--- In EquineCushings@..., "jarrahbrearebreazebridie"
<jarrah@...> wrote:

Jeanette, to add to Kathleens comments, Inflamation would upset the
numbers along with the Cushing's and cold, plus blood taken right
after fed, will give you a higher number than previously. If you

took > blood 2-4 hours after fed prior, the comparisons would be
different.

Angela -- That occurred to me when the vet showed up surprisingly
quickly after being detoured to an emergency call. But sending her
off for a couple hours to come back later wasn't really an option. :-
( I actually had the vet draw blood early in February with perfect
timing, but the samples were contaminated on the way to the lab.
Grr... I'll retest again after the days warm up some.

If the numbers stay high when the days are longer and warmer and
tooth/jaw inflamation dealt with I would consider a lower % hay and
anything else you can think of.

All I have to do is be able to find it! I can go back to soaking
again once temperatures rise, but the mare won't eat wet hay, and it
certainly won't dry before it freezes right now. And so far I've not
found a satisfactory forage replacement in this region. (If anyone
in the Denver area knows of one, please let me know!)

The unmollsassed beet pulp can > run higher sugar than the r/s/r/
mollassed. Might want to test this > also.

I've rinsed both as thoroughly as I know how. And Manda wasn't on any
BP for the October draw; this time she was getting about 8 oz. r/s/r
molasses added BP 'cause I couldn't get the other. As I said, I hope
I've resolved the problem, but I won't believe it until I load the
bags in my truck.

mode the body goes into influences calorie's for storing. I provide
the lowerst 4% at highest 6-7% especially for the winter months.

I know my hay is closer to 9-10% NSCs; that's three different hays
with half a dozen EA analyses over the past 8 months. I'm about
analyzed out, but have finally figured out how to do it right! And
one batch of hay -- I have 3 tons sitting in the barn gathering dust -
- is so high in selenium and manganese I've been advised not to even
feed it. :-( (I may do another random coring on that to test only
Se in case we might have cored into some Se accumulator plants that
skewed the results.)

I know the winter mode, cold, > Cushing's plays some part.

The good news is that the pergolide seems to be having some effect.
As I groomed Manda this afternoon, it appeared to me that her neck is
not so cresty, i.e., the mane ridge is not so hard. She was also
happy to have me swirl the mane brush over her neck and give her a
quick grooming. Good skritchies it seemed ;-) -- not nearly as
grumpy as she has been. And, for whatever reason, the swelling in
her face was also down.

It's been warmer the past couple days, above freezing during the day
without the chilling wind we had last week and in the mid-20s at
night. That certainly improves **my** attitude!

Thanks for the comments. It helps a lot to discuss this with others
who know what you're talking about.

Jeanette
Colorado