Pony being pts

[confusednorthner]

We bought daughters pony in summer, she was perfect for her and they fell in love instantly.
She has become more and more grumpy since autumn came bucked, bolted, kicking out and finally reared with youngest ds on board. We'd had vet, back, saddle the lot checked and nothing. Had another vet out today who's discovered she's riddled with arthritis and in her opinion even with rest and Bute she wouldn't put a child near her again as although her pain is causing her behaviour she is kicking out and meaning it.
I feel awful, dd is beside herself but she's not the pony we had before. She even bit me today while I held her. I can't afford to keep her dosed up indefinitely and she's hating not being out and about😢

I'm so sorry. But a life in pain for a horse is no life at all. Even if you could afford to keep the pony dosed up I don't believe bute is recommended for the long term (I may well be wrong)
If the pony can't be kept comfortable you have no choice really. Sorry. It's horrid though.

So sorry. You’ll have to retire her, you might be able to loan her out as a companion. Just make sure that this is only what she is used for.

Please in future get pony vet checked and preferably on temporary loan to check that it really is the pony that the owners say it is before you part with money.

We had her for couple of months on loan and she was a delight. I've always said I wouldn't leave a animal in pain and it's no life for her. No one will take her as a companion and at least this way I know she won't be mistreated or left to suffer.
Even vet said she wouldn't have had a pony of her age and cost vetted. If there's a next time I will be getting her out to vet though!

TBH even if someone would take her as a companion she sounds sore even not being ridden and on bute. And arthritis isn't going to get better. There's also the worry of horses being sent as companions and then ridden anyway.
Sorry OP.

How did the vet diagnose arthritis?

eeek2 It drives me mad when people advise turning them away or passing them on as a companion. Just do the decent thing and end the ponies pain. If it was a little old pony the vet check probably would have cost more than the pony. Obviously the op has been unlucky as she had the pony on loan first.

How old is she OP ?
Has she had bloods taken ? I also would like to know how her arthritis was diagnosed.
Is there any chance she has a gastric ulcer ?

How did they diagnose? X-rays? Could they not inject.......or are too many joints affected?

I wouldn't worry about getting a pony vetted, unless I was paying a lot ( enough to justify a full set of veterinary x-rays) and then that is no guarantee........the only one of the 6 ponies I have owned that I have had vetted - flew through, to then developed bad arthritis in its hocks (in this case 5 stage with bloods, no x-rays) within a short time of owning. The vet in Newmarket thought it was very suspicious timing. `I had had bloods taken - but when i investigated costs of getting them tested etc - it would have been throwing a lot of good money after bad. If it had indeed been injected, then the previous owners had gone to huge amount of trouble to hide it (we saw its supposed vet records).

It's awful to be faced with putting a beloved pony to sleep. Only thing I could suggest is getting a specialist opinion - but that is ££££ and it very likely may not change anything.

She's in pain, and she doesn't understand why. She has no concept of the future, all she knows is that it hurts, now. And that isn't going to get better.

Giving her a release from that is one of the most loving things you can do for her. I know it's hard, especially for a child who doesn't necessarily understand. But I'd frame it in those terms for your dd.

Please, please don't pass her on. I have seen what can happen to ponies like yours when they are sent out into the world, and it's not pretty. You are right to keep her safe with you.