Bute to ride? - Updated

Kite_Rider

Kite_Rider

Cantering cabbage!
May 18, 2009
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Question in the title, I know a lot won't as it's unkind to relieve a horses pain just so we can ride, however, to me that's like saying a human who is arthritic and needs pain med should just go sit in a chair all day.
So would you? Or not under any circumstances? Or maybe depending on the situation? Please discuss, I'm curious and confused as I've been advised by my vet to do this with Belle (long story) and I'm not sure if it's just better to retire her....
 
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I would, not for any type of competing or hard work, but I would to be able to gently hack. I see no issue with it as long as the risks of damage internally are considered and that were not talking about a huge dose to mask something which is really beyond help.
 
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Thank you girls, Belle has arthritis, devils claw is no longer really helping and vet has advised 1 bute per day and to continue her ridden 'work' we only hack, mostly in walk and we are never really out for more than an hour because of my own limitations, so we're definitely not doing anything strenuous.
 
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I can't see any problem in doing that. If she has arthritis then you would probably have to bute her even if you retired her, to keep her pain free. Plus, as others said, gentle exercise helps. Raf is being kept in at the moment because we are still fighting his cellulitis and he can't go out in the mud. He's having a daily leg stretch in the school but when I rode him out this morning I could feel that he was stiff to start with. He felt much better for having a hack out.

Sorry to hear that Belle is needing pain meds now, hope the gorgeous girl is ok x

ETA I'm sure the vet will have discussed with you the long term implications of keeping a horse on pain killers. We personally made the decision with Jack that quality of life is better than quantity, but that's something else to consider.
 
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I gave Storm Danilon for years on vets advice and lightly rode her. It kept her moving and no, I did not feel bad and am glad for all the riding we did. I know a lot of people feel quite strongly about buting to ride but there is a huge difference between gentle pootling and doing comps. As you say @Kite_Rider if we humans that need panadols just sat in a room all day and never moved........
 
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In the circumstances you describe, ie on vet advice for a condition that not only won't be worsened be exercise but may actually be helped, then I'd have no hesitation in giving bute to ride.
 
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Three years ago I was told not to retire mine as he would loose all the muscle he has which is currently supporting the back issue. Retiring he would cease up quicker and I would be shortening his life and have him pts earlier. I was advised to Bute and keep in work. I could Bute up to two a day but any more and it would affect liver so no point. To start with I did Bute to ride, but I wasn't convinced it was working. Based on the back swelling.
He felt as though he struggled with my weight. Just over 10 stone. My answer has been getting the two lighter riders (7 stone). This year I've decided not to ride him and have only ridden him about 5 times. But they've been riding him for the last 2½ years. His back this year has looked so much better without me on him. He's even done 5 Funrides, only cantering and some Tenny wenny logs. I've only buted him this year for those. He is on turmeric as well.
I keep thinking that soon I will be retiring him but like today he has gone out and had a pottle round, walk,trot and canter. And was even out striding my youngster. While I still have the girls riding him. I'm going to keep him going as long as he is happy. If they feel he's not happy. We will reintroduce the Bute on a regular basis and if it makes no difference I will retire.
 
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carthorse said:
In the circumstances you describe, ie on vet advice for a condition that not only won't be worsened be exercise but may actually be helped, then I'd have no hesitation in giving bute to ride.
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This for me to, if there is therapeutic benifit in keeping them active then I would, if there is no benifit but also no worsening of the horse from staying in work then I'd have to soul search because of the other risks of long term NSAIDs, if it was a downhill slope for the horse and buting to ride was purely for my benefit I absolutely wouldn't do it.
 
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Yes I would give bute to ride and if Ben is able to come back to any kind of ridden work, it is likely that he will need this himself.

If the horse is more comfortable on bute then I don’t see a reason to avoid giving this. Medication is there to help us after all.
 
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Well my thoughts go from, ok she needs bute now to be comfortable, Ideally keeping her moving is beneficial, but, I could do that long reining as well as riding and my weight wouldn't be on her back, although having said that our hack yesterday was interesting, 'lets go for a gentle hack she said, it will be good for you she said, we'll just stick to walk she said, Belle on the other hand was very much up for a good old blast and I had to keep checking her to stop her from taking off, admittedly it was very wild and windy and she hadn't been out for a good few weeks! But I'd say she's feeling very well on it so far, next question for my vet is could I try every other day?
 
I'd rather give a lower dose every day so it doesn't drop in her system, it's the anti-inflammatory action you want to keep fairly constant in her system. Yes you could long-rein instead of ride, but it sounds like you both have more fun this way! Plus I must admit that on today's busy roads I have doubts about the safety of long reining unless done in a school or private fields.
 
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I gave a low dose to Storm rather than sporadic or every other day. I really think if you have your vets say so riding her should carry on - you can always review long term.:)
 
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I kind of figured they would be like us as in better to keep the dose daily as it works better if it's continuously in the system, not sure if it would be possible to split one sachet though, would the opened sachet keep for 24 hours or would it go off?
 
Bodshi said:
I can't see any problem in doing that. If she has arthritis then you would probably have to bute her even if you retired her, to keep her pain free. Plus, as others said, gentle exercise helps. Raf is being kept in at the moment because we are still fighting his cellulitis and he can't go out in the mud. He's having a daily leg stretch in the school but when I rode him out this morning I could feel that he was stiff to start with. He felt much better for having a hack out.

Sorry to hear that Belle is needing pain meds now, hope the gorgeous girl is ok x

ETA I'm sure the vet will have discussed with you the long term implications of keeping a horse on pain killers. We personally made the decision with Jack that quality of life is better than quantity, but that's something else to consider.
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Sorry to hear about Raf, cellulitis is a bugger isn't it? Hope you get it sorted soon x

Yes we have discussed the possibility that long term pain medicine may eventually shorten her life, however, like you, quality is far more important to me than quantity, she is nearly 22 and owes me nothing and I owe that little horse everything, so if she's happy then so am I and if that means bute then so be it.
 
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For what it is worth chanter started out on nite one day and then a no bite substitute the next this went on for s good few years in fact until last winter.

Fir the record he was on Bute from 18 till 26 In some shape or form i had a full work up done mid winter and he was given a clean bill. No liver damage at all.

Also danillion is no kinder than bite I did a load of research they are the same it’s just the way the horses body breaks down danillon that is different plus it’s sugar coated so the horses like the test more
 
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For what it's worth, I would do the same as @carthorse, @Aale and @Jessey .

I know of people that bute so they can still canter or gallop out hacking, go to sponsored rides and compete which IMHO is unethical but to ride gently a few times a week to help manage a condition I'd have no issues with.
 
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Kite_Rider said:
I kind of figured they would be like us as in better to keep the dose daily as it works better if it's continuously in the system, not sure if it would be possible to split one sachet though, would the opened sachet keep for 24 hours or would it go off?
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It doesn't go off as far as I know. When Storm re injured we often had to split sachets.
 
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OwnedbyChanter said:
For what it is worth chanter started out on nite one day and then a no bite substitute the next this went on for s good few years in fact until last winter.

Fir the record he was on Bute from 18 till 26 In some shape or form i had a full work up done mid winter and he was given a clean bill. No liver damage at all.

Also danillion is no kinder than bite I did a load of research they are the same it’s just the way the horses body breaks down danillon that is different plus it’s sugar coated so the horses like the test more
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Yes we use Danilon for the taste. None of mine would ever eat the bute.
 
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