# Devastated



## Jenna500 (May 27, 2012)

I have a 16.3 german warmblood called Lui. He's the biggest, gentlest, softest horse on the planet. 

A year and a half ago, he fell over in the field and broke his hip. The vet recommended field rest. That didn't really work - before I got him he was a showjumper so used to doing something every day, so once he stopped being completely lame and feeling better in himself he started jumping out the field. On the vet's (and back lady's) advice we brought him back into very gentle work - a gentle walk once a week or once a fortnight - as that was better for him than jumping a 4ft fence! That seemed to be enough to keep him happy (or in the field anyway!)

He wasn't lame as such but had a very odd hind leg action to compensate for the hip problem. 

Over the past year, every now and again he'd go lame again, cue rest and danilon, then back into very, very mild work, and as the vet said, it's just a waiting game to see how well he recovers - the vet knows a horse that broke his hip that went on to hunt again so the prognosis was good.

At the beginning of this year things seemed to improve - his way of going seemed straighter, he was much more forward going when out, we even introduced a tiny bit of trot and canter (about 100 yards at a time - as an escort for my youngsters' first canters) and everything was looking so, so promising. 

We didn't do much in April as it rained the whole month, and at the beginning of May I noticed he was moving oddly behind again. I thought maybe the lack of exercise (even though it was very mild) had caused him to loose muscle, so started the exercise very gently again.

Well on Saturday he was hopping lame again. I can only assume he slipped in the field because it rained, but it's the same leg, the same problem. I gave him some danilon and he went from hopping to just looking 'odd' behind, but this morning, even on the danilon, he's hopping again. 

I'm obviously going to talk to the vet again tomorrow but I just don't know where to go from here.


----------



## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

Poor boy, hope his sore leg gets better soon.


----------



## crazymare (Apr 25, 2012)

have you had any further x-rays to see how his hip is healing?
Also are you sure the lameness is due to the hip?
If hes had an odd movement for a while then he will be compensating elsewhere throughout his body. It is probably most likely the hip but worth looking into.
Can he not be turned out in a small field with a calm companion to prevent him running around/sliping?
I think this is something you really need to talk about with your vet indepth and see what they suggest.
Some horses recover from this sort of injury others dont and you need to decide weather you can 100% keep him comfortable for the rest of his life regardless weather he can be worked or not


----------



## Zayna (Apr 19, 2009)

have you thought of having him looked at by a horse chiropracticioner (excuse my spelling) i dont know much about it but have seen videos of horse adjustments being done and the result is amazing!


----------

