MAKE PLANS WITH HORSES? YOU MAY AS WELL SCOOP SAND WITH A SIEVE

In other words, you can daydream all you like about where you and your horse will be in a month, six months, or in a year. Brilliant if it all goes well, but an alternate reality is often waiting in the wings like a tiger with big sharp teeth ready to bite you on your overplanned ass!

So at my advanced age, I have learned to master making Plan B, C and even D which has been a good thing when it comes to the 18.1 hunk of handsomeness that is the BFG who was to be my swansong show jumper. He and I were going to go up the grades, jumping colourful sticks until my aching back and hips said that’ll do lass. However, once again Plan A packed its bags and headed for the beach where it is no doubt sipping sangria in the sun, while the BFG and me, we are on Plan C or is it F by now?

What happened is my gentle giant started to feel a little off. At first it was subtle maybe the the stride a little shorter, then an uncharacteristic refusal and an underwhelming appearance out show jumping whatever it was it was time to get my vet involved.

Cue multiple scans and xrays and lameness exams and it was confirmed that not only was his SI joint giving him pain but he also had slightly dodgy hocks. My vet was not overly surprised as this is a massive unit of a horse to keep sound and athletic. Interestingly when I bought him at age 6 he was only 17.2hh he grew to his full height between the ages of 6 to 9 – something to bear in mind if you too have a huge horse.

The SI and hocks were treated and with the help of top physio Catriona Goulding we commenced the required rehab. Slowly I built up his strength, the slight lameness resolved, his stride returned and he seemed relaxed and happy again. Over the next few months we were cautiously back on track. He was happily popping 1.20 in training and jumped a fabulous round at a show with only 1 fence down in a 1.10. Then I decided to enter some dressage.

Images above HKF Photography

The days itself went well he did two nice tests followed by having a day off. Now maybe what happened next happened because at the dressage show I had sat on him for much longer than I would at a showjumping show and perhaps that was the straw that broke this particular camel’s back – I will never know – but when I next went to get on him he simply exploded even before my right leg was over the saddle. Sitting on an frantic big horse is not an experience I want to repeat, we were making so much height with each buck I could just about see the hills of Wales. Finally, he took a breath, all four feet were on the ground and I made a swift exit. Clearly something major was going on as he is not a horse that bucks, even when he is feeling happy and mega fresh the most he ever does is squeal like a sort of equine Mariah Carey.

After talking through the options my vet was not optimistic about the outcomes of surgery on such an enormous horse with all his other orthopaedic problems. I opted to have his back injected and once again do all the rehab.

Back came the vet and this time we had a proper look at his back and bang there it was the minute the first X-ray popped up on screen – just about kissing spines. Not really bad ones to look at but clearly the source of his pain.

After talking through the options my vet was not optimistic about the outcomes of surgery on such an enormous horse with all his other orthopaedic problems. I opted to have his back injected and once again do all the rehab.

Image: KJ Bruce photography

This time I rehabbed obsessively – we long reined up hills over poles and logs, we long reined around the farm and again Catriona monitored our programme and remained encouraging, working in conjunction with my vet and my saddler too.

Fast forward a few months and sadly there was to be no victory over the odds. The BFG remained ultra-sensitive to any pressure on his back and with an odd swing to his right hind leg. Was I going to give up and even as some suggested put him to sleep? Nope never, this was a horse who has clearly tried his heart out for me even though it must have been causing him pain until the day came when he just had no other way of letting me know. Horses are the most remarkable, stoic creatures and we owe it to them to do our best for them just as he has always tried to for me. So I opted instead to take his shoes off and simply turn him away with his herd mates.

That was over a year ago now and our next update is interesting and full, dare I say it of some hope!