I went over to walk Vento, and freaked out because his hindquarters seemed stiff and he could barely walk. I called the vet, he dropped everything and started heading for Santa Fe. I decided to check the boy’s feet to see if he had picked up a stone and discovered that my farrier had pulled his shoes in preparation for an MRI and to save me some money while he’s recovering. The gravel on the road was hurting his itty witty, tender little footies. I called the vet and canceled the appointment, and then walked him round and round in the indoor arena since his feet couldn’t take the hard ground. I told him he was a wuss and girl. Truth is this horse really doesn’t handle pain well. Unlike Steppi who was so stoic it broke your heart.
Here’s my latest dilemma. The vet in San Diego doesn’t think this is a suspensory injury because it doesn’t have the right symptoms. He suggested an MRI. So I scheduled and MRI. Then I discovered that Vento will have to undergo general anethesia for the procedure, and it’s really hard on horses. Sometimes they don’t get up. A friend suggested I go to Colorado to a standing MRI facility. But they can only do feet. They can’t run the equipment up the leg or do the back.
In the meantime I’ve asked them to shoot an X-ray to see if he’s got a bone chip or a hairline fracture. That will be cheaper and less dangerous than the MRI.
I also remembered that in addition to surgical and mortality I have major medical insurance so I called the company and put in a claim. I’m spending a fortune trying to diagnose this horse I may as well get something back from the insurance company.
