Post by Loobylou on Jul 31, 2009 23:21:45 GMT 1
Just thought id write a quick note about getting your horses back checked and keeping an eye on behavioural problems
I bought Wayne when he was 4, and have had him for 9 years (hes now 13) and ive never felt that hes been 100% right, and to say he was rather giddy when ridden is a slight understatement! Sometimes when tacking up he would sulk off into the corner, and really object to the girth being done up. Other days he would just seem really disinterested. I had his back checked by various physios etc, and he always seemed to get better but he was just never quite right.
After an incident in the field in June, where he came in with various kick and bite marks, one of which a rather nasty one on his back, he went lame, so I had the vet out to see him. Purely due to the kick mark on his back i asked the vet to x-ray it to make sure no damage had been done, as he was quite tender in the area.
To my horror, the x-rays showed kissing spines, which the vet said were so bad that they would of been gradually changing over a good few years, and it was the worst back she had ever seen. The behaviour he had been showing all the years were obviously signs of pain, which I just didnt see as many physios had said he was fine. I hadnt Infact even heard of kissing spines before. Some kissing spines can be operated on and a full recovery made, but wayne has 6 or 7 which are quite bad, so we decided it operating wasnt an option and retirement and was the way to go.
I no your all experienced horse owners, but I would just like to urge anyone struggling with their horses behaviour or just the general feeling that something isnt quite right to get it investigated, as my boy has been struggling on for longer than he should of, and is now retired and quite happy spending his days in the field
I bought Wayne when he was 4, and have had him for 9 years (hes now 13) and ive never felt that hes been 100% right, and to say he was rather giddy when ridden is a slight understatement! Sometimes when tacking up he would sulk off into the corner, and really object to the girth being done up. Other days he would just seem really disinterested. I had his back checked by various physios etc, and he always seemed to get better but he was just never quite right.
After an incident in the field in June, where he came in with various kick and bite marks, one of which a rather nasty one on his back, he went lame, so I had the vet out to see him. Purely due to the kick mark on his back i asked the vet to x-ray it to make sure no damage had been done, as he was quite tender in the area.
To my horror, the x-rays showed kissing spines, which the vet said were so bad that they would of been gradually changing over a good few years, and it was the worst back she had ever seen. The behaviour he had been showing all the years were obviously signs of pain, which I just didnt see as many physios had said he was fine. I hadnt Infact even heard of kissing spines before. Some kissing spines can be operated on and a full recovery made, but wayne has 6 or 7 which are quite bad, so we decided it operating wasnt an option and retirement and was the way to go.
I no your all experienced horse owners, but I would just like to urge anyone struggling with their horses behaviour or just the general feeling that something isnt quite right to get it investigated, as my boy has been struggling on for longer than he should of, and is now retired and quite happy spending his days in the field
. He has been an ultimate horse for me therefore at this age I like to ensure he is not over ridden.....
weapons of grass destruction