I decided to convert his daily hand walk into “unstructured” time in the arena and he seems much happier. Instead of asking him to move, I bring him to the arena and let him stroll where he pleases on the lead line and roll in the sand (one of his favorite things to do). He still gets to be out of his run, just without forced movement.
--
Emma + Tater, EMS / IR
joined 10/26/22
Colorado
Photo Album
Case History

Hi Emma

You may have seen this already but more input about exercise here: https://www.ecirhorse.org/DDT+E-exercise.php

--
Nancy C in NH
ECIR Moderator 2003
ECIR Group Inc. President 2021-2022

HOW TO SEARCH THE ARCHIVES: https://ecir.groups.io/g/main/wiki/1993

Sheri - is there a time frame for when exercise should begin? I reread the exercise portion of the welcome letter and confirmed that it said that once he was moving comfortably at liberty, I could introduce hand walking in long straight lines. He has been walking / trotting / cantering / bucking in his run for a few weeks now even once the NSAIDs were removed, so I figured 5-10 minutes of hand walking on soft surfaces every other day would be ok.

Today I took him out for some Christmas pictures and because I didn’t have the chain over his nose (doesn’t look as nice in photos!) he pranced, piaffed, and canter pirouetted all the way back to his run 🤦🏻‍♀️ And then bucked and galloped away once his halter was off. I think he’s feeling better… what a ding dong.

Thank you all for the suggestions, I will try them out!
--
Emma + Tater, EMS / IR
joined 10/26/22
Colorado
Photo Album
Case History

Another option is to pony him (lead him while riding another horse) - for the experienced only.
--
Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001
The first step to wisdom is "I don't know."

I actually was just suggesting a possible reason for his stopping,as opposed to being bored or in pain. I'm not in favour of walking someone with him,but what I would do,if possible,is try to stay within the distance away that he would accept,trying to increase that slowly. That is,of course,if this actually is what is bothering him.
Oh for a window into their minds.

--
Lorna in Eastern Ontario
2002

Emma,
Like Lorna said adding the buddy can help if you can safely walk 2 horses. Early on my mare would stop but then did not stop when I brought her buddy along, although her expression didn't seem great but she needed to get out a little.
Now she is walking much better, no buddy.
A crude comfort test could be seeing how long he allows you to hold 1 foot up before asking for it back, count in seconds. Do all 4 feet. Ideally 15 to 30 seconds??
Do it on a day he has rested the day before.
And before the next walk. Lesley Bludworth 
Phoenix, AZ   7/2022
Sophie TWH mare IR/EMS, PPID?
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/SophieB%20Case%20History
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=277749

Hi Emma,

Nice work!
About his stopping on his walks,could he be realizing he'd like a buddy he'd left behind to be with him? Or he'd like to be back with his buddy?

--
Lorna in Eastern Ontario
2002

Tater's updated bloodwork has come in from Cornell and I finally got around to updating his case history. 

Notable updates:

1. We took him off Previcox on Monday because he was trotting and bucking in his run. He is doing well without it and still trots and bucks with his neighbor.
2. He is losing weight slowly on his hay-only diet. I received results from Equi-Analytical about two weeks ago and have been weaning him off the soaked hay diet. He is doing well with the reduction in soaking.
3. We have started light hand walking, about 5-10 minutes every other day. He is very happy to get out and walk for the first five minutes or so, and then he starts stopping. I'm not sure if he's bored or in pain but either way, I haven't been pushing him to walk more once he wants to stop. It's surprising to me because he is so active in his run but since we're still early in his recovery, I don't want to push him.
4. Cornell blood work results, taken 5 hours after he finished breakfast with no additional food:
   1. Insulin 12.69 uIU/mL, reference range 10-40
   2. Glucose 97 mg/dL, reference range 49-102
   3. ACTH 25.0 pg/mL, reference range 2-30
   4. Based on these results and his symptoms, we will continue treating him like an EMS / IR horse. We are also probably going to do a TRH response test in January, when the seasonal rise is over.
5. IR Calculator Results:
   1. G:I 7.64, prelaminitic / IR
   2. RISQI 0.28, prelaminitic / IR
   3. MIRG 5.7, prelaminitic / IR

As always, thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Thank you for all of your advice to date, it has been very helpful and I am grateful for it!

--
Emma + Tater, probable EMS / IR
joined 10/26/22
Colorado
Photo Album
Case History