So bloody fed up. Wwyd?

[feekerry]

Okay I will try keep this to the point as much as possible but this has spanned almost 4 yrs now.
2008 bought an up and coming youngster (5) to have some real good times with. Ridden owned and competed all my life and this was the first time I could afford an amazing horse. And he was that, amazing temperament, ride ability and talent. Paid a lot of money (for me) for him. Fully vetted etc all good. Had an amazing year with him bringing him on and just starting affiliated competing. He then went a bit off, not lame, developed a weird hip hike. Huge investigations done and ended up at royal vet collage who eventually diagnosed mild hock spavin. Spent near 7000 on diagnostics (5k ins) this horse literally had top notch vet care. He was rising 7 at the time.
I reluctantly retired him as a hack but he even struggled with walking around the block. Over the last 2yrs he has had some turn away time as I have had a couple of babies. 4m ago he returned to light hacking really well until last week when he went all off again and hasn't been rideable since.
I am beyond gutted. It's obvious he can't cope physically with being ridden. I am now wondering whether he should be pts. He appears field sound. But he loves work. He is only 10. I have my own land so he can stay but I have my daughters pony as well and don't have enough land for a 3rd. As it stands I cannot get another horse.
I have spent soooo much time and money on him and the last few years have been heart breaking. He is so lovely and I feel awful for him. I just don't know what to do. Horses and riding is all I have ever known. I can't imagine not riding, but what am I to do? I know folk are looking for sharers etc but I have young kids and land to look after so trying to fit in with someone else's schedule would be difficult. What if he lives for the next 15 years?!!!

I'm another who would say pts. You have done your best and it sounds like he's not going to be fixed. Horses are too expensive to keep to be too sentimental about them. If you've given him good care and appropriate veterinary treatment you have done what you can by him.

At the moment you have no reason to reproach yourself. You could try to loan him as a companion but you'd have to really police it. We had two old ones out on loan at one point and the care they received at times wasn't to the standard I would have wanted for them and I really did feel guilty for allowing that to happen. I think as a companion it's especially risky because people don't groom as often and miss things.

You're missing out on the enjoyment of riding and competing don't feel bad for wanting that. Talk to a vet and ask for their honest opinion.

I remember as a child talking to a neighbour who kept a yard full of horses. She said she had a mare that went lame so they kept her for breeding but then she taught her first foal to weave so they had her pts. Basically her attitude was that if the horse wasn't useful then what was the point of it being around. At the time I thought it quite heartless but I agree now. Keeping an old horse on into its dotage is one thing when you remember all the good times you had and you can afford to have others but it's quite another when you're looking at a decade or more of care and no other horse.

I'm not over sentimental and would consider pts but I'd exhaust barefoot before doing so. Vets and farriers are still catching up with it and 95% won't recommend it. The cynic in me can't help but think its due to £. Think how much a set of remedial shoes costs and an MRI scan, Vs a £30 trim every 2 months. Push for rockley. It's £150 a week and they typically spend 3 months there, depending on the issue and progress made.

Does he appear to have unusual muscle wastage (I.e. more than you would expect of a semi-retired horse)? I have a horse with some similar symptoms, e.g. hind leg collapse, front leg collapse, falling over, erratic symptoms, that turned out to be a very rare case of muscle degeneration due to poisoning. While this was rare other causes of such muscular problems are more common like motor neuron disease (which can be treated in horses). Have they done a muscle biopsy?

thanks for the further input. I am not hugely sentimental, had lots of horses pts for many reasons but I suppose with him it's the not knowing what is actually wrong that gets to me. Re muscle wastage etc, he looks incredible. He looks a lot fitter than he is and whilst I would say his back end looks a bit weak I suppose that is to be expected. He prances round the field looking amazing and has several times this week jumped the fence out of the field. He really is a lover of life.
Had a very good remedial farrier out who trimmed him up the best in a long time and his feet look amazing.
I have ridden him a few times recently. Without bute he is extremely stiff and plaits at the back but no front end issues. With bute there is no hind end issue and he is so so forward going but, the front end gives way a bit. Feels like it's from his shoulder. Maybe the bute makes him less gaurded and shows up probably another issue in his front end.
One thing i would say is the vets are all useless. They have given up with him. They know I have no vets fees left so they are not interested. According to them he has mild hock spavin, looks amazing, so there is no need reason why he can't at least hack. Tbh they don't have a clue what is up with him so I gave up on them a long time ago. I only use them when I really need to.

However, there is a bit of light on the horizon as I have managed to secure an additional 4 acres so probably the option to get something else now. So that has taken the pressure off and if I can keep him mooching around till the spring then I may get something else.
But I am not spending anymore money on him (within reason). The only plus is he may have a use as If I get a youngster in the spring then he would be great as a lead out companion for the youngster (mum would lead him out in hand as I rode youngster) as he is a great nanny for a young horse on roads etc

Doesn't sound like muscle wastage at all then.

I know what you mean about not having a diagnosis! It's maddening! Have you tried posting somewhere with more horsey people? You might get ideas on what else to look for. If you get the extra paddock a year of DrGreen might just do the trick, you never know.

Don't look at his feet from a conventional point of view. There's other factors that you need to look out for. Are you feeling up to posting some pics of his feet on here?

It really seems as if you have done everything you can. You have given it 4 years, thousands of pounds and the best of specialist care. He is still not right. It would not be wrong of you to say enough is enough. At some point you just can't keep pouring time and money into him IMHO. If you want to and can afford to keep him around, do, but he is still going to cost you money just to cover the basics. It would be a shame if this prevents you getting another horse and persuing your dreams. As you said he could live for another 15 years.

Have you had a Veterinary Physiotherapist out to look at him at all?