I posted the following on Facebook this morning, after a horrid few days agonising, after someone said something pretty horrid about what I was up to. I may get a pasting on here, but I'm prepared. Just think it's an interesting topic for discussion, hence the share!"Alf is 21 years old. He's had a long, busy, successful dressage career, and he's healthy, happy, and full of life. He likes pootling about in the field, bossing the others around, and he likes hacking on the buckle end of the reins, interspersed with periods of leaping around, pissaging and spooking at nothing. However, he also has arthritis in both his hocks, has had suspensory ligament issues, and is probably getting creaky in other areas now too.He has always had the very best veterinary care, farriery, chiropractic, dentistry, feed, supplements that I can (sort of) afford. I've never resented getting treatment/buying him things that might help him, I also watch him like a hawk, overanalyse every dodgy step, and am generally very very aware of how he's feeling. I've learned that he feels slow and sticky for the first 10 minutes of every hack, until he loosens up ? then he's fab. I've promised him that he won't ever be made to work hard again ? although, if he chooses to run away with me up the canter track every time, that's fine by me (he's still so scared of the chickens at the top that I don't have a problem pulling him up at the end!) He doesn't go in the school any more ? which is torture, as there's nothing I'd love more than to play around with all his party tricks. I value his comfort far higher than my desire to do one time changes.Recently, I felt that he was a little bit stiffer than usual, and after having a long chat with my vet, I've opted to stick him on a bit of Bute to keep him comfortable, and ease his stiff old hocks until he's warmed up. It's not been a snap decision, I've thought it through, and I'm still very aware that he has to be managed carefully (even more carefully actually, as he won't be as circumspect about manouevreing himself, so I have to do that for him) I'm not planning to stop working him - not so I can indulge my selfish desire to keep riding, but because he needs to carry on in consistent light work - he needs to stay fit and supple, and he needs muscle tone to help him support his large frame. He's not going to stand around in a field getting older, and stiffer, and sorer ? because I won't do that to him. I will know when I should be making the call, and it will be before he is in pain/unhappy, Rather a day/week/month too early, than a day too late. He's SO not ready yet.I've had a bit of negativity about my decision to maintain him on anti-inflammatories - suggestions that I was being unfair/selfish to do so, and that I should have him PTS. It cut me to the quick, even though I know deep down that I am doing the right thing for this particular horse. I love him enough to want him to be comfortable, and if that means he pops a horsey Nurofen each day, then so be it. I don't hesitate to down a few if I ache!"
06-01-2018, 03:18 PM
Bute and older horses
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