Advice... Have I missed anything?

H

horsefeed

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 July 2013
Messages
436
Visit site
I brought Shamrock home last Wednesday, wasn't looking for a new 1 but felt sorry for her.

She is in strict quarantine for 14 days (minimum) - On day 5 at the moment - no other horse can get near her and strict hand washing, change of tshirt policy when handling. Completely separate set of yard tools etc too.

She slept a lot for 1st 24 hours.

Day 1 - 10kg of hay all of which she ate
Day 2 - adlib hay
Day 3 - + 200g fast fibre and Naf Optimum
Day 4 - + 500g fast fibre and Naf Optimum
Day 5 - this morning 1kg fast fibre and Naf Optimum
Planning to add 250g of Spiller Conditioning fibre tomorrow and work it up to a 1kg of both over the next 5 days.
Then depending on how she goes start adding in small amount of barley rings.

She was riddled with lice, hence clip, bath in Dermoline which appears to have killed all the adults and is being daily doused in Lice (ant)powder to kill any eggs as they hatch. Rug being swapped/washed every other day and stabled hovered and sprayed down with Dermoline every other day too.

Started 5 day course of Pancur guard on day 3 too, loads of red wormers now coming out, got a tape wormer to do her with on day 6 and then ivermectin in 2 weeks after tape wormer to mop anything else up.

Also got a pot Naf Biotics to start her on once finished with the panacur. Teeth booked for end of month.

Also has a patch ring worm which I am wiping with vinegar daily.

Once 14 days up and if lice/worms/ring worm all clear, she will then start spending few hours a day out but still thinking keeping her separate for a further couple of weeks just to be sure before mixing her with her with others.

She also has had rainscald, all scabs are now off an appear to be healing, Mudfever on hind legs which is my next challenge but think that is going to have to wait until sorted few other things as poor thing gets pulled around a lot everyday!

Picture of poor girlie, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208727274116726&l=262dff08ee
 
Last edited:
Poor thing. Sounds like you're doing the right things to me. Do you know how she is to catch? Maybe leave a headcollar on her when you turn out. Have you got lightweight turnout rugs/fly rugs for when she goes out, she'll gain weight quicker if she's not cold. Are you handling her much? I see you got her clipped and are changing rugs. If she's a little difficult I'd handle her daily now while she's too poor to object much, she'll soon get used to it. She'll need to see the farrier too at some point, everything's easier if she's used to being handled. Fingers crossed she turns into a useful horse for you.
 
She's catchable in stable even without headcollar and reasonably ok to handle. She is having rug removed, being brushed over daily with a dandy brush (freshly washed daily!) to try and get eggs outs of her coat then re-powdered and re-rugged. Good to touch pretty much everywhere, very flinchy but tolerates me stroking her, ears, belly and legs all ok. She panics when you try and lift feet up so we are getting her used to hooves being touched at the moment and will progress to lifting. She was ok ish to clip, she exploded when she thought it was enough, reared and started striking out with front feet so finished bit was doing and left her alone for the day (hence only 1 side of face clipped!) Was good to bath too. Will leave headcollar on and put her in a very small paddock to start with!! Got lots of rugs so she'll have a lw on when she gets turned out
 
Lucky horse! The only thing I would say is that a dental check would be a good idea and unmollassed beet might be a better option than the Fast Fibre. (Fast Fibre is based on unmolassed beet, but is padded out with ground straw to make it more filling and less calorific for greedy good doers).
 
I had fastfibre in feed room as feed it to my others, was trying to keep simple for time being. Teeth is booked in for 1st Saturday after payday.
 
Lucky horse!!!

If you look past the abuse and neglect( which is hard) she looks to be a really nice sort.

I wish you and her well.
I think you are doing a great job with her.
 
Glad she's coming on well sounds like you're doing your best by her.

Haven't read your back story so how have you come by her?

Hoping you have lots of fun times together.
 
She looks like she's going to be lovely. Only thing you might have missed and want to think about... having her swabbed to see if she is carrying strangles? You've got her quarantined long enough she'll show if she has it but depending on her background it might be worth having her checked as carrier too? And I presume you'll vaccinate when she is strong enough?
 
I reckon she's going to be smashing when she recovers. I haven't read back story either but well done for taking her on - poor lass. I think the ad lib hay is the most important element as, once she can go out, Dr Green will be at its finest for adding weight at this time of year.

The fact that she is currently in means it is a great time for building a routine in the way you handle her and that will stand you in great stead as she improves.
 
She sounds very lucky to have found you well done, she looks a really nice sort of horses too in a few months time she will look a picture of health especially once she can get out on the grass, I will look forward to reading about her progress, I think you seem to have everything covered so nothing more to add other than good luck:)
 
Came from Ireland via a dealer who is a friend of friend on fb. Guy in Ireland in financial trouble and she was left in field all winter with no rugs/grub etc.
Did think about Strangles swab but vet said he wouldn't worry if she isn't showing any symptoms by day 14 and even then she is going to have limited turnout away from the other so going to be another 1/2 weeks after the 14 days before will even be able to touch them over fence which gives us lots of time.
We have now discovered some ringworm too which I am treating with vinegar, she let me pick her front feet out this morning, massive thrush/infection in them too, hoping that by weekend will be able to scrub them out and treat with some iodine or purple spray, not brave enough to try back feet yet but will do over the next few days and then be able to treat them too. Will get farrier out after 14 days and when I am sure she is happy with all feet being handled. Looks like she has had an abscesses at some point too as hole in coronet band and crack down front of hoof.
She is a sweetie, neighs and kicks gate for breakfast which is cute. Took her for a little wander in front of her stable this morning and let her graze on the hedge in hand, she seemed to enjoy be out even though was pissing down!!
Added 50ml of veg oil to her breakfast this morning and will slowly increase it over next few weeks to get more calories into her too.
 
I would go for the stangles swab tbh. Having had one pick up a completely asymptomatic infection from a new horse. Original one was so mild (the symptoms were the slightest snot and a little bit of a cough, gone by the time the results came back) the vet didn't think it was and was just being on the cautious side given he had just come over from Ireland. We could easily have been going out and about obliviously spreading it.
 
Day 8 - finished Pancuar 5 day yesterday and was wormed for tapeworms this morning. No sign of live lice on her anymore, still clearly visible is a significant number of eggs although these are reducing.
Small patch of ringworm on he cheek and just above her eye which seems to be improving with a daily dosing of cider vinegar splashed on them.
Feed increased to 1.5kg fast fibre and 500g conditioning fibre + balancer, oil and pre/probiotics daily with as much hay as she can eat.
Have been dosing her in ant powder daily, this morning was bath day in dermoline again then once rinsed, I completely covered her in a cider vinegar/water mix and left her to dry. Her coat is showing definite improvements.
Her rainscald is looking a lot better, MF on 3 legs looking better, got a stubborn patch to attack and get scabs off on 1 leg but she in very touchy about it so think I am going to resort to sudocrem cling film and stable bandage overnight to make super soft and then scrap off.
Few pics can be found here....
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208750072686676&l=88e69cd281
 
I bet she does nt know whats hit her!..I really do think that horses who have seen the worst of life are the ones that give the most back, good luck with her!
 
Aww lovely story and well done for taking her on!

I'd try micronised linseed for weight gain and general skin/coat health it's made a huge difference to my oldie and baby horse for condition. I'd also say a strangles swob might not be a bad idea as they can also be carriers with no symptoms, (I seem to remember a thread on here a while ago where someone took on a resue pony who was a carrier and it didn't end well).

But agian well done and please continue to post updates!
 
Day 15.....https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208806886426984&l=fe960ff6bb

Starting to see an improvement, out during the day and in at night. Wearing a LW most of the time as weather so unpredictable and don't want her getting wet/cold.
Really starting to eat now in addition to adlib hay/grazing....
1kg fast fibre
1kg Conditioning fibre
400g Barley Rings (plan to increase to 1kg)
Naf Optimum Balancer
50ml Oil
30ml cider Vinegar
40g Fenugreek
20g salt

She has now had 2nd bath for lice and they appear to be gone.
No worms coming out in droppings anymore and planning to worm again in 2 weeks.
Farrier booked for 28th as her feet now desperate and then dentist around the same time.

Planning to do some alterations to stable/shelter/fencing at the weekend and then she will be able to stay out 24/7 as she will able to take herself in and out.

I am still keeping her completely separate from others for at least another week as think better to be save then sorry.
 
She's looking really good considering the short amount of time you've had her! She's looking less ribby already and happier in herself :)
 
What a lucky horse! Sounds like you're doing a really good job and think she looks like she'll be a lovely type. How old is she? Do you know how much experience she has of being ridden?
 
Ring worm needs a far longer quarantine than you are suggesting. Anything wooden she has touched, can pass it on for years. Hope you are wearing gloves to handle her.

You would probably find any horses she is contact with don't show symptoms until winter now as sunlight keeps it at bay.
 
Quick Update....
Spoken with vet about ringworm and he advised that once hair starts growing back not too worry. It now growing back. Stables, fences, all equipment etc. all been disinfected now.
She is continuing to put weight on, we tried introducing a companion, initially my mini donkey they were fine in paddock together but she corned and attacked him when in the shelter. So we tried my 4 year old, they hit it off straight away :)
After a day together we then put the 2 of them out with rest of herd (dominate mare removed), initially all went well but 1 of the others started attacking her so I have now separated her and put her in adjoining paddock with her friend so hoping they will get use each other with a fence between them.
At least she now has more grass and room to move round so hoping weight and muscles will start to develop.
Picture update... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208856534668159&l=c067d1e1d6
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top