Don't know whether to laugh or cry...

tbtess

tbtess

Bella, Poppie, Tess
Aug 24, 2005
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Selby
I've just found out someone I know is considering having her pony put to sleep :eek: . He is a laminitic, very sweet and doesn't really get what I would consider the correct care. For example, he was on 24 hour turnout all through summer and suffered quite badly with his laminitis and he hardly had any care at all :( The pony is around 13hh and about 8 years old and I strongly believe this pony can be given a second chance to live pain free. According to what I have been told if the person can't find him a good free home she is going to have him put down so I have said I will take him on, sort him out and let my kids ride him. I don't know whether to laugh or cry because I can't imagine having the poor lad put down if there is a chance he can be helped and i'm over the moon that I may be given then chance to put him right and help him.
Have I done the right thing?
 
I wouldn't be able to resist either...just hope he doesn't cost you a fortune in vet bills....or heart ache later on...BUT whatever you are giving him a chance that he hasn't got at the mo...so Good luck with him.

Has a vet checked how much damage has already occured in his feet due to the laminitis?
 
It's a very admirable thing to do :) My old loan pony was acquired under a similar situation. Our YO paid £100 for him because his owner could not be bothered to treat his laminitis. He went on to give me (and other children) many years of pleasure.

Treatment for laminitis can be expensive, and all comes down to how much damage has occurred. When you get him, have x-rays done asap to determine what's gone on in his feet. Then you can make sure your care plan for him is appropriate. All in all we spent over £10,000 treating my pony's laminitis, so was a long (and costly) road, but she came right in the end :)
 
Thanks for all the good vibes guys, i'm just waiting for an answer from the lady now, meanwhile trying to gather all the information necessary to help this poor pony. The pony is going to be shared between me and a friend so any treatment costs will be shared also. We are going to do our best for the little chap if we aren't denied of the chance. I have no idea what damage has already been done but another friend of mine knows a hell of lot about laminitis as her pony is also a sufferer so depending on what the woman says she is going to have a look at him for me asap and see where she thinks would be the best place to start.
Lets just keep our fingers crossed that she agrees.
 
As eventerbabe said..you'l need xrays or ct scans to really see the extent of the damage, even the most experienced eye won't be able to see whats gone on inside the hoof.
 
My mother in law did the same thing - heard about a laminitic pony that was about to be pts becasue it could no longer do gymkhana games. She rescued it, aged about 11 - that was about 9 years ago, and he is still going strong. Yes, he needs careful management, but he rarely suffers now. He's not had a rider on him, although the vet had said, that for very gentle work this would have been ok.

Go for it - a lovely addition to the family I reckon:D
 
this really funky looking paint horse - (bad conformation, really short back..) is the sweetest lesson horse in the barn. And to think the YO got him for free because he too was to be PTS because he had laminitis and had foundered.

She fixed his feet, and in the 8 years, He's been at the barn, he hasn't had an unsound day... Second chances, sometime reallly are worth it.
 
I'll laugh!

Hee hee, guess i'll laugh then! He's all mine, well, to share with my friend. Bless him, he's actually looking well. I'll be going up in the morning to muck out and sort him out so i'll take some piccies and get them posted for you.
 
Of course you ahve doen the right thing, I think all of us would have made the very same offer in this case. If the pony will come sound again and with the correct management for his condition then I hope he has a long and very happy life with you and your children.
 
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