Another Lameness Mystery - Horse related FINALLY AN ANSWER! Not good

[Equest94]

The show was a 3-day show, and since it was at the University's Equestrian Center, they try to make a learning opportunity for everyone, and therefore a vet was there and did soundness exams on every horse who qualified for the next round, not only to make sure the horses who might qualify for the state competition were on top game, but also so the Equine Science class would learn a few things about performance horse care. Unfortunately, MC and I had a one too many knock downs in the jump off (my fault) and did not qualify (we only did day 1 out of 3), but since the vet was there, and I was a bit curious about why she would flick her leg once she got moving, I had him check her over for me. He was very thorough; palpated her tendons, stretched her, flex-tested her, watched her move off, lunged her in sallower footing, and all was fine. As I have stated, this show was a month before she came home, she never had any issues before the show, nor after it, until she came home. I even took her to a dressage clinic at another barn about a week before she came home and she was 100%, nothing wrong at all, no funny steps taken; so I just assume, as did the barn vet at the show and the specialist who just saw her, that the initial issue was due to clumpy footing. Also, the specialist did say that by feeling the ligament and at "what stage" the healing is in, it is a pretty new injury (he says that he highly doubts it happened at the time of the show, or else there would be more fluid, scar tissue, and the ligament would have more of a clump of mass on the part strained/torn).

So, I was told that this injury had to have happened around the time she came home.

(She loaded, trailered, and unloaded without any issues...so I'm not really thinking trailering incident. Also, I am the one who turned her out in her individual pasture and watched her...that mare does not run unless there is a fence in front of her or a cow, lol.)

and for the record I DID have it written on her stall card: "Individual turnout ONLY - does not get along with other horses" - all bold, huge font, and highlighted, (and of course I also verbal stated that to them just in case they were literate).


See I'm worried that if I try to take this matter to court, that it's just going to seem like we're siding against them...but I guess it won't hurt to at least speak to an attorney about the possibility of this working out for me.

Honesty though, don't you find it a bit suspicious that a total of 5 boarder horses who were suppose to be on individual turn out or no turnout, all ended up with the same injuries (just different degrees of severity)?


(the barn owners did mention, that they like to turn horses out all day, because they don't like cleaning stalls.... yeah, strong work ethic)




So yeah, thank you all for your suggestions/support/prayers. I'll keep you updated.

 

[thewarriorchild]

"Honesty though, don't you find it a bit suspicious that a total of 5 boarder horses who were suppose to be on individual turn out or no turnout, all ended up with the same injuries (just different degrees of severity)?


(the barn owners did mention, that they like to turn horses out all day, because they don't like cleaning stalls.... yeah, strong work ethic)"

ABSOLUTELY! Look into this, take a picture of the card on the stall, get people to say how long it has been there and look into it. Maybe even the former owners would say that is how your horse was to be cared for. I would think you have better chance without a contract, no way to slip out of your directions on the stall!
Good luck!

 

[patandchickens]

Equest, I am *not* disagreeing with you about how the injury happened at all; I am just trying to show you how it could convincingly be summed up for a judge. You know?

If you had a 'individual turnout only' stall card, that helps, but still I think it is rather iffy because of the number of unproveables involved.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Equest94]

Pat,

I know that you are just looking into the "grey zones." I don't feel like you are disagreeing with me...I just wanted to give more detail about the "before" and "after." Thank you for looking at this from all angles. I'm a bit "ify" myself bring in this case since there isn't much proof about anything, it's all "I said, they said" sort of stuff where everyone points fingers at each other.


Just for the record, I'm not a sue-happy type of person. I'm not going to take someone to court if they bat an eye at me. It's just that MC's therapy and recovery plan are going to cost me a pretty penny; since she is my horse, she is my responsibility, and although my parents are wonderful people, they are really focused on "work hard; whatever belongs to you, is YOUR responsibility," so I have to cover the full price of everything (which is hard when you have college loans to pay off). It's not even so much about getting the money for the vet bills (although that would be wonderful), but I feel almost obligated to make these people see that they just can't do what they want, that they have to see boarders almost like their boss...that we pay them to accommodate to our horses' needs and they should try to do so as best as possible instead of completely ignoring our requests because their way is easier for them. For far I am 1 of 3 boarders left, the 2 others are moving out at the end of the month, and MC will be gone once she gets back from the clinic.

These people don't even understand why everyone left....they think it's because they are not "snooty show people" like the rest of "us".