So Awful - Friend's Mare tore half her tongue off!

[Pale Moon]

Went to the yard last night to ride Banjo and a friend of mine has a very talented 15.2 mare that she shows all over the country and does really well with. She was competing at Hickstead last week and was stabling her horse there. She arrived at her stable one morning to find blood everywhere but couldn't find any visible wounds on Ebony. The Hickstead Vet was called and after a lot of head scratching and umming and ahhing, they put a gag on her and had a look in her mouth. Half her tongue had been completely ripped off.

I saw her last night when April's own vet was at the yard and I have never seen anything as horrific in my entire life. Literally half her tongue is gone and the wound looks absolutely awful.

I will take some photos this weekend to post - if anyone could possibly stand to look at them - it really knocked me sick.

The vet said taht it is definitely a tear and not a cut, because the edges are so ragged and too much of the tongue is gone for her to have managed to bit it off herself.

The vet's prognosis is guarded at the moment.

My friend has made enquiries with Hickstead, who have said that there is nothing that they can do - the horse was stabled there at the owner's risk. April's vet thinks that she may have possibly caught her tongue on a piece of wood or something in the stable, panicked and torn it off.

Her vet bills are currently standing at about £1,500.00 and there is a long way to go. She is unsure of whether she will be able to ride her again.

It's so awful.

[Afellpony]

How awful for the poor mare and for your friend.
Yes, "own risk" is a very good disclaimer but the responsibility for safe stabling etc still rests with the provider.

[martini55]

That sounds horrific! Never heard of anything like that happening before, the poor mare :eek:

[Anro]

Oh god the poor thing

[Teehee]

My God, horses sure find the craziest way to hurt themselves!!!??? Poor thing, I hope she recuperates good...

[Waikato Valuta]

My horse almost did that.

He was being loaded into a float (not by me!) and they put a rearing bit in his mouth. He then pulled back harshly and almost cut his tongue off. If you open his mouth you can still see that the top part and lower parts of his tongue are connected by only half the flesh they should be connected by.

It hasn't affected him at all but at least he still has his tongue.

Perhaps she could try bit less riding??? But perhaps this isn't allowed in the show ring.

[Bobbin]

Ouch thats awful. Hope the horse is ok.

[Alfies-slave]

Don't let her give up as far as the "own risk" thing goes. If the owners of the stable have been negligant and this negligance led to the acident then she does have a claim. For example, if the stable had not been properly maintained or its design or fittings were inapropriate in any way. Los of people DO have a claim, but quietly go away because of the 'own risk' thing despite the fact that incidents could have been caused by criminal or negligant behaviour.

[fjp]

So sorry to hear about your friend's horse. If it helps her, you might like to show her this article from H+H http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/article.php?aid=37314&cid=397 about a horse that injured its tongue.
I tried to find an on-line version of an article H+H did about 6m ago where a horse tore its tongue off on a horse walker (the vet thought it put its head down and stepped forward onto its tongue:eek:) and also made a good recovery with no tongue, eating fine, but I can't find that one (sure if you rang them and explained they might be able to find it for you though!)

Best wishes and get well soon!
Fiona

[xloopylozzax]

any news???

didnt see this first time round, would be interested in the outcome and treatment etc

[summercandy]

one of my horses has a scar that runs all the way around his tongue.LikeWV's horse it doesn't affect him at all.We think that chances are at some point he was twitched by some incompetent person.

[storm35]

Aww that is awful, pooor thing.

[BeachRiding]

Terrible :( poor thing!

[mikh]

The at your own risk clause has exceptions, when you agree to stable your horse, you assume the stables will be of a high and suitable standard (ie no sharp objects) - your friend may have a case for negligence (innoccent or otherwise), if you PM me I can give you a list of very good equine solicitors. It doesn't cost you to find out.