Advice and tips on working with my very nervous first horse? (Update #12: Great news at last!)

[fivestrideline]

@IPEsq

I don’t know how much more gnarly or not the wound is for the bone shave surgery, but wound care and keeping the stitches in is important.

Likely best chance of success would be for her to be in a specific rehab program at least for the initial healing where she would be somewhere with other horses inside and knowledgeable care. It might be good for some of the initial conditioning rehab to be done at a place like that as well. The cost of this service can be at least as high as a full training program.

The wound is extensive. It’s a very invasive procedure and looks quite gnarly. I would not be putting this horse out, too risky if she gets away from someone and rips the sutures, or gets it infected. Also, no guarantee she’d stay calm in a little rehab paddock - a lot of horses don’t. Especially the ones that are herdbound or lacking confidence (like this mare).

I also highly suggest a rehab barn until the wound is healed and she is able to go outside. They’re going to be set up and prepared for this type of thing. Most boarding barns are not able to accommodate it easily even with an upcharge and moving horses around. A rehab barn will be prepared with buddies so she isn’t in the barn alone, and has trained, knowledgeable staff.

On that note, OP, I’m sorry but I don’t think you’re equipped or prepared to handle a stall-rest version of this horse. Not without heavy sedation (can you administer IM injections if she won’t eat a feed through sedation?), and maybe not even then. I feel for you and I think you’re picking up skills fast, but I would highly caution you against DIYing the stall rest and hand walking part if you do go with surgery.

In my area the vet run rehab barn is about $3000/mo base board, but I found a private place for much less (no vet on site and less sterile of a place - care is just as good though).

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

@fivestrideline

I also highly suggest a rehab barn until the wound is healed and she is able to go outside. T

I’m going to call the surgeon again in the morning and see if they have any recs… didn’t know rehab barns were a thing, honestly. Hopefully that will be covered under the policy, as far as I understand the terms it should be but it’s also something to get in touch with the underwriter about. Fingers crossed. God, this sucks all around.

[fivestrideline]

I would ask if the vet hospital could keep her for the duration and what that may cost (they might not have room - but UGA did, last time we took a horse there). It may be the same cost and less hauling around, depending on the location and logistics of any rehab programs. Just to give you one more thing to consider, which I’m sure you really need right now (kidding!).

[Djones]

No one asked me but I’d put her down and go to Europe and cry and start over in a year or two.

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

Reading over the discharge instructions from another patient again and they say the first 6 months of turnout should just be in something the size of a roundpen. Not sure where I’d get that (largeish pastures were a draw) unless the mini’s owner would be willing to trade with me (but I’m not sure if he’s in the paddock he’s in because it’s harder to get out of…)
Either way I just don’t see her handling being turned out alone for 6 months well, even if her buddy is within 8ft in a different paddock.

I feel so bad. I know it’s probably the right choice and it’s what both vet and surgeon recommend but I’m seriously worried about traumatizing her in a way that might last long after the recovery process has ended. Like what if the 2wks stall rest and then little solo turnout for 6mo ends up making her unmanageable?

I wish I had a crystal ball. She’s in pain but I don’t want to cause her undue psychological stress either. This whole thing feels like a nightmare I haven’t worken up from yet.

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

@Djones

No one asked me but I’d put her down and go to Europe and cry and start over in a year or two.

To be frank, after the year/life I’ve had and the cumulative trauma I’ve had over my lifetime, I simply don’t have the psychological resilience to do that. If she was suffering and there was no clear option for treatment I could do it at great emotional damage but I just can’t euthanize my first horse 3 months into getting her, after waiting my whole life for this, when the cost of treatment is covered.

[IPEsq]

The cost of treatment includes the ongoing rehab and all of the issues that may cause for both you and the horse. But since the horse is insured, you would need permission from the insurance company to euthanize also, and they may not want to do that.

There are several months left in the year. There are things you can do now. I can’t recall if you confirmed the back issue behaviorally with nerve blocks yet, or blocked the feet. But start there. You’ve got a plan started for the feet. You can see how she responds to injections and shockwave. These are not necessarily long term solutions but surgery now has a lot of risks and also does have failure rates too. And you have to take into account the potential for patient compliance and that isn’t just you as the owner but the horse for herself. Not every horse is a surgical candidate (for a lot of reasons for a lot of ailments) even when finances are no issue.

I mean, the horse did not develop the kissing spines in the last 3 months, and she was rideable by you when you tried her. You have some time and some other options.

[skipollo]

Reposting what @IPEsq said because it’s worth repeating:

@IPEsq

I mean, the horse did not develop the kissing spines in the last 3 months, and she was rideable by you when you tried her. You have some time and some other options.

[endlessclimb]

I think solo turnout would be the best thing for this mare and her borderline unmanageable herdbound behavior.

As a matter of fact, I think I’d start that now, surgery or not.

You are enabling her attachment to her “buddies” which has been a core issue in your inability to handle her to date.

I, personally, think doing the surgery before trying/resolving other things is wholly irresponsible on your part.

[Angela_Freda]

@IPEsq

I mean, the horse did not develop the kissing spines in the last 3 months, and she was rideable by you when you tried her. You have some time and some other options.

But how extensive was that trial ride? I don’t recall, honestly.
And was she drugged? It appears she saw her twice, per her early posts.

From OP:
She’s already had a vet workup which is how we decided to treat for ulcers. I shelled out for a really thorough PPE including a full panel of bloodwork (all negative) to be sure she wasn’t on NSAIDs or drugged, and discussed the possibility of radiography with the vet but given that there was nothing to cause suspicion that anything would be awry and her overall purchase price the vet and my trainer did not recommend radiography.

I’m not sure how $$ this PPE was, but I think hindsight shows that at least some basic rads for a baseline would be helpful now.
Of the friends I have horse shopping presently, who are doing xrays of backs, too many horses are failing for KS, it’s frankly shocking.

Look, I’m all about a step approach to these things.
Get the feet evaluated, get the blocks done, as suggested, etc… In the vein of information is power and why put her through this surgery and long rehab if its not 100% necessary and guaranteed to give you the result you want or the relief she deserves.

[vxf111]

Where are you geographically? Rough idea, not specific address.

[stargzng386]

Agree with this. You may have to move barns. I get that it sucks and it’s another big change and decision but a horse with a lengthy rehab like this needs a different barn situation. She needs a place with the option for solo turnout with buddies next to her. She needs the ability to be in a stall with friends all around her. She needs a ring where she doesn’t freak out because she’s alone. I do highly recommend a rehab barn for the initial recovery my cousin is a vet and runs one and the horses are all so much happier and calmer. The people handling your horse will be very experienced. After the initial rehab I’d find the busiest barn you can with small paddock turnouts and a regular stall schedule so she’s in at least half the day with buddies as you move her to private turnout.

I have a horse who has anxiety being ridden by himself. I’ve had him for 2 years and there’s really no improvement. He is 100% safe no buck, rear, balk, spook etc but by himself he wants to throw his head up lean on my hands like a freight train and speed around the ring. He becomes hypersensitive to the leg. With any other horse in the ring or in fields around the outdoor ring he’s happy as a clam and is a kick ride. It’s part of his personality, it’s something I have to be aware of so I found a huge busy boarding barn. There are def times I’m still riding him alone in the indoor and honestly they suck because his leaning/pulling kills my back but there are lots of times there’s another horse in the ring or I go to the outdoor where he can see the other horses around him. I will never board this horse in a small backyard place where no one rides he would hate it. Sometimes we have to make decisions for the horse.

[CBoylen]

@Angela_Freda

Of the friends I have horse shopping presently, who are doing xrays of backs, too many horses are failing for KS, it’s frankly shocking.

It’s really not shocking, studies indicate that up to 60% of horses have them on X-rays, mostly as an incidental finding.

[findeight]

Might wait until results of the nerve block confirm the KS is the source of problem, yes?

Might want to give her something for the pain now? Worrying about rehab (no she cant move around with a sutured wound from major surgery) is premature when shes in considerable pain right now. Is she getting anything for pain?

Get a SECOND OPINION from a different vet. You can have a specialist just review the x rays…hate to say it with so many great vets out there, but some are just trying to sell you a service that is very invasive with no guarantees of success. A specialist might have other ideas.

Not trying to be harsh here but those who you are trusting have let you down pretty bad so far.
You got lied to. Fake backstory and claim of recent full vet exam got you a very young horse who turns up in constant pain from a chronic condition that takes years to develop needing $$$$$ vet work…what, 90 days later?

Your trust is misplaced.

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

@findeight

claim of recent full vet exam got you a very young horse who turns up in constant pain from a chronic condition that takes years to develop needing $$$$$ vet work…what, 90 days later?

To clarify, the full vet exam was from my PPE and I was present for it. She isn’t very young, 2 vets have confirmed that she is midteens.

Not disputing the fact that my trust has been betrayed, though. The whole situation is s*****.

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

@Angela_Freda

And was she drugged? It appears she saw her twice, per her early posts.

Nope, she had a full drug panel and came back clean. I was worried about that and wanted to be sure.

@Angela_Freda

I’m not sure how $$ this PPE was, but I think hindsight shows that at least some basic rads for a baseline would be helpful now.

1025$ for an 8500$ horse, so a decent chunk of change, at least for a middle class person. I asked the vet if she recommended rads and she said that there weren’t any findings that would strongly suggest they were needed. In an ideal world I would have liked all 4 feet and back but that would have added another 1k at least- this was Connecticut so vet stuff was WAY more expensive than it is in my state.

She’s got xrays of her back for our “before” and I’m going to have the vet come back for foot xrays.

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

Northern New England…in an area with no barn openings except for the stall next to hers at the same barn. There’s not much land and a lot of people who can afford horses so there’s a severe shortage of stallspace.

[CBoylen]

I’ll back up the people on the “slow your roll” bandwagon. It’s reasonably likely that the horse deals just fine in the back unless you take off the front shoes and make its feet sore.
Front feet and back are highly connected.

[Midge]

I would 100% NOT pull the trigger on surgery until it was the only possible solution. There are a lot of steps to be tried before then.

If you pulled her shoes and she now has sore feet, the first thing to do is put her shoes back on. Her foot issues have certainly not caused the kissing spine, but I’d be really surprised if it wasn’t exacerbating any back pain she might be having when she tries to relieve the pressure on her feet. If you were attempting to have her barefoot, it is clearly not an option for her. That is the simplest way to get her out of some of her pain so you can assess her back better. Maybe a set of xrays of those feet so the farrier knows what he’s dealing with. While you are waiting for her feet to feel better, do the low impact exercises to help with kissing spine.

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

Great news!! I just got off the phone with the surgeon and if she needs surgery they do rehab at the same place! Insurance does not cover the stallrest and layup but I can afford to have her 3wks stallrest be there where she will have horses on either side of her all day. She will be an hour away so I can still visit her daily, the commute will just be a little awful.