Ed, thanks for posting your thoughtful question. I was pondering this, and Dr Kellon’s answer about tying quality of life with grass access. There’s no doubt that grazing in company is a huge part of my horses’ quality of life (so is hanging out in company). But “grazing” is the act of moving around and chewing—it doesn’t have to be on grass. Multiple small-mesh haynets on a track work just as well. Or nets dotted around a big dry lot. I do think the nets are important as it mimics taking small bites of grass. And lots of them. 

Movement, friends, chewing—none of these need to be done on pasture. 
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Maxine and Indy (PPID) and Dangles (PPID)

Canberra, Australia 2010
ECIR Primary Response

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Maxine%20and%20Indy%20and%20Dangles 
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=933

 

Thank you Dr. Kellon, thank you Sherry! Looks like I'll need to look into putting in a track system by the spring. I'll keep monitoring their insulin levels and do TRH stimulation test in January.

Thanks again!
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Ed P in TX 2022
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Maxine, your message went to the next page and I didn't see it until I posted a reply. Thank you for your thoughts. I don't know if there's a simple answer to the quality of life question. Most people keep horses to ride them. Mine are companions and giving them a happy life is my only reason to have them. This is why this is such a challenge for me to accept the lifestyle changes that will compromise their quality of life. One thing I know though, is that the quality of life for my stallion, when he could not get up for three months and when he did he was crouching like a dog balancing on his hind legs with his eyes black with pain, was probably worse than not living at all. For me, this was also some of the most challenging time of my life. When a disaster strikes you see it all: indifference, incompetence, all kinds of frivolous advice including hospitalization, DDFT tenotomy (he had almost no rotation), and euthanasia. This group was what got us through all of this. THIS GROUP ALONE - I just quit listening to everybody else. He recovered. He gallops across the pasture when he sees me now, quicker on his feet than before the founder.

After he recovered, I tested his insulin and it was within the normal range. That gave me hope that I could introduce him to pasture in a grazing muzzle and re-test. The re-test blood sample was taken in the afternoon after he spent the entire day on a lush spring pasture wearing his muzzle, and it also came back within the normal range. I assumed that the grazing muzzle restricted his intake sufficiently to keep his insulin in check, and left him on the pasture for the summer. In the fall I re-tested again - insulin was in the normal range, plus he lost around 350 lb since his founder. So, again that gave me a sense that we're on the right track: insulin normal while on the pasture throughout the summer and getting close to his ideal weight in the process.

I was hoping that we could continue managing like this while monitoring insulin levels a few times a year, but if the answer is no, and this is what I'm hearing from Dr. Kellon and other experienced members of this group, then I'll have to do whatever it takes to not run a considerable risk of another crisis. So a happy life will need to become as happy as is possible all things considered.

Thanks again!
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Ed P in TX 2022
Atticus's Case History
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Hi Ed,

Please don't forget that horses evolved to be on the move so part of quality of life is species appropriate exercise, not just food.  Even as companions, they have the biological need to be moving.  So even if you can't have them moving 20 miles a day on the range (who can!), getting your boys fast trotting or loping that elevates their heart rate for at least 30 minutes most days will help.  Aim for a sustained heart rate of 110-150 BPM.  It is safe to graze for about an hour after good quality exercise since glucose uptake into the cells does not require insulin immediately after exercise.  I would consider allowing the same amount of grazing time as the exercise time they put in.  If they are sound and you have the property and/or space, have them run around the perimeter of their pasture in a big circle, or on trails/roads nearby using an ATV or vehicle (or a e-bike/bicycle if you can pedal fast enough) to pony (not chase!) them, then follow it with grazing time.  Your horses will learn to love the exercise because of the reward after, and they will feel better getting regular workouts (don't we all!), especially if you leave the property and explore a bit (another quality of life factor).  You can even google what's involved in training for endurance and get your boys on the program, even if you're not riding...and once they're really working at that level you can probably feed them almost anything, anytime.  And yes, a track that actually encourages them to move and 'forage' for their needs (salt, water, food, sand to roll in, etc) helps, too, if it's set up right (although GPS tracking shows that it doesn't get them moving as much as they should be, but it's still usually better than turnout on pasture alone).  Regular trots/canters along the perimeter of the pasture for your exercise program will even help you kill the grass where your track would go!

Exercise is a big commitment that is very hard for all humans (myself included, I'm not criticizing anyone) to fulfill, unless we are wealthy enough to not have to work and can devote our entire day to walking our horses 20 miles, but that's a part of being a responsible horse owner that they don't tell you about.  I admire what you are doing and am headed in that direction myself (less/no riding, more companion/pet), but if you don't ride or can't ride enough to give them the exercise they need, then consider training them to pony beside a vehicle of some sort or to pull a cart.  And get out there and have some adventures together!

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Kirsten and Shaku (EMS + PPID) and Snickers (EMS) - 2019
Kitimat, BC, Canada
ECIR Group Moderator
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This group was what got us through all of this. THIS GROUP ALONE

BTW, thanks for that.  We really appreciate hearing it.  We volunteer because this group saved our horses, too, so we understand that statement 100%.

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Kirsten and Shaku (EMS + PPID) and Snickers (EMS) - 2019
Kitimat, BC, Canada
ECIR Group Moderator
Shaku's Case History
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Snickers' Case History
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I have to say, I’m a total walking-with-horse addict. Indy has had a lot of issues over the years that meant she couldn’t be ridden or worked hard, so we got in the habit of walking. Up and down hills, over new tracks, leading in front/beside/behind, incorporating lateral work for strength training … so many things to do and see together. As Kirsten says, if your horses are able to travel fast, you’ve got many options, but even if not, you can add high quality exercise to their regime. I like to allow 5 minutes grazing at the turnaround point of our walks—from Indy’s point of view, it gives the whole  exercise meaning! 

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Maxine and Indy (PPID) and Dangles (PPID)

Canberra, Australia 2010
ECIR Primary Response

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Maxine%20and%20Indy%20and%20Dangles 
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=933

 

Ponying horses beside vehicles sounds incredibly risky to me, on one’s property and even more so if off one’s property. With older horses - yikes. I’ve seen people do this and I think it leads to not paying attention to either the horse or the vehicle, or in the worst case scenario, neither.

There are a lot of ways to encourage movement organically. We put their hay out in very small piles - I mean literally handfuls - all over their fenced space. They move all day cleaning it up and then keep going back around after the first pass. While doing this they sometimes get spread way out as a herd and this initiates trotting/cantering/galloping to come back together. A car driving down our lane is often an excuse for them to go off on a herd gallop. I also often open up my riding arena and they will take themselves in there and trot/canter/gallop together.

I think just spreading the hay out all over the area they are in, in very small amounts, is the key to all the movement. They go into foraging mode and you can see the natural behavior emerge.

Billie


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Billie Hinton
NC
Member since 2010

Hi

From what Ive learned caaual movement throughout the day does little to lower insulin. It’s sustained,20-30 minutes, at a higher intensity than a walk or jog that has been shown to lower numbers. The horses are supposed to work …break a sweat and elevated respiration without a break for the 20-30 minutes..


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Debbie Girard   Massachusetts  2022

You're right, Debbie, with the exception of horses that are really out of shape and/or obese. For them, a brisk walk can be as much "work". The heart rate is the best way to tell. You want it over 100.
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Eleanor in PA

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