Would you ride/exercise?

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Skhosu

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Ok, so the earliest vet appointment I can get is thursday (to do trot ups and check somebodys slightly broken head)
The vet recommends not riding until he gets the all clear.
I'd really like to know other peoples experiences. I'm quite worried he will need 6 weeks rest or something to let it heal, and it couldn't have come at a worse time. He looked quite sore yesterday (a bit dull). Ideally I woul dhave got him to the vets tomorrow and got him checked, but they're too busy.
Could I even lunge him?
I probably sound impatient, but I've been planning this competition since I got him, he just needs two more gallops and he's ready. Thinking about the timing I am becoming more convinced that it is going to be a no. (the trot up is next wednesday. This is most likely my only chance to ever do a 3-day)
Bugger.
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I wouldn't risk doing anything until the vet has been. Certainly not just for a competition! Sorry, but there'll be another time. The horse must come first, surely.
 
I had a horse that smashed his face in, a fist sized hole between his eyes.
The vet did say we could work as normal when the initial swelling had gone down, but we decided to give him a 6 month break in any case.
My main worry is that the horse seriously needs antibiotic cover and some strong anti inflammatories, has the vet arranged for this even if he is busy?
Im assuming the 3day is affiliated in some way? In that case, the drug treatment your horse needs will rule it out.
 
I would leave well alone esp if he still seems sore. If he seemed fine and it was just being cautious then maybe but not if he's obviously not right. There'll be other events, just think about how bad you would feel if you made it worse....
 
Of course he comes first. He's in the field, not doing anything, carefully checked as we're watching for infection.
It's our first serious injury, I'm the most experienced person on the yard so I'm just asking for advice and experience.
I don't think I would dare ride without the vets permission, he did really scare me with his nosebleeds and the air swelling.
Amymay-Presumeably it was mainly field rest? How long did they have off?
Honestly, am I right in saying its unlikely he'll be fit for it? Or does it depend on what he has damaged? Other problem is I go to university two days after Necarne, what I'm going to do with him then I don't know, he was supposed to be tried out on the thursday. Sorry, just a bit of outpouring. I'm sitting here on a gorgeous day and poor horsey is feeling sorry for himself.
 
The most important thing is your horses wellbeing!!!! If the vet has not to work him then for goodness sake don't work him!
Sorry to sound harsh but I can't believe you are even considering the possibility of working him for the sake of a competition!

There will be other competitions...
 
I would wait until the vet has come to see him.
I don't think it would be worth it, for just incase it makes the problem worse just for a competition.
There will be more but I understand how fustrating it must be.
I hope he recovers soon for you.
 
yes 4whitelegs, it is harsh. Iv ebeen led to believe there is nothing to 'do' for him at this stage. The vet we spoke to on sat (called emergency as were concerned about swelling) has said give him bute and that's it. Dad thought he needed anti-b's (doctor) but vet said no. (this vet hasn't seen him, is our local '2nd' vet though)
 
Yes, it's looking unlikely I think. There won't be more. He's for sale and I go to university for 5 years now. This was to be my last ever event on him. Well, maybe I can look on the positive side. Maybe I won't have to sell him if he can't be ridden. There is no actual wound, just some airy swelling. He completed the xc after doing it, another min and a half, as normal but presumeably with adrenaline.
 
With a head trauma I would always insist the vet saw it ASAP, they can then also perform xrays and scans if necessary. I have seen some horrible injuries and would recommend the horse did as little as possible until all possibilities have been ruled out really
 
He wont lose much fitness in that time and might even gain any minimum lost due to being fresher. With competition horses/athletes its not always possible to arrive at every competition 100% perfectly prepared and its just part of competing to have to deal with things like this. With this type of accident, its best to wait for the vet.

Though I would want the vet out a lot sooner than Thursday! Cant you get another vet?
 
See, because he is a tad awkward with the vet, we see the sort of 'head' vet at the practise. There is a funeral today so all todays appointments are shifted to tomorrow and its super busy, there's no point in having a call out as I'd like him to be x-rayed and possibly scoped, plus he may need a few extra hands to sedate him. I won't be making any final descisions until he's seen the vet but I'm just thinking, jumping, dropping etc, say in a human with a broken nose may not be much fun, and I think it would be similar.
 
I would do as the vet said, there'll be other opportunities for you later but tbh, I cannot understand why you are faffing around; surely Ireland has some other just as experienced vets over there. To wait until Thursday before he can be seen by your vet is appalling; I'd want and would get him examined asap by someone else; head injuries can be very nasty.
 
Really? I could give the other vet a call, but we've never seen him at all, so not sure how well that would go down. Shall maybe give them a ring and see what sort of timescale they would give. He does not seem uncoordinated etc. and is eating and drinking fine so I assumed he would be ok, it's more a case of waiting to see if infection comes or not, there's not a great deal else to be done.
He was seen by a vet on the saturday twice although at that stage we weren't thinking broken bone.
 
Just a little update, went out and gave him a good look, not happy with the fact he is quite dull, not overly so but for him, so rang the other vets who can fit me in tomorrow, which will also make it easier for me to assess whether to withdraw or not. I know you say there will be more, but there won't. This is like Badminton or the Olympics for me. I will probably never get to event him again after this. If he can't do it, he can't do it. But if he can do it without being sore/off form then I don't want to miss it. I do appreciate what people are saying, re: horse before competition and I will not put an unfit horse into a big event, so we'll see what the vet has to say and hopefully he has cracked something very minor and will be fit and raring to go.
 
I think you need to face up to the fact that you will not be competing your horse next Wednesday.

He sounds as if he suffering from concussion, apart from probably being in pain.

You need to take this a little more seriously, and be a little more mature about it.

I have to say that I would also be treating this as rather more of an emergency than you or your vet seem to be doing.
 
Sorry, but I have spoken to two vets, one who said he may or may not be alright, depending on the examination, but did not see it as an emergency based on the facts..
And he was examined very quickly by the competition vet, who advised he be checked out, but not as an emergency.
I have been led to believe that there is actually nothing to be done, save watch for infection and give painkillers, so there's not exactly much else I can do. He will be seen tomorrow and will then be rested/whatever according to the diagnosis. At the moment it is a small possibility he can compete, and I don't think it is wrong to still consider it if he is happy. Of course, I appreciate all opinions, but in the end it will be the vets that I take.
I do wonder though why it would be seen as an emergency?
 
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I do wonder though why it would be seen as an emergency?

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Because it is entirely possible he has a fractured skull - he could have chipped bone off and that could be floating, he could possibly have bruised his brain, he could possible have a haemmorage behind the skull which could cause pressure - lots of reasons why it should be seen as an emergency by a vet IMHO!
 
I would agree with Amy May and have the same concerns as your father.

This horse sounds as if it should have X-rays and a scan as a matter of priority. I would also suspect that your horse will require at least two month off work.
 
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I do wonder though why it would be seen as an emergency?

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I always think of an injury to a horse in the same way as an injury to a person - if it's serious in a person, is it serious in a horse. Usually the answer is yes - or worse.

So - a fractured skull in a person is treated as an emergency - as I'm sure your father will attest to, being a doctor.

A blow to the head can cause a multitude of problems - regardless of whether there is actually a fracture.

I won't repeat the very conprehensive list given by Weezy, other than to add that swelling of the brain is a very real danger.

It is possible that some of us may indeed be a little over-reactionary to our views on the treatment of a horse with a possible fracture in it's head. And perhaps the vets in Ireland know something that the vets over hear don't.

However, you have asked for views - and the 100% opinion of all those who have replied is that you shouldn't work your horse, consider competingin it in the very near - let alone distant future, and that this is a serious injury.

However, it's your horse, and if your vet feels that you may be able to compete it next Wednesday then only you can make the decision on wether to or not.

I for one though - above all - value my life too much to risk it, and the welfare of my horse.

I do hope your horse makes a full recovery.
 
To be honest, if I understand the injury correctly from your previous posts etc, then I am gobsmacked you are even thinking about competing him in a three day event.
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So in answer to your question, no I would not ride/excercise, and I would be moving heaven and earth to get my horse looked at sooner.
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So you would be happy to ride a drugged up horse round a cross country course???
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I'm sorry but just forget about the competition - isn't your horse more important to you than that? Even if he hasn't got any broken bones he has still had a major head trauma - he could even collapse out on the course and do untold damage to you or him. He may even have hurt vertabrae in his neck and back if he smacked his head hard. Please think a bit more deeply about the consequences of your actions and show a bit more concern for your poor horse.
 
If it was my horse I'd be putting him in the box and heading for the nearest veterinary hospital. Head injuries are always treated as an emergency. I certainly wouldn't ride him, I understand how gutted you are about necarne but imagine how much worse you would feel if the horse dropped dead on you? It's also doubtful he'd pass a drug test now anyway with the medication he's been given. If you want to know will he possibly be ok for next week why is he standing out in the field? Get him to the nearest vet hospital asap and then you will know the extent of the injury and what treatment he needs. The sooner you find out the better. I don't know what veterinary hospitals are near you but I took my mare into UCD vet hospital as an emergency on late friday evening, a team of vets were on hand to treat her and the faciities are top of the range. She was given the best possible treatment and the best chance of recovery. There are other veterinary hospitals in the Curragh aswell.
 
Oh dear, let me summarise, he hit a tree with his head, glanced off (although apparently did smack it hard), finished fine as at the time I was unaware of the extent of the injury. Got looked at by the vet, had two nosebleeds in an hour and none since. Crackly slight swelling down his cheek, which means something is definitely broken, we know that. Also a lump above his eye which is going down and crackly swelling on his forehead.
The vet thought he should be ok, we were prepared if necessary to rush him to troytown if the bleeding didn't stop, it did and was most likely as a result of the trauma (he has an ehtmoid heamatoma up there). This was on saturday. The swelling is gradually going (you wouldn't know it is there unless you felt it).
We spoke to the vet on saturday night (the 2nd vet) who said bute, and that's it for now. Spoke to the receptionist today who spoke to the vet who said she probably wouldn't exercise him until given the all clear. I was not sure if this was being cautious/normal etc. as she didn't seem all that rushed to see him, hence put this post up. Horse is a bit dull for him, but on the other hand it is hot and they are all sunbathing, I do believe he has a bit of pain. Now, he is now going to a third vets tomorrow to get checked out, but I still fail to see what else I could be doing as the only other thing he may get is anti=b's (second vet didn't think so at the moment). OTher than that it is watching for infection.
So why it is unreasonable for me to have a small hope that he may be alright to ride, my doubt being if it will be causing him pain to jump/drop down like a human with a broken nose, as mentioned earlier, I'm not sure. In a human head trauma you observer for 24hrs, correct? Whatever is broken is not directly beneath the skin as I can touch all over his head. IF any of the vets had said to bring him in immediately when I described the injury, he would have gone in but I can't force them to give me an appointment!
I will go with the vets advice, and I find it interesting that some of you think that by my thoughts I am automatically compromising the horses welfare

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However, you have asked for views - and the 100% opinion of all those who have replied is that you shouldn't work your horse, consider competingin it in the very near - let alone distant future, and that this is a serious injury.
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correct and I have taken in those views, don't think I haven't as I have a growing certainty he will not make it, as I don't think I will get fitness work in, I'm suspecting two weeks rest as a precaution.
(p.s he wouldn't be drugged, he wont have tomorrows bute until after the vet has seen him to see what is necessary in which case, according to my vet it will be out of the system.)
 
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but I still fail to see what else I could be doing as the only other thing he may get is anti=b's

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No, I think that you are absolutely right. It's just a matter of observation now, and I apologise because I didn't appreciate that he had been examined so closely after the injury.

I think perhaps from the tone of the other posts people are simply suprised that you think that next Wednesday is possible, and that you don't really, perhaps, appreciate the seriousness of his possible injury.

Obviously any fracture anywhere on the face, regardless of how small, would mean that you couldn't put any pressure on it. So even quietly riding the horse would have the potential to cause further damage - competing it in sucha condition would be potentially disasterous.

Obviously you are disappointed. Unfortunately - that's horses for you
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