My mare, who we suspect of being in the beginning stages of laminitis - vet checked
movement and pulse but no other tests - has been in her stall 11 days now. I've been
soaking her hay, feeding beet pulp per vet's suggestion with a thryo -something sodium
supplement. She seems much better. Just wondered about keeping her stalled or whether I
can turn her out w/ other horses in the diet paddock (muzzled)? How will I know when I can
let her move around a little more outside?

I'm gathering the items for the emergency diet - thanks for this site!!

Sandy

Hi Sandy,
Your mare will tell you when she's ready to move around. The thing is, you want to control her movement! You dont want her to undo any tight laminae that she's already grown.
Lets start at the beginning.....DDT/E. Diagnosis by bloodwork. Diet being low esc/s. Trim a balanced foot with low heels and toes backed. Exercise if the horse is able.
You've started the ER Diet. This reduces sugar. Is she IR? Cushings? or both? Have you done bloodwork? Is her trim correct? Can you still feel a digital pulse? Still sore? Can you open the stall door to a small paddock/drylot? Give her the option of movement and watch what she chooses to stand on. Is she in pads/boots now? Can you put a quiet horse in with her in a dry paddock to keep her company? one that wont chase her around or push her out of her hay? IF the answer is no and she's not on bute you may be able to handwalk her at her pace in long flowing lines (no corners, tight turns or pivoting) for a few minutes a day. IF she prefers to lay down in her stall and just rest, let her!
Watch her and she'll tell you what she needs.
Mandy

--- In EquineCushings@..., "Mandy Woods" <bittersweetfarm@...> wrote:

Thanks Mandy,

We have not yet done bloodwork but intend to do so. She is not presently shod as I had
pulled her shoes since she was becoming lame due to arthritis and wasn't comfortable
doing the mountain riding. I had decided no point to paying for shoes on a horse that
wasn't being ridden. Last trim, I asked the farrier to check to make sure she wasn't having
stone bruising due to no shoes. Our property is on the hard and rocky side.

Vet suspected the start of laminitis due to the shuffling gait, weight and pulse and also
suggested she may be IR since she's a VERY easy keeper.

I was thinking of having her put down since I didn't think she was rideable. Not having a
long history w/ this mare (less than a year) - I'm still not sure I want to go to all this effort.
I'm asking myself "what's the point?". This mare is in her mid-20's. I already have a 26 yr.
old quarter horse that is going strong and an 18 year old Gypsy Vanner. It's starting to
look like a geriatric ward around my barn!! I just went over to the "dark side" -( walking
horses) w/ this mare ( when someone gave her to me) and enjoyed trail riding her and
camping with her a little last year. Now - I'm stuck w/ an old horse that takes tons of care
and probably won't ever do what I'd like to do with her due to arthritis, ringbone, etc. etc.

I don't want to start a heated discussion but right now I'm asking myself - "Why go to all
this trouble if the horse will never be sound?" If it were my old QH that has given me
years of foxhunting service - it might be a different matter -- we have a history and an
emotional connection. sorry - guess I'm venting!

Sandy

Hi Sandy,
Your mare will tell you when she's ready to move around. The thing is,
you want to control her movement! You dont want her to undo any tight
laminae that she's already grown.
Lets start at the beginning.....DDT/E. Diagnosis by bloodwork. Diet being
low esc/s. Trim a balanced foot with low heels and toes backed. Exercise
if the horse is able.
You've started the ER Diet. This reduces sugar. Is she IR? Cushings? or
both? Have you done bloodwork? Is her trim correct? Can you still feel a
digital pulse? Still sore? Can you open the stall door to a small
paddock/drylot? Give her the option of movement and watch what she chooses
to stand on. Is she in pads/boots now? Can you put a quiet horse in with
her in a dry paddock to keep her company? one that wont chase her around or
push her out of her hay? IF the answer is no and she's not on bute you may
be able to handwalk her at her pace in long flowing lines (no corners, tight
turns or pivoting) for a few minutes a day. IF she prefers to lay down in
her stall and just rest, let her!
Watch her and she'll tell you what she needs.
Mandy

Sandy,
Since you arent interested in helping her......why dont you give her to someone that could help her? Where are you located?
There are rehab rescues that might be interested in her. Have you advertised her around your horse groups to make sure a 'dealer' doesnt show up?
No heated discussions from me - you are entitled to your opinion. Its just counter to what we do here.
Mandy

"Why go to all this trouble if the horse will never be sound?" If it were my old QH that has given me years of foxhunting service - it might be a different matter -- we have a history and an emotional connection. sorry - guess I'm venting!

Sandy

Hi Sandy,

If it's any help, once I got over the initial panic and fluster of 'WHAT DO I DO NOW' the care has turned out to be quite easy.

My mare is in dry lot and I've got good at soaking her hay. You might find you don't even need to soak hay if your hay is low starch and sugar...?? I put my mare on the emergency diet and she came good really quickly. I didn't have blood results for weeks and now that I have them, I'm not actually doing anything differently.

Anyway, my point is, if you do the basic emergency diet you might find that it's not so hard giving this old girl a peaceful place to retire. And seeing an old horse through the end of it's life does have it's rewards even if you're not riding.

Lyndsey

And seeing

an old horse through the end of it's life does have it's rewards

even if

you're not riding.

Lyndsey

Amen Lyndsey -

The most incredible horse entered my life three years ago. She's now
25. She's arthritic, ringbone, even joint adaptation to it. But she
is content and I have learned so much from her about, well,
everything. She is a one in a million - she has done more for me than
I for her. When it is time for her to go, she will tell me...but so
far she's not ready!

Linda

Sorry that this is OT.

I apologize up front for this being OT and I am also a little behind on
reading the posts.
Of course I am biased as many years ago I turned my 70 acre farm into a
retirement home for senior horses. All of them have special needs (IR,
Cushings, etc) and it is my passion to take care of these special
horses. I feel that they have given us (humans) the best years of their
life and in turn they deserve to live out the rest of their time being
cared for, no matter what ails them.
Thank you,

Cindy Daigre
Ferrell Hollow Farm
www.ferrellhollowfarm.com