I could do with some input on a bit of a dilemna. My horse is 21 and has has metabolic syndrome, which means I have to be very careful about her diet so as to avoid laminitis. She can't live out, but does manage a full day in the field at the moment at least, she will have resticted grazing once the grass starts to grow.
She also has pretty bad navicular which is controlled by daily bute. Up to a couple of months ago, she was also on Navilox daily until Navilox was discontinued and is now on Crysanthysomething (can never remember the name). Because of the navicular I no longer jump her and have to be very careful about the going when I ride her. uneven ground can mean weeks of lameness. These health issues and her age mean that loaning her out is not really an option.
I have two primary school aged kids, one with AS, which causes lots of stress. I started back FT at work a year ago and since then, have only managed to ride say once a week at most. The girls at the yard very kindly ride her for me 2 or 3 times a week without charging full livery, but just buckle end hacking. No school, so no school work and the lady who rides her is not able to get her in an outline out on hacks. I don't feel I can start to demand they school her rather than just hack, as they are doing me a favour anyway. In the last few months she has started to look really old. Her once impressive topline has vanished and she has started going a little bit grey all over. She is getting stiff and old feeling. I haven't made it to the yard for a coupe of weeks and today, I noticed that her back muscles have dropped so much that her saddle is not giving enough space over the spine. Even while her saddle was still OK, she has started to get a bit joggy and naughty while out riding. She has NEVER been like this before. I put it down to lack of work. She is not the once easy ride that she was, but I do think she still enjoys getting out and about. She is still very forward going and always has her ears pricked.
As I said I have a son with AS, which means I always feel in a rush to get home when I do ride, as DH and DS rub each other up the wrong way, and DH gives me grief if I am out too long. To be brutally honest, I am really not enjoying riding, as I can't do it often enough for me to make any difference to the way she goes or to her fitness, and I am made to feel guilty for going off riding by the family.
I am thinking of retiring her, and just hoping that the lack of exercise doesn't set the metabolic syndrome off.
What do you all think? Would that be terrible and defeatist? I feel guilty about that too.
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willyoulistentome · 07/04/2013 19:15
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