Advice, support and reassurance needed please !

S

Sarah B

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21 November 2004
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135
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Kent
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I hope I have posted this in the right forum….

My gorgeous little Welshie has just returned from his loan home. (Brief background, he is 5.5 yrs old, I’ve had him since 6 mths old, split from partner, stuck with a mortgage, pony wasted and I was having trouble affording him along with my mare so advertised him for loan).
I found a lovely home at Easter time, child was only 4 yrs old, but mother experienced although hadn’t owned horses for a while, gorgeous house with own land and stables.
Within three weeks of him going to new home, they e mailed me to say he had laminitis. He has NEVER shown signs of it over the years I have had him and I included this statement in his contract along with details that he should not be turned out on lush grazing and should be stabled part of the day or night should he become overweight – I also gave a feed chart of what he was on at the time.
Their vet advised 24 hrs a day box rest and bute, I visited and he seemed healthy enough. Regular updates were that there were no further signs of lammi….
I received an e mail some weeks later saying that he had started to buck when the child was put onto him. I offered the help of the girls from my yard to come over and ride him – this was refused. I then got an e mail out of the blue saying they felt he was a second pony, not a first and they were giving me a month’s notice.
He came back two weeks ago – very slim compared to when he left – but much better for it. Very obvious ridges just below coronet bands and long toes – he almost seemed slightly pigeon toed. He always had great feet – no ridges etc.
My farrier looked at him last night – he was horrified. He said he had not had mild lammi as I had been informed but a severe attack. He trimmed feet last night and is going to monitor.
I forgot to add, pony has been in during day with 2 sections of hay, out on a starvation paddock at night.
I brought him in this morning and he was very foot sore in walk and lame. Slight heat in feet but nothing serious.
I am absolutely devastated about what has happened. I felt I had found a great home – eventual buyers but now feel they have not been honest or thought about my pony’s best interests. I am almost sure the lammi was why they have returned him. I feel I should have been more involved – my own fault – but felt they were such honest people.
Do I have the right to find out information from the vet’s who treated him what the full story is ? I am the owner – and can prove this.
And can anyone give me any advice on how best to manage him ?
 
This is terrible. Dont blame your self for not being involved enough. You offered help with riding and stuff and they turned you down so more than likely they wouldnt have let you get more involved in this matter. I would have thought that you have every right to know more about the situation and the vet should give you these details.
As far as managing the lammi goes i would have thought give them as little as possible and nothing to rich. A couple of pony's have had it where i am and they have fed a small handfull of chaff and a couple of carrots, a small haynet & turned out for a couple hours a day with a muzzle on to reduce grass intake.
Hope he gets better soon.
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Moral of the story is never to loan - not their property, not their problem! When broken, they just hand it back - your horse becomes 'disposable'.

People (often with children), seem to think that ponies can live out 24/7 as then they are no bother and something pretty to look at.

The ridges will grow out, but are a indicator of laminitis - deeper the ridges, the worse the attack.
 
Hi Sarah
Dont be blaming yourself! And there is certainly no way the vet can refuse to give you details, seeing as you can prove you are the owner.
Laminitis is one of every owners worst nightmares as there is always are higher risk of it coming back!
A few weeks ago i came back from a short weekend away to find that my pony had laminitis in all four feet!
Her diet very much fits in to what work she does, her breed, weight etc so i knew that her diet was not the cause and like yourself, she never had shown signs in the 2 years i've had her.
We could only put it down to the fact that my sharer had been working her for too long on hard ground, known as concussion laminitis and also my farriers stupid advise of not needing back shoes!
I knew it was nothing to do with her being out for too long as the grazing at our yard is not very good!
Good luck with everything and i hope you get things sorted, just thought id share my story so you dont feel alone and know just how many ponies suffer from the horrid disease!
 
Thank you everyone. I have spoken to the vets who, have no record of any call out or treatment ?!!!! The plot thickens. I have texted the ex loaner and asked who treated him. I have spoken to my farrier again this morning who believes he has had a cronic attack and has advised box rest for a few days. Can't remember if I mentioned but the farrier the loaners used is coming to our yard for someone else on Monday - I shall collar him then.
 
you have every right to ask for full disclosure of the problem as well as the treatment from their vet, it is in the interest of the health of your pony, the best way forward would be to ask your vet to contact their vet, most vets know each other or have a contact at other practice's in and around their area and usually further afield too, ask for a full history of the problem and the diagnosis that vet made at the time, this way you are more likely to get to the bottom of it without the difficulties of dealing with the people you loaned too.
 
I'm sorry you have had to go through this what a nightmare. I would ask your vet to contact their vet with regards to finding out about your ponies lammi. It is much more appropriate than for you to speak to their vet.

To be honest owning these little ponies are an absolute minefield
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I've recently acquired a welshie for my son. She is prone to laminitis. I'm experienced with horses having owned them all my life, worked with them, broken and schooled and competed affiliated BE. However this little poppet of mine has me seriously doubting my own ability
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She is more high maintenance than my TB eventer
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(but she is worth it though)
Supposedly this year has been a nightmare for laminitics as the warm, wet weather is making the grass grow continusly.
I keep Polly in a tiny fenced off area within the field that my horse is in. This means she is off the majority of the grass but still has lots of company and is able to keep active. My vet said it is important NOT to complete starve a laminitic as that can cause more trouble.
I'm going to try and keep her in this little paddock 24/7. She come in for a couple of hours a day to be groomed/ridden etc. In the morning she has a handful of happy hoof and a measure of lo-cal and in the evening she has 1/2 slice of hay to nibble on.
We always get an autumn flush on our grass about October time. Around this time she will come in either through the night or through the day (depends on what I'm doing with my other horse then)
 
Thanks WW - it's one of those things where it's very common but you suddenly feel very alone ?! Our paddocks are individual turnout but all along side and around each other. They are quite small - prob half an acre each but we have about 25 between 8 horses/ponies so easy to maintain. I have put him in a small section of one of them - the grass is very short and patchy in places where it is so grazed down. My farrier has advised box rest and sand school turnout for the weekend if he's slightly sore - the walk to the field is down a bumpy, stony track which is what he is finding difficult to walk down. It''s just heartbreaking - he had such a promising future and lovely feet!
 
Hi sarah its claire with cappelli here!

Dont worry he will recover with the right help from you providing there has been no rotation of the pedal bone and its not dropped.

I would try to find out if they ever did but in reality even if you find they did nothing what can you do now. I know how violated you must feel having this happen but little charlie brown is back and will with the right help will be his cheeky pony self in no time at all.

I know then being on box rest is awful peli had an accident in the field in april and has been on box rest since and cant go out untill oct and then only into a pen. Poor little girl she is being so brave.

I must pop down and see you its been far too long - ishall come with a kiss for the poor little fella.
 
Hi Claire! How r u ? Sorry to hear about Peli - what happened ? I havent got the internet at home at the mo - and havent had for a while so havent been able to come on line much.
So frustrating and upsetting about Charlie, all the work and time I put in and this happens. I wouldn't ever let him go until he's right again but have come a full circle as orignally let him go due to lack of time and finances!!
Def get together - you must come and see our new yard
xx
 
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