggbeater) and he did his first Novice 3-day event at the age of 19. It was the old format and he went so fast round the steeplechase that people thought he was just off the racetrack. He retired to be a 'foal nanny' about 4-5 years later when one knee stiffened up, but he had a tremendous amount of fun in the meantime.
 
Farrier. He's spoken up for a reason, it's not something farriers do as a matter of course. He's seeing negative changes and is warning you. When that happened to me I ignored my farrier to the detriment of my horse. Horses try to hide pain for as long as they can........
 
If the horse is happy then I would be happy - there is no reason at all not to teach him new movements, he will tell you if he is coping :)

If you are worried, get the Vet to give their opinion on whether he will cope with the increase in work.
 
Tbh I did do with frank last year as he was showing some stiffness and a busy chap and I did discuss with vet that he could have a quieter life if better for him. Sadly for him vet disagreed :p.
 
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