I have been trying to write about Zulu for months now (seriously I have this on going draft that reduces me to tears every time) Then I had to quickly write about what went wrong.... So here it is before H&H quite rightly cut it down to what they actually asked for LOL
"Zulu is now 10. I
purchased Zulu as a 5 year old from an importer and he was 16.2hh. He is a branded Holsteiner. Within 2 years he was 18hh. He was insured for loss of use from the day
of purchase. I had recently retired my
IDx through ringbone at 13 (which was heartbreaking) and decided it was a good idea. I had toyed with the idea of cancelling it a
few times over the years as it does add a lot to the policy.
I had taken it very slowly with Zulu as he was a big horse
and seemed to take a few years to know where his legs were. We had actually stopped competing for a
couple of years as my trainer (Becky Chapman) was taken on as a student by
Phillipe Karl and I wanted to go on the journey with her to maintain long term
soundness in my horse. I was becoming
very disenchanted by what I was seeing in the dressage world and it wasn’t
worth “that much” too me. I wanted to go
back into dressage competition at least at Medium or upwards also show jumping
at which he excelled. Jumping the wings
more than I would have liked! I had
originally purchased to event but he jumped just too big and everything was a
drama, so we stuck with show jumping and dressage. He was a huge striding flamboyant horse with
a heart of gold. It took me a good
couple of years to learn how to ride the huge stride and to not fall into the
trap of holding him back. He was my once
in a lifetime horse that combined talent with a loving nature.
Having not had any reason to call the vet since I had owned
him in 4 years. In January 2013 when he
was 9, he suddenly stopped being able to bend his head down to eat
food/hay/etc. He would reach down and shoot
straight up again. The vet came out immediately
and whilst he couldn’t see anything obvious he wanted to do X-rays to discount
fractures, it was at this point I first phoned SEIB. He took x-rays at the surgery and could see
nothing that apparent e.g. fractures etc.
They recommended chiropractic work and I took him to Donna Blinman in
Newmarket who had seen him over the years for tweaks. She said potentially he had fallen in the
field and treated him. Within days he
was eating off the floor and I went back to riding.
SEIB had paid out for this treatment at the vets and the
chiropractic as alternative. But my
renewal had become due in February and they had removed coverage of his entire
Spine. I was fuming! He was a big horse to discount the entire
spine through a neck injury. I couldn’t
see how this was anything but an accident.
During the next couple of months, whilst he seemed to go
back into normal work something just wasn’t right. He didn’t feel right behind
and was swinging his left hind underneath him.
By March he wouldn’t go any faster than walk with me on board. This was strange in itself as he could do all
lateral work, was showing no signs of lameness and was happily trotting and
cantering on the field and on the lunge.
The vet came again and said he thought it was to do with the neck still
and suggested he go to Rossdale’s for a scan.
SEIB covered this all under the original neck claim in
January.
He had the great fortune of seeing Sarah Boys-Smith at
Rossdale on 16th April, who was amazing from start to finish. They initially couldn’t see any lameness when
performing lameness tests, but under scintigriphy they found a hotspot by the
caudal articular joints in the neck.
They then performed a full neurological examination and found Grade 1
Ataxia in his fore limbs and Grade 1-2 in both hind limbs. The next day they took further X-rays and
discovered Osteoarthritis in C5-C7 of his neck.
The grading didn’t seem too bad, until they told me it was out of 5 this
being him unable to get up from the floor.
In basic terms the Osteoarthritis was inside the joint and
pressing on his Spinal Cord causing the neurological deficits in all 4
legs. He didn’t know what he was doing
with his legs. Sarah there and then strongly advised that I DO NOT get on him,
he could go down at any moment and I was lucky it hadn’t already happened. I advised he still had Loss of Use insurance
and she advised this would be a Loss of Use if no improvement was made. Rossdales then wanted to medicate the neck
joint under ultrasound with corticosteroids to see if it could take the
swelling down, but not to be too hopeful.
I took him home to think about it.
I turned him out with the other horses and as he cantered away he lost
his back end and fell. I phoned
Rossdale’s and took him back for the steroid injection on 24 April.
I contacted SEIB about the fact this may be a Loss of Use
Claim and they said we would need proof of his value and prove position in
competition. This immediately worried me
as I had taken it slowly and then deliberatey taken him out of competition to
focus on training to take him back in at a higher level. Did this mean my much loved horse wouldn’t be
valid as he wasn’t in competition? This
wasn’t how it was sold?
I love Zulu more than any other horse in my life and he
loves me back. He is truly my “once in a
lifetime” horse. I couldn’t really
believe this was happening and I certainly didn’t want a Loss of Use
claim! Which is silly I know, but I just
loved him too much for it to be over.
Over the next month Zulu made no significant improvement
that I could see. His back legs were
always going at odd angles. When he was
wearing a rug he looked like a pantomime horse with front legs facing forward
and back legs both facing sideways. I
decided to take his shoes off and get him barefoot, to help with his proprioception
of where his feet are.
At the end of May he was taken for re-assessment to which
there was no improvement and was then prescribed a course of oral steroids and
chiropractic work. He then went to stay at the Chiropractor Donna Blinman, so
she could work on him every day to try and free his body up. I was still so hopeful that she could provide
a miracle. He would be re-assessed again
at the end of the course of steroids.
After his stay with Donna and he was looking as good as he
ever had I made the decision to get back on. He is a big horse and I knew that
without me on board he wouldn’t stay in good enough shape to keep his gangly
frame together. We hacked out, we
schooled and we did everything in walk. I
was determined to keep him going.
By now SEIB had pretty much paid up to his limit in both
medical and alternative fees with no argument.
His final assessment was on 24 July 2013. We were halfway through a course with my
trainer where he was doing half pass, shoulder-in, travers and the start of
pirouette. Was this really a horse who
didn’t know where his feet were? But he
wouldn’t go faster than walk. I managed
to get him to trot for about 5 strides and someone walked around the corner and
he walked and refused to trot again.
The verdict was damning.
Further assessment revealed he had actually deteriorated Grade 2 in
front and 2/3 behind. I under no
circumstances should ride him. It was
just a matter of time before he went down and there is no way that will end
well under 18hh. They advised this was
Loss of Use. When I explained to them
how I had been doing half pass the day before, they just advised it was an
absolute testament to our relationship that he totally trusted me to place his
feet. But he had to concentrate the entire time. So if anything distracted him and he lost
concentration, this would be dangerous.
He had been protecting me by going no faster than walk. My heart broke
again at the clarity of why he would only walk with me on board, to protect me. I took him back to my trainer and I wanted to
ride, much to her protest. I got on, but
for the first time he was reluctant to go to the mounting block. We did all our dressage moves in walk. By chance it’s all on video. Very calm peaceful and beautiful. I have not sat on him again.
SEIB were practical through this entire process to be honest
and never disputed a claim. Once the
Loss of Use claim went through the one lady who dealt with me was really good
and sympathetic. Everyone told me they
would argue the loss of use and I guess if it wasn’t so dangerous me to get on
and maybe if it had only affected one thing, say jumping it may have been
different? They didn’t argue the Loss of
Use, although there was mention of their vets having a look. But Rossdales examinations had been pretty
extensive and this wasn’t done. Within a
month he had been Freeze marked with the L and the money paid out.
Its now nearly a year later.
I have never sat on Zulu again. I
tried once again in about the September and he would not go near the mounting
block. I had to listen to what he was
saying. He is still 10 years old and
totally cut off in his prime. Initially,
it was very tough to watch him lose muscle.
But doesn’t seem to miss what I assume was the pressure of me being on
board.
To cut an immensely long story short a 4yo Dutch Sport horse
came and found me a month later (much earlier than I needed or wanted). As much as I wanted to give up, I wasn’t
ready to retire. She is his exact
opposite normal size, grey and a mare.
She has enough confidence and love for all of us and totally ignored my
tears. Zulu adores her and the herd is
very happy with the new addition. Thankfully
I have my horses at home and whilst I cant really afford an extra one, its not
the end of the world. Zulu’s money paid
for her and despite saying for the last few years that I would not insure a
horse again, but put money into an account.
SEIB paid out full veterinary and alternative to try and get him
right. They then paid 100% of his
purchase value (minus -£250 as a field companion, which was originally 10% of
his value at £950. My argument – who
would by an 18hh Warmblood who eats appox. £50 a week in food + drugs as a
field companion!). They agreed within
minutes.
Therefore, she is fully insured again and with LOU which now
max is 75%
My advise to anyone. Be
honest with them. My wishes…. More photos’s of competitions etc instead of
thinking there will be years ahead to buy these. Even taking emotion out of this, I think they
would need this as proof if the horse were no longer viable for a certain
discipline. For example, if I had
show jumped him to 140cm and he could no longer do this. What proof would there be that he did
this? Would they pay out if I had done
this for pleasure with trainers or only viable if he had been affiliated
BSJA? This isn’t really mentioned when
you take the policy out. My advice. Live everyday with your horse as if its your
last"
