Collateral ligament dammage

So the results came in from the mri... looks like collateral ligament damage most likely as a result of historic foot inbalance.

Bugger.

my first thought was panic - is this something i have done? Was my decision to try barefoot the cause? Well actually no. Even when I first started riding her she was wonkey and pulling shoes on the worst affected foot. I think she arrived broken. Barefoot may not have helped as she did wear her feet unevenly,but given she was on a short trim cycle as we constantly worked to counter this I don't think i made things worse.

Treatment options are limited turn out, walk strengthening exercises, catrophen injections, coffin joint injections, and remedial farriery.

I had a frank chat with the vet about the long term prognosis. She was rather garded about it.  I asked her if, given sof is on loan to me technically, is it worth walking away, she said a lot of frustration and heart ache lies ahead.

Really difficult position for me. I had already decided they if the condition was progresive i would find her a breeding home and walk away. However bad i feel about this i cannot afford a second broken horse, and nick would not support me so i would have to put her down as soon as she was unfit for work. I just know i could not do that.

But ligament damage is not as clear cut. It might get better, it might get worse, it might be better and then resurface. I don't think i can take ownership now.

So what do i do? I could just hand her back, but i know her owners do not have the time to go through the strengthening program with her and so her outlook would be bleak. I could find her a breeding home, but no one would insure her to give her the teatment she needs so she would remain lame indefinatly. I feel i do owe it to her to stick through the next year to see if we can fix the damage, whilst it is still covered on insurance and them see. It does mean I have to pay for two horses i can't ride. Am i being fair to myself here?

The final option i would like to investigate is rockely farm. They seem to have a good track record with these conditions and i believe have a better outcome than traditional treatment.just not sure how much this would cost or how long their waiting list is.

I'm going to have to do a good bit of sole searching over the next few days. The vet wants to come back and do one final nerve block to be sure it is the ligaments that are the problem. I'll chat through the options with her then.

Fees, insurance and hospital appointments

If you were considering buying a horse - this post will surely put you off.

In recent weeks its been all work no play for me - and not a barrel of laughs for poor old Sof.

Last week I was up at 6am to ship poor Sofie off to the vets for X-rays and nerve blocks. Today I was doing the same again, but this time to Liphook equine hospital for MRI scan.

Sof was wise to us this time though. She is normally very good to load, unless you rush her. Today she started to stroll on - and then changed her mind and charged full pelt back to her field - looking remarkably sound in the process - leaving me feeling slightly embarrassed trailing behind her. I caught her again and put a bridle on to ensure compliance. Poor old sof, I can hardly blame her. To add to my guilt I am not coming with her today and may not be there when she returns either. This is going to upset my poor girl. I will have to make it up to her.

Little does she know that I have been spending the time talking to her insurance company - trying to get back as much of the escalating costs as possible - a £500 and counting vets fee (today will be at least 1K) £300+ in travel costs. Things get very expensive very quickly. I really REALLY hope they find the cause to her issues this time. Otherwise that is nearly 2K gone for nothing!

Next time I'm getting a hamster!

And the answer was... lame

Sofie's poor little shaven foot

So went into the vets practice today for a lameness investigation. This brought back horrid memories from 2011 when Mr T was first diagnosed with ring bone. Same set of tests and everything.

It was an early start, we loaded so up straight from her field at the crack of dawn. A lovely lady called Sally took us to the practice. The drive was beautiful which helped distract me from worrying about the day ahead.

I dropped her off feeling very guilty for leaving her, but better to not be under the vets feet as they conducted there investigation.

And the results... 3/10 lame, particularly on her front left foot, but also on her front right - and here I was thinking it was her hocks! Perhaps it is best I am not a vet. Navicular nervous block showed no improvement,  nor did injection to the coffin joint, but fetlock injection showed her to be much sounder afterwards 'could trot all day' so she clearly has a problem somewhere in the foot. She had some x rays but they did not show anything.

So she is in pain, but we still do not know the cause.

The vet has referred her for an mri at Liphook equine hospital (so more horrid memories for me as last time I was the was the night we put Sam to sleep). Now just waiting to see if the insurance company will pay for the procedure.

Not sure what I will do if they do not pay. I think it costs nearly 2 grand. I really don't want to pay that, but a lot is riding on the outcome of the investigation. If so has a long term lameness issue it might be best to find her a new job as a brood mare. Not fair to ride her if she is sore, and I already have one very expensive field orniment.

So I am nervously awaiting a call from the vet/insurance company. Troubling times

Lazy or lame?

Sof on a hard surface after putting on shoes and having 2 bute a day for 5 days

 

 

 

 

New tricks or playtime?

So recently I have discovered that Sof rears on command - problem is I now can't work out how to switch it off or how many more tricks she has up her sleeve.

Today I was leading her back to her field and encouraged her to walk on (she was doing her usual amble) next thing I know she is on top of me with my coat in her mouth! Not what I was asking!

I'm not too worried about it, because she stops as soon as you tell her to - but I am a bit confused as to why now she is suddenly showing me her tricks now after a year and a half together. Is the jacket holding another taught trick or is she trying to play with me? Have I finally moved from owner to friend in Sofies world? If so do I need to re-establish myself as boss in this new relationship? Or am I just over-thinking things?

I am also not sure how to get her to stop performing as I am still not sure what it is I am doing that sets her off.

Most odd. She does like to keep me on my toes!

Sofie the circus pony

Funny thing about inheriting second hand horses - you unwittingly stumble across tricks they have been taught in the past.

The other day I was leading Sof to the field and tried to trot her to catch up with Suzie. To my surprise she reared without warning. Bit odd, but I just assumed she was feeling fresh and having a mare moment.

Today in the school I stood next to her and ran on the spot to see if the school had frozen solid. Sof reared again! Very weird as she had been half asleep just moments before. Clearly this is a learnt trick.

So I had a play to try and work out what was the command. It had something to do with running, and raising a hand. I got her to rear a few times via a hit and miss approach.

In other news - Tonto has started a course of catrophen injections - which I have to administer. Today was my first stab at it - ha - and I was super nervous. Tonts does not like needles (typical block). I got Jody to distract him with a feed and made sure he never saw the needle. He didn't even notice! Should have been a vet!

Pony woes

Been a bit of a financhlly tough Christmas this year, and unfortunately all sof and tonto got for presents was vet visits.

Tonto has not been well for a while. I haven't wanted to post about it because, well I guess writing it here makes the whole horrid situation more real. He hasn't held his weight, he has been choking on food, he has lost his confidence with other horses, he trips and falls too often for my liking and has been standing camped up behind. I think the aches and pains are getting too much for him. To try and help him I have put him on stable livery and upped his but.  He is getting rugs this year and extra fattening foods and going to try some injections for arthritis. 

Of course the boggy wet winter we are having this year is not helping. All the fields are waterlogged causing stress on his old joints. But if I just keep him in he will stiffen up. Can't win really. I am off to look at a yard in shame green for him on Saturday. 

Unfortunately I am having little more luck with sof.  The mud is causing her boots to fall off and she seems to be getting foot sore now her feet are soft. On top of this she still feels a bit uneven behind. I decided enough was enough and finally called the vet. She agreed low level lameness.  First port of call is shoes on all four. Tommy is out tomorrow to pop them on.

So here end's our barefoot trail for now at least. I am disappointed, because her feet look great and she is so much more comfortable on most surfaces now. The other part of me is relived. No more fretting about weather I am doing the right thing. Obsessing over her feet. Spending ludercrass amounts on boots that don't fit. Fighting off endless critics. Still I suspect she will shoe pull, so I am not selling the boots just yet. 

My theory for soft mystery lameness? Sods law dictates it will be hock arthritis.  I do hope I am wrong.

And as bad news comes in threes, Emma bought a new horse so we have lost our lovely sharer.