Things haven't been going well for Ben and I. I don't want an in-depth discussion with any keyboard warriors about the in's and out's of his condition. If anyone would like to discuss it privately with me feel free to pm.
The bottom line is that I am faced with 2 options. Having him put to sleep, or having surgery. He is going downhill rapidly and in the words of the vet, he will be crippled if we leave him as he is. There is no option of paddock retirement, and bute does nothing. I can't stand back and watch him deteriorate, so after much consideration he is going into hospital for surgery on Monday.
Depending on what they find, he will need at least 3 months box rest, maybe more. He has a 70% chance of returning to some kind of soundness. It would be great if he returned to ridden work, but if he is paddock sound that is fine as well. There are several yards near me which have no riding facilities, but lovely fields with emergency stables. He would be happy to live out his life there as a much loved pet, and I would be honoured to look after him.
He hates living in, and box rest will be hard for both of us. The danger is that I put him through the ordeal of surgery and then box rest, only to find he is still lame at the end of it and has to be put to sleep anyway. But he is only 14, he potentially has years of life ahead of him, and I think that a 70% chance of an improvement has got to be worth taking.
The surgery is costing £3,500. I may get some of that on insurance, but most I will have to pay for myself. As a mum with 2 young kids, the concept of spending such a large amount of money fills me with guilt. That means my boys will have to go without things that I wanted them to have. They won't have a holiday next year and Christmas will be scaled back. But what else can I do? Over the last few months I have been thinking about what he means to me, and why I have him. My whole life revolves around him and I am a much better person because of him. It isn't about having a horse to go and ride and take to shows, it is about the partnership and companionship I have with him. If I had him put to sleep now, yes I would save money and I would have more money to spend going forward as I would no longer have livery costs. But I would be riddled with guilt and regret about not giving him a chance. My children are amazing, they understand and we have agreed as a family to spend the money and put all our efforts into getting him better. I just hope that I have made the right decision for all of us.
I am sensitive and upset about this, and could really do without the usual nasty comments that seem to attract my threads. If you would like offer some of the amazing magical NewRider support which is the reason I have stayed on this forum for so long, please do. If you have nothing nice to say, please do not respond.
The bottom line is that I am faced with 2 options. Having him put to sleep, or having surgery. He is going downhill rapidly and in the words of the vet, he will be crippled if we leave him as he is. There is no option of paddock retirement, and bute does nothing. I can't stand back and watch him deteriorate, so after much consideration he is going into hospital for surgery on Monday.
Depending on what they find, he will need at least 3 months box rest, maybe more. He has a 70% chance of returning to some kind of soundness. It would be great if he returned to ridden work, but if he is paddock sound that is fine as well. There are several yards near me which have no riding facilities, but lovely fields with emergency stables. He would be happy to live out his life there as a much loved pet, and I would be honoured to look after him.
He hates living in, and box rest will be hard for both of us. The danger is that I put him through the ordeal of surgery and then box rest, only to find he is still lame at the end of it and has to be put to sleep anyway. But he is only 14, he potentially has years of life ahead of him, and I think that a 70% chance of an improvement has got to be worth taking.
The surgery is costing £3,500. I may get some of that on insurance, but most I will have to pay for myself. As a mum with 2 young kids, the concept of spending such a large amount of money fills me with guilt. That means my boys will have to go without things that I wanted them to have. They won't have a holiday next year and Christmas will be scaled back. But what else can I do? Over the last few months I have been thinking about what he means to me, and why I have him. My whole life revolves around him and I am a much better person because of him. It isn't about having a horse to go and ride and take to shows, it is about the partnership and companionship I have with him. If I had him put to sleep now, yes I would save money and I would have more money to spend going forward as I would no longer have livery costs. But I would be riddled with guilt and regret about not giving him a chance. My children are amazing, they understand and we have agreed as a family to spend the money and put all our efforts into getting him better. I just hope that I have made the right decision for all of us.
I am sensitive and upset about this, and could really do without the usual nasty comments that seem to attract my threads. If you would like offer some of the amazing magical NewRider support which is the reason I have stayed on this forum for so long, please do. If you have nothing nice to say, please do not respond.