13/02/2025
This is a fantastic post.
Obviously we have to be very sensitive to a horses signs of pain but we know from extensive evidence in the human world that image does not equal pain.
Treat the animal in front of you, not just their X-rays!
X-rays and scans show the status of the tissues being imaged BUT they don’t measure pain.
Horses can, same as people, have severe changes but absolutely no pain or conversely have minor changes sadly suffering significant pain.
We need to be aware of any signs of pain but also be aware that there is not automatically pain, as the changes can be incidental findings.
I had two cases today demonstrating this point. One with severe osteoarthritis of the hind fetlocks and one with very advanced kissing spines. If you over-read their x-rays you’d have thought the pain would have been extreme and end of the road for them. In both horses the severity of the changes in the x-rays were a complete surprise to the vets and the owners.
Future management plans and training expectations have been modified as a result of the findings. However both horses are staying in work with very caring owners and an a multi-disciplinary team supporting them.
At the moment the plan is to ride the horse in front of them each day, look out for but don’t anticipate clinical signs that are not there.
If your horse has a diagnosis, remember to care for them as horse first, pathology/injury second and take each day at a time.
