Worried and confused about Kally

[tasha]

Kally's 20 this year, and whilst looking at her you wouldn't know it, her age is starting to catch up with her. She's getting stiff in her hindlegs, specifically her right hind. Once she warms up she's better, but she keeps dragging that toe. Not enough to trip, but catching the ground nevertheless.

However her ridden work is coming on really well, she's really starting to work from behind in to the bridle and her stride length isn't bad. I dont understand how one thing can get better but another get worse!

I give her oil daily, and she's fed a feed with vits and mins and omegas in. I do feed her a joint supplement, but not for a couple of months as I havent been able to afford it. Im going to order some tomorrow though.

Im feeling awful about it, as I know that if/when she cant be ridden anymore I really cant justify paying her livery etc for her to be a field ornament. Im hoping to keep her going for at least 2 more years but what with this stiffness coming on, its quite scaring me. How do people know when its time to stop riding? When you have, what have you done with your horses? I guess I need some reassurance about the sorts of decisions I can make when it is time.

Thanks in advance.

[pedilia]

How long have you had her? What does your vet say about the leg?

IMO I will stop working any of mine when either the vet gives me that diagnosis or they are in obvious pain/discomfort. As long as I can afford to mine will all retire with me, they have given me some of their best years and I owe them peaceful and pain free twilight years, although I appreciate not everyone is able to do this.

[tasha]

Ive had her 7 years and have yet to get the vet out. Poohsmate is due a visit though :D She's uninsured so they'd say rest and/or bute if I was that worried, and I cant afford scans etc.

[NoviceNic]

I would imagine that running out of joint supplements hasnt helped with the stiffness. Hopefully she will ease up more once you have started to feed the supplements again. :)

If and when you come to retire her would you not consider renting somewhere less pricey? Perhaps DIY to reduce the costs to help with your pocket too...:)

[tasha]

I couldnt have her anywhere cheaper - she's on DIY grass livery, and Im in an expensive part of the country, it seems - Surrey border!

[LindaAd]

Kally's 20 this year, and whilst looking at her you wouldn't know it, her age is starting to catch up with her. She's getting stiff in her hindlegs, specifically her right hind. Once she warms up she's better, but she keeps dragging that toe. Not enough to trip, but catching the ground nevertheless.

However her ridden work is coming on really well, she's really starting to work from .


I dont' think 20 is that old - not old enough that you should be assuming she can't work any more. Some horses go on working until 30 or more. Do you know what's causing the stiffness? Have you consulted the vet? Are you sure that it's not having the joint supplement that's making the difference?

[tasha]

I know it isnt that old, but she is a TB type with an unknown past, thought to have been hunted heavily, so I have no idea what couold have gone on in her youth that could cause premature ageing now (god I sound like an Olay advert).

I put her on the joint sup as a preventative, so i guess in that time she could have gone from needing it to prevent to needing it to 'cure', if you get what I mean. I think I need to stop panicking and get her back on it and see :rolleyes:

[Trio]

The toe dragging could be related to spavin, exactly what my older horse has- he's 17 and was diagnosed with mild arthrtic changes in his off hock, showed up with nerve blocks, xrays and ultrasound . symptoms are the same as with your horse, toe dragging and stiffness.

i would recommend a supplement called "pernamax maxavita"- worked wonders with my boy, i now have him out on share as a happy hacker and he's loving life again.

If it is spavin then schooling/circles is not the best idea - hacking is fine.

You really need to get your girl seen by a vet, they can usually diagnose spaving from flexion tests and lunging/trotting up.

As far as when you retire her, i would advertise her as a companion horse (if you really can't keep her) as long as she can live out then there are people out there who want a filed buddy for their own horses/ponies and it would work. It is expensive down here - i'm in the new forest and believe me livery isnt cheap here either but i have both mine out on grass livery . Jo's going to live the life of luxury when he retires and be a large orange grass gorging field ornament.

[Mehitabel]

working from behind means taking more weight on the hind legs, which means more strain on them. so more strain is proving harder for her to cope with, so she is getting stiffer. horses are naturally one-sided, so she will be finding it harder work on one side, probably the right- so the strain is telling more on that side.

do get her back on the joint supplement, and take it from there.

[Clava]

My arab mare is 20 and I wouldn't think that "old", but she suffered a fall in the field (very nasty) and now she has stiffness in her near hind. I'm hoping she may recovered further, but if she doesn't then she will just retire in the field (fortunate to own one). We still have her mother. I bought a new horse so I can keep riding in the meantime and in the future. Hope the supplements help.
(Hey - we are neighbours, I'm near Petersfield.)