Clannad48
Well-Known Member
OK so I think I know the answer to this but just wanted to see if I am massively overreacting. So we have a 25yr old Welsh mare who we have had for 15 years, she is now for all intents and purposes a field ornament but we will keep her til the end of her days. Now she has had in the past major laminitis issues in the sense that last year in October it was touch or go whether we PTS. Mind you with our vets extreme care and our farrier working with the vet to make her comfortable she is now fine but we need to monitor everything that she eats to keep her going. She is fine when kept on a sugar free/limited diet, regular trimming by the farrier and regular vet care. She is happy, good in herself and when in the mood loves a buck and a f*rt in the school. Apart from the laminitis and the onset of arthritis she is in very good health.
OK so what is the problem you wonder - we are on a lovely yard, the YO is fantastic and most of the liveries understand how to look after a laminitic pony/horse and do not give her any extra food/treats as they understand the consequences. We have told everyone the reasons behind our 'mean behaviour'and they all fully understand our reasons. BUT there is one livery who despite being told NOT to give her apples, treats or extra hay perceives that when she gives our pony apples (not just one but four or five) thinks that she is doing no harm. This morning my daughter caught her giving the pony apples when asked what she thought she was doing replied that it was only 3 apples and when questioned about the other four in her hand said she wasn't doing any harm. To be honest my daughter lost the plot and nearly reduced this livery to tears, but it is not as if this was the first time she had been told not to feed the pony anything.
I want to put a very blunt sign on the stable outlining that the pony could end up being PTS if she is fed treats that she is not allowed but am told this is too blunt and threatening. The YO agrees with me and is going to speak to the livery again, but we can't be there 24/7 to see what she does.
Sorry it's a bit of a rant '-I needed to vent - but I am fed up with people with no knowledge of the damage that feeding sugary treats to a laminitic horse can do - or think that they know better than the vet.
Large G&T and cake to those who made it to the end
OK so what is the problem you wonder - we are on a lovely yard, the YO is fantastic and most of the liveries understand how to look after a laminitic pony/horse and do not give her any extra food/treats as they understand the consequences. We have told everyone the reasons behind our 'mean behaviour'and they all fully understand our reasons. BUT there is one livery who despite being told NOT to give her apples, treats or extra hay perceives that when she gives our pony apples (not just one but four or five) thinks that she is doing no harm. This morning my daughter caught her giving the pony apples when asked what she thought she was doing replied that it was only 3 apples and when questioned about the other four in her hand said she wasn't doing any harm. To be honest my daughter lost the plot and nearly reduced this livery to tears, but it is not as if this was the first time she had been told not to feed the pony anything.
I want to put a very blunt sign on the stable outlining that the pony could end up being PTS if she is fed treats that she is not allowed but am told this is too blunt and threatening. The YO agrees with me and is going to speak to the livery again, but we can't be there 24/7 to see what she does.
Sorry it's a bit of a rant '-I needed to vent - but I am fed up with people with no knowledge of the damage that feeding sugary treats to a laminitic horse can do - or think that they know better than the vet.
Large G&T and cake to those who made it to the end