Old horse and rehab…is it okay to consider retirement?

[gracecatherine14]

Trying to figure out the best course of action so hear me out…

I have an almost 21 year old QH cross that has had a history of front end lameness starting at about 14. He’s had the bar shoes, the equioxx, etc. and although he would come around, he always had an on/off lameness about him that was never completely resolved. The vet blamed it on navicular, and wanted to have him nerved, but I ethically wasn’t sure how I felt about the procedure and wasn’t getting enough evidence it was all navicular so I ended up not doing it.

Fast forward to today, he gradually went off. It started mild but started getting more severe. Vet tested for lymes and was negative. Tried Osphos, tbd if it was helping but he was regressing. They thought maybe it was something in his knee but I wasn’t seeing it so I finally got fed up and opted for a second opinion from another well respected vet.

This vet was very thorough and pinpointed it to his right front foot, he trotted sound with nerve blocks. We x rayed both feet and his Palmer angles needed correcting but overall x rays were uneventful. Even his navicular bone (probably not using correct terms) and surrounding areas didn’t look as bad as I was told by the old vet and arthritis was not horrible. However, it did not explain his chronic issues for years.

I spoke to the vet and as I’m going on business for a few weeks, decided to put him on limited turnout and address the shoeing to see if it makes a difference, but he’s thinking an MRI is the only way to truly know.

In full transparency, the horse was semi retired to begin with. He no longer jumps. I was told recovery was likely going to be long if it’s what he suspects (6 months or longer stall rest) and I’m concerned given his age that he’s going to deteriorate on stall rest, and given his age that he won’t likely get back to work until about 22/23 im starting to think…is it worth it?

Part of me just wants to retire him, see if he becomes sound, just trail ride him lightly. The MRI is going to be about 3k, rehab probably in 1k range with added cost of stall rest and drugs, and MRI rechecks are going to be about 1.7k. I don’t know if the juice is worth the squeeze at this rate and given his age I don’t know how many working years I’ll get if he comes sound. At this time, he’s comfortable at the walk but just lame at the trot.

I feel like I’m giving up but it’s been a journey with him not just with this, but over the years with his on and off lameness issues. The finances are tough to swallow, and I’m wondering if he’s earned some retirement at this stage of the game.

What would you do in this situation?

[MsM]

Retirement sounds like a good humane option. I had to retire my old horse at 19 for a lameness we never completely understood. By that point he likely had compensatory issues as well as what was originally the problem.

My current horse was young and I opted for an MRI early on. It showed some inflammation of the DDFT way down deep in the hoof. The treatment was mostly restricted activity and rest. With your guy, allowing him to rest and see if time and “Dr Green” help. is very reasonable choice. If he is a quiet sort, even reasonable turnout wont hurt and might help.

[Highflyer1]

I’d absolutely retire him.

[gracecatherine14]

I agree if he was younger I’d be more game to do the MRI, and I’m still considering it as it may give me some closure, but it just feels like a huge expense for an outcome that may be less than ideal.

It’s hard, he’s a very willing boy and I hate to stop riding him, but I just don’t if I’m willing to put him through months of stall rest at his age. I feel like it can’t be good for his muscles long term.

[MsM]

I wouldnt do stall rest either. Even with my horse we did small paddock turnout with chemical assistance. How is he in turnout and what do you have available? My inclination would be to give him limited turnout initially to allow whatever soft tissue time to heal, then more freedom as time goes on. My goal would be to allow gentle movement but try to prevent Yehaws for six months or so.

[gracecatherine14]

He’s starting to go in a small sand paddock tomorrow, he is currently on stall rest now as he doesn’t have a shoe. I have the drugs on deck. The plan is to have that limited turn out until I get back from business and can reassess when I return. He normally is not very wild in the field, which I was tempted to just turn him out like normal, but vet is more cautious so that was the compromise.

[TWH_Girl]

What is he doing now that he needs to be retired from? He sounds as if he is retired simply because he isn’t capable of as much as he used to and his chronic issues are harder to manage. Just follow suit and adjust what you do or don’t do accordingly. Officially labeling him “retired” doesn’t really change much. I’d keep him on Equioxx and whatever else he needs and let him be.

I would also add “just trail riding” is harder work for my older gelding than anything else he’s done. It’s hard work and it’s own discipline. It sounds as though you already know his limitations and are okay having him step back so just roll with it. No explanations needed.

[Weezer]

I agree that best option is to retire him. I would be reluctant to go for stall rest. If he is generally quiet turned out, I would give him as much turnout as you can and trust him to pace himself. I have a herd of retired horses that are out 24/7 and I have turned out a horse that is all poulticed up, etc because they seem happier to limp along slowly than to be cooped up in their stall. Full recovery may take longer, but every day is more pleasant for them.

My old guy likes the occasional trail ride, but I am literally just sitting on him while he moseys along at whatever pace he choses. Nothing hard about that but nice to get his body and mind moving a bit more.

[Simkie]

I agree it’s very reasonable to retire him, but if you have doubts, I’d spend some time talking through the possible MRI findings with the vet. What are you looking for, what does rehab look like for each of those things, and how likely is recovery? Is that rehab something that you find tenable? If it might be, then why not try rehab without the expense of MRI? If it’s untenable, then the expense of MRI doesn’t make much sense.

[Sdel]

You could try him in a plastic shoe and see if it helps. I have a 21 year old that I put in ground control horse shoes and she started low jumps last year after having been subtlety off for two years. Even if you still retire your horse, mine seems to really appreciate the extra squish these shoes provide.

[Dutchmare433]

If it is indeed a soft tissue injury, chances are good that time is what will fix it, MRI or not. Can you just turn him out for 6-9 months and if he seems sound you can get on and putter around after those months of turnout?

That’s most likely the treatment anyway. I would not personally lock this horse in a stall for any length of time. I don’t think the potential/likely deterioration of his old man body is worth it.

[Zu_Zu]

Both of you will enjoy his retirement !

He is lucky to be yours ~ and you his person ~

[erinmeri]

I would not hesitate to retire a 21 year old with soundness issues. In fact, depending on discipline, I think 20-23 is a very common retirement age.

[gracecatherine14]

He was currently just doing walk trot canter in the ring a few days a week, he used to be a 2’6 hunter so “semi retirement” from his full working days.

I suppose I should rephrase, when I say trail riding I mean just a walk around the property. Meaning no trotting cantering etc.

[gracecatherine14]

I’ve thought about that as well. Given my conversation with the vet it sounds that full stall rest at 6 months minimum is what they expect to find unless the MRI comes back clean and we are back to mystery lameness.

[Simkie]

@gracecatherine14

Given my conversation with the vet it sounds that full stall rest at 6 months minimum

Oh man, that’s an awfully tough ask. How do you feel about that?

[gracecatherine14]

If that was case I’d be more inclined to give him some turnout but lower my expectations of him and give him a longer recovery period. I just don’t think given his age and other factors it will lead to anything positive.

[quietann]

Having been through something similar (even the same hoof) in the past few years with my mare, I chose no MRI, and a gradual trip into retirement. I haven’t been on her since June, and don’t question my decision, except perhaps I should have done it sooner.

[TWH_Girl]

You know this horse and your heart. Follow it and do what you think is best. I’d definitely lean towards a field and getting groomed and loved on- i have one, almost two, like that.

[Obsidian_Fire]

I’ll share my experience with my older gelding. Pasture accident, he tore his biceps femoris. He was already in his early 20’s when it happened, and was in regular dressage and trail riding work. So was fit, for his age, and going well. This was the coup de grace. He was on stall rest with very limited hand walking (like 2 mins a day, seriously, and one step at a time). At his age, with that injury and it’s limitations and rehab, I never did get him back. 6 mos into it, I took him for a light, flat trail hack. He was lame the next day. Another vet told me these injuries could take at least a year to heal if not more. At this point, I knew he just needed to be retired. He certainly earned it.