Please Help Me Decide! Proximal Suspensory Desmitis Update- Treatment Day! Post 22

[fanfayre]

No, sadly not near central Texas, or Texas AT ALL : Vancouver Island, Canada is where we are.

[fivestrideline]

Yeah that’s a hike!

If it makes you feel any better, I had my suspensory horse blow through Ace, Traz, all of it. We kicked him out to full turnout and prayed, after he just couldn’t keep a lid on it. He did make it to trotting for a good while, but was randomly explosive under saddle. FWIW the suspensory looks fine now, it’s the rest of him that’s a mess

[fanfayre]

Yes, that is what we did within the limitations of our boarding set up. If only he’d stay low-energy.
Hoping (either) barn I reached out to can house him and that’s what will happen to him too.
Poor guy, if he does get in to either place it will be a new barn in 3 months , and he was doing so well in our old barn (12.5 years for me and 15 months for him) until the owner decided to put it up for sale and made us move.

[fanfayre]

So an update:
We are 1 year since his original lameness, 10-1/2 months since diagnosis.
In June I moved him to a new barn where he had an old, blind gelding as a companion and quiet horses on both next door properties. He settled in well and stood quietly in his paddock or grazed quietly with his buddy in the grass pasture for most of the day, then walked the fence to let us know he was ready to go back to his paddock. Since August he appeared sound at the walk, and I was preparing to have him re-examined next month to see if any significant healing had occurred. If there was I was going to restart a very lengthy rehab program…
Beginning of December we had another older gelding join us, and my guy seemed even happier and quieter- he would have a sleep in his paddock every morning as if he was relinquishing guard duty to the new gelding for a couple of hours .
Brings us to yesterday: the barn owner turned all 3 out together in their paddocks and to wander the front yard and driveway (yes, gate to main road was closed). Seems they were good for a while until someone got a hair in his tail and they all started galloping, bucking and farting up the driveway, into the riding ring and back down again, including the sliding stops and reining spins… (I’m sure you can gather where I’m leading)
When I got to the barn yesterday evening my guy was standing quietly in his paddock but he started walking away from me towards the other horse and I could see he is as lame at the walk as he was this time last year
I have a terrible feeling this is how the rest of his life is going to go- obvious full retirement with no hope of returning to a ridden career, many months of lameness, very slow progress towards some recovery until one wrong movement or step and we’re back to the beginning again.
Thanks for letting me vent

[NaturalSelection]

Sh!t
I’m so sorry.

[fanfayre]

To be fair, it’s entirely possible that he was the one who started it all, because his little brain cell told him it was TIME he went back to check his paddock and the other 2 followed in panic, or he was feeling really good because I put the BOT liner I had hanging around on him (even though it’s a 78 and he wears 81”+ it fits surprisingly well- just a little bit of butt cheek showing which is covered by said 81” rain sheet) [see the “Another neck thread…” for this reference]
and his muscles were all loose and wanting some work

[fanfayre]

I thought I should offer a final update:

I never did get him rechecked because it was obvious we would not find healing, so I left him until it was time for spring vaccinations, teeth checks, etc. last week. Naturally 1st thing the vet wants to see is his movement/lameness. Well, he really did not want to move out/trot on. I got 3 or 4 steps, but it was enough to show he’s now bilaterally lame.
Upon halting and letting him stand still, it was apparent his fetlocks are also dropping behind, and he was experiencing enough pain that a slow walk is all he’s capable of.

So, Thursday he will have his pain removed permanently and until now he’s living a life of free-range grazing on painkiller and lots of pats and treats.

Thanks for reading our saga and offering your support and advice. It was really appreciated.
It’s funny, but for the 1st time in 47 years, I will not own a single equine

[skydy]

I’m sorry fanfayre. Hugs from Colorado.

[NaturallyHappy]

I’m sorry,too.

[fivestrideline]

I’m so so sorry. Hugs and deepest sympathy.

[Kyrabee]

{{{fanfayre}}}

[starsandsun]

I’m so sorry … it’s very clear you did your very best to help him heal, and sometimes it’s just out of our hands. Give yourself a BIG hug.

[dog_amp_horsemom]

I’m so sorry.