Need jingles/advice?

[SaturdayNightLive]

So about 3 years ago I bought a very fancy 1st year green hunter prospect. He was everything I ever wanted in a hunter - great mind, great jump, fancy mover, cool color, everything. Well it's three years later and I was getting ready to sell this horse - basically my horse of a lifetime. Had a lot of interest in him, and one person decided to have him vetted. The vet found a severe and degenerative genetic condition in the horse's joints. Said that there was probably no way we would have caught it sooner, but that the horse (who has never taken a lame step in his life) will probably be unable to be ridden even at a walk within the year.

So right now I'm waiting on a second opinion. But it seems that I have some decisions to make. Any advice? Anyone know of any decent retirement facilities that don't cost more than my college education per month?

[BuddyRoo]

I'd hold off on panic and despair til you get another opinion. Will send some jingles that someone swapped rads or something.

Do you remember the name of the condition?

As for retirement farms and things like that, I have no idea. I kept my guy after retirement in full board. It was expensive, but I wanted him with me.

Good luck. Jingling.

[theoldgreymare]

Jingling for a good outcome for your boy's second opinion. As to retirement farms check out the listings on the USHJA site. USHJA does check references so that would be a good starting point.

http://www.ushja.org/programs/retire_facil.shtml

[ddashaq]

My trainer had a horse diagnosed with navicular and was told it was so severe (despite the horse never taking a bad step) that she would be unrideable within a year. That was YEARS ago and the mare is still packing kids around BN/N courses.

Best of luck and I hope that it all works out for you.

[Laurierace]

Its often been said that you ride the horse, not the xrays. Maybe this is just his way of ensuring he gets to live happily ever after with you? Jingles for a positive second opinion.

[Seven-up]

Jingles, and a story. My old jumper had that degenerative joint thing. I didn't vet him, but the seller released all his vet info to me, (we used the same vet and I knew the seller pretty well) and vet told me about the degen. stuff. Said it was unpredictable, he'll either be crippled in a year or he won't. I had him 6 years, did the 3'9" jumpers with him, and the only trouble he ever had was with abscesses. The abscesses were fairly significant, but I never had to do any joint maintenance with him.

Now, I didn't pay very much for him (1K) as a green 4 yr. old OTTB, and I didn't sell him for very much either, but he was a fantastic horse.

I'd get a 2nd opinion, and thoroughly investigate ways to maintain him (joint supps, medications, whatever.) Consider the possibility that you may not be able to sell him for much, but he may end up being healthy and comfortable. Or, maybe the first vet will end up being wrong. Good luck!


ETA: Also remember that buyer's vets tend to "find" all sorts of things that your vet will never find, if you know what I mean. I agree with BuddyRoo--don't go off the deep end til you get an opinion from a vet you trust.

[shea'smom]

Jingles for good news.

[Jaegermonster]

just wait and see.
A good friend of mine vetted a very very expensive AA hunter several years ago. The horse was priced in very high five figures.
The horse didn't pass vet and she was basically told the same thing you were.
That was about 15 years ago, the horse is still showing in the AA's. Never taken a lame step.
Horses can't read xrays, he doesn't know he's supposed to be lame.
start some feed throughs, adequan, legend, etc and wait and see.

[SaturdayNightLive]

Thanks everyone. No new updates unfortunately. Second vet will be out to take x-rays this weekend.

I have no problem keeping this horse until the end of his life. As long as there is a possible way for him to be comfortable, that's how it's going to be. Right now I'm just hoping for the vet to tell me that he'll at least be able to live a comfortable life in a field with my other retiree.

[Pirateer]

Yepp, I'd definitely just let him tell you what HE wants to do.
I knew a horse who had coffin bones that looked like Swiss Cheese and the dumb thing never took a lame step. Navicular what?