When I rode Kaswyn on Tuesday he didn't feel quite right. He felt fine at the trot but didn't want to bring his hocks under himself at the canter. This makes me suspicious that he has pain in his hocks. I had the hocks injected last December, but then didn't follow up with monthly Legend because it's so damn expensive. Now I'm regretting that decision. The Legend injection a few weeks ago seemed to help a little bit but now I'm feeling that the canter needs help.
So on Tuesday Dr. B will come out and check out Kaswyn's hocks. We didn't x-ray the hocks last December, but I know they have been x-rayed in the past, probably within the last 3 years. I'm guessing Dr. B will x-ray his hocks again on Tuesday, but he didn't say for sure. When I called him and told him what I thought was going on I told him that we had injected the hocks last December. Then I asked if he thought it was too soon to inject them again and he laughed, saying "I usually inject hocks every three months!" Ack, who can afford that??! I know some dressage people have a lot of money, but most dressage riders I know have one horse and do all sorts of creative money management in order to afford them.
I don't know how I really feel about the injections. I'm not excited about going into those joints, but if it's going to make Kaswyn more comfortable then I'm all for it. I guess I'll just see what Dr. B and the x-rays say. But I'm guessing there will be injections. And a big fat vet bill that I just paid off two weeks ago. Figures.
All Good Things Must Come To An End
3 years ago
4 comments:
If there is one thing you can say for horses its that they are hell on the bank account *sigh*
Be thankful that your vet will take payments. If I take a horse to Doc G then I can make payments, but my regular vet demands payment in full at the time of service. My solution is that I have 2 credit cards on file with them. One is the main card and is authorized for up to $150. The second card gets what's above that. I'm not sure what I'd do if the bill was higher then $300 total- probably panic. (I have 2 cards because the payment periods are 2 weeks apart and that gives me time to figure out where I'm going to pull the money to pay for card #2 from)
They are very unhappy about the two credit cards and complain that it's a pain to bill that way. My response is that is the only way I can give them their money and if it's too much of a pain then maybe they need to go back to allowing payments as long as they are over a certain amount. They then told me the 2 credit cards would be ok. ::eyeroll::
I'm sure Kaswyn will be fine after his injections. It will make him feel better!
I had my horse injected last November. He felt great when I rode him in August, but he's retired now. I was a little worried about the injections (and the price!) when I had them done, but he was dead lame just being flexed, and the week before he was due for his injections he was starting to look off just being ridden. He was 18 at the time, and while we didn't x-ray, the difference was night and day, he had his stifles and hocks injected and he suddenly moved like a 10 year old again, I cried from happiness.
I hope that the injections work again for Kaswyn, and that they hold out for a year again!
It stinks that Kaswyn is feeling sore again. Poor guy! I hear you on the wallet issue, though. These horses are just so expensive. Even when they are healthy, they still have to eat everyday and that ain't cheap.
Hopefully Kaswyn realizes that this vet bill might end up being the only Christmas present he gets!
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