i just rescued a Gelding from these people who just left him there to die, he was with another horse but the other horse died because of no care. i couldnt stand seeing that horse just slowly die out in the pasture all lonely %26 starving, so i got him %26 now he is gaining weight %26 VERY happy, but he has a bad leg, we took him to the vet %26 the vet dosnt no whats wrong %26 they cant fix it. so he walks around with 3 legs quite well (amasing he will run with 3 legges aslo!!) his hooves need to be trimmed badly but he will not put weight on that leg thats hurt so he cant pick up his other feet cause that means he will only have 2 to balance on, so i need help on how i can get his hooves trimmed??
Answers:
Yes, we need more people like you who are willing to do something for horses left to die like this. It is and does happen more often than people know or hear about. Unfortunately for you, I have to side COMPLETELY with LisaM here. I know its not what you want to hear but there are many, many more horses that need rescue that are young and have a chance of a good, happy, healthy life with someone like you. This poor old guy sounds to have seen his better days, it amazing if he is truly that old and still managing on 3 legs, I can't imagine what teeth are in his head . can't be much at that age and horses also start to absorb themselves in the end and you can try and try but they just don't ever go back to what they once were, he's old and crippled... 5 years on 3 legs, I don't think any other leg has much to stand on anymore either.
I am very proud of you for taking some action to helping this horse in whatever way you can, that just might not be the way you had hoped though.
tell your vet to come out at the same time as your farrier does maybe he will know what to do
i think the only option is to put him down out of his misery. horses can't live on 3 legs, and if the vet doesn't know what to do, you can only put him down. in order to trim his hooves for now, you will have to hook up a rig to hold him up while feet are being done. ps no use keeping him in pain with a bad leg.
Ok, people will probably freak when I tell you this, but you do need to trim his hooves. I would have the vet give you an injection of some type of heavy tranquilizer, then when your farrier is there give the injection and gently, lay the horse down, being careful not to let his head slam down; lay him on his side in a grassy or sandy area. you will probably want to sit on his shoulder or neck gently during this process, or maybe even just hold his head and talk to him...This will allow the shoer to do the trim without causing trauma to the horse and making him have to stand on that bad leg...which he can't.
The best situation would be have the vet and the farrier there together to help you with this procedure.
Hope this helps...
BTW, I commend you for rescuing a horse with with literally no future, and if he seems happy running around on three legs, he probably is...a horse that is ready to die from pain will give you a look that says "please help me"... thank goodness for folks like you that are willing to give a horse a forever home, regardless of useability...
tell ur vet and farrier and trainer to come at the same time so they can all pitch in
I've never heard of a horse suriving being 3 legged for any long amount of time. They are in high risk for laminitis. They are not like dogs or cats that can go on to live 3 legged. Personally trimming his feet would be lower on my priority list than finding out more about the injured leg. Get a second opinion...or 3rd...or 4th... but if you can't resolve the issues with his injured leg how fair is it to allow him to live in such pain that he is 3 legged. I commend you for getting him out of a bad situation. Sometimes rescuing a horse does not have a happily ever after ending. Sometimes the right thing to do is the hardest, if there's no hope don't prolong it. Good luck %26 I will keep your gelding in my prayers.
Bless your heart...and good job!
Call another vet or take the horse to a large animal teaching university.
I rescued a young filly once, literally from the road. She had a bad rear leg that she didn't use and it wound up to be gangrene and she had to be euthanized only after a couple of hours of me rescuing her. It was so sad!
I am sure your horse doesn't have gangrene but it could be something very serious.
a horse can not live on 3 legs. a horse is built to have its weight equally distriputed on all four legs. Take one away and the horse will have hoof problems such as laminitis( and eventluuly if not delt with his coffin bone will collapse through the hoof.) Then the horse would be put down anyways. if you are familiar with the legend racehorse Barbaro that will give you a clear explanation as to why a horse can't live on 3 legs. If you do want to help the horse i would suggest having a farriar and a vet come and check him out. if he is in pain you should put him on bute(asprin for horses) also a farriar can put correctional shoes on his hooves. This will cost lots of money but if you are willling to try and get this horse to survive then reach deep int o those pockets. I would advise a farriar to take the first look. After that if succesful get the vet to look at him granted they may say what i am about to tell you. I would put him down. His condition seems to far gone and may do better if in peace.
We have a farrier that trims on a table. I personally haven't used him or that method, but you strap the horse down and the table lays down and you trim/shoe that way.
I would ask around and see if anyone in a near distance to you has that. Call the vets and ask.
OK. for starters, congrats on rescuing the horse. What a commendable thing to do. However, you should remember one thing - you can't always rescue every horse, and sometimes you just need to get them long enough to put them out of their misery instead of suffering further.
That being said, you seriously need to get your money together and take the horse to your nearest LARGE equine hospital or university. I say large because they will have the means to truly evaluate what is wrong with your horse's leg. Your average farm call vet simply cannot go to the means that a large practice or university can and will do.
You do need to pursue this because the horse CANNOT survive on 3 legs. He will develop laminitis in the opposite leg that is bearing all the weight, and the laminitis will cause founder, and the rescuing he is undergoing will be all for naught when his coffin bone starts popping through his sole.
As far as trimming his foot goes - I have seen several 3 legged lame horses with severly affected legs that they cannot stand on- and several people, leaning against the horse against a wall can manage to trim the good foot, making the horse use the wall %26 people while standing on the bad foot. They usually need lots of breaks in between, but it can be done. As some people on here have suggested - some farriers, in coordination with a veterinarian, will lay horses down to trim their feet. This is called general anesthesia, just like they do to castrate a colt. In your case, this is HIGHLY INADVISABLE. If you do not know what is wrong with your 3 legged horse, laying him down unconcious can be absolutely detrimental to his well being ------ getting back up can inflict even greater damage. Typically, an anesthetized horse laid down in the field will have a good recovery and stand up with no problems, but there are always instances where horses rock and roll before they get up, are disoriented, have a hard time finding their footing ---- if your horse is already missing one footing as it is, trying to help him stand back up after being knocked unconcious can break or strain something and create a bigger problem for everyone.
Is this lameness in a front leg? Hind leg?
I know it sounds stupid to say, but is your vet sure there's no hoof abcess?? I have seen vets that have missed these simple things. There is a saying in the equine veterinary world, it's called the 90 90 90 rule: 90% of lamenesses are in the front, 90% of lameness are in the foot, and 90% of lamenesses are abcesses.
If it is an abcess, left untreated it does have the potential to cause the hoof to slough horse, or to release toxins into the horse's blood stream and result in the horse's death without drastic intervention.
Hoping however that your vet has at least the capability of diagnosing an abcess and is sure that it is not, other things it could be in the front leg are: founder, arthritis, a fracture, a bad suspensory ligament injury, a shoulder injury including a pulled muscle, tendon, or scapular fracture, severe navicular that had caused the deep digital flexor tendon to rupture.
Hind leg issues can include: founder, arthritis, a fracture, a damaged suspensory ligament, a plantar fasciia injury, or a stifle injury or pelvic injury as well.
A veterinarian will most likely either want to xray the suspected area, or block the horse out sound. It might run you a pretty penny, but in the long run, it is going to help you figure out what is wrong and potentially manage it, or determine if the horse's injury is too severe to maintain a healthy life.
HOLY COW::: This horse is THAT old?!!?! I take back most of everything I've said. It is time to end this horse's life. If it has been going on all that time, he is in pain and has been for a long time. Let him find peace at last.
I am going to take the bull by the horns and please understand that I'm not trying to be mean. Look at this logically, if the horse is as old as you say, he will hardly have a tooth left in his head which makes eating very difficult and sometimes painful. He's hobbling around on 3 legs, he can't get his feet trimmed. There is a reason that you don't see amputee horses - because they can not manage for long on 3 legs without having tremendous problems - look at Barbaro. You state that he's very happy - in whose opinion? He must be in chronic pain if something is preventing him from using one leg and then he's having to distribute weight onto the other 3. A vet should be able to palpate that leg and take x rays to tell you what is happening with it and why it is like that. If your vet can't tell you, then you need to find another one and they should also be evaluating the condition of his other joints and feet as well as his teeth. I'm sorry but to me, that sounds like a miserable life of pain and suffering and sometimes dead is better.
Put him down very peacefully and respectfully. The old boy has lived a long and honorable life and he does not deserve to spend his last days in pain, which is what is happening and it can only get worse. The greatest favor you could do for him would be to allow him to finally rest in peace.
Hi there,
I have seen a standing stallion who only has 3 legs. Then there are the natural abnormalities like in the link who have extra.
I have seen a sling use to some effect but it depends on the ability to cope of the horse. I saw one farrier stand a horse on a platform that allowed him to trim the edge on the hoof. It was not perfect but better than nothing.
There has to be a way as there are many horses out the who wear a prosthesis. Maybe by researching one of these you will find a better answer.
I hope I have pointed you in the right direction. I wish both you and this brave horse all the best.
AWWWW i'm so glad u rescued the poor horse. people can be so cruel. all's i can say is get ahold of the vet to find out what to do. your his angel thx's for rescueing him at least someone care's for him.
my horse is thirty years old and recently recovered from an upper hoof resections to remove an abscess that had developed between the wall of the hoof and the white line.
The problem with horses is that all legs need to be weight bearing. otherwise horses run the risk of a secondary condition refer to by vets as sympathetic laminates. the other leg that compensates for the weight gives up under the pressure.
I have a Shetland pony that founders if I don't religiously watch his diet. It one stage I had him hanging from a beam in my stable to take the pressure of his front legs. I would be guided by what the vet had to say. there must be some form of horse rescue or organisation that can take this bloke and give him care.
you do not want to know the cost of my vets bill for my horse it is four figures. You dont want the expense of something that is not yours, although I think what you are doing is very noble.
where are you he can come and live at my place, and keep rhianna company?
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