arthritic pony-stable/live out? steep ground a prob?

[kerr26]

hiya, im just looking for a bit of advice please. i have a pony which has been lame on and off for a couple of months, the vet said poss v mild laminitis or otherwise the onset of arthritis in his front legs. have been doing lots of research into arthritic ponys and tbh my ponys symptoms seem to fit this totally. at the moment he is overwieght and im desperately trying to shift his flab as i realise this is vital. he is on box rest for a week then will be stabled daytime and muzzled at night in the summer, then in at night in the winter. im feeling very sorry for him as he is in on his own all day in summer in a tin stable that gets pretty warm and then hates his muzzle at night. iv been offered the chance to keep him with a friends ponys, which are out on very poor grazing (mainly woodland) with a field shelter. so no need for stabling or muzzling him. however the only problem is the ground is very hilly. pretty steep in some parts, other parts on a gradual gradient but non of it very flat. if he had indeed got arthritis is this going to be a big problem?? advice needed please as i need to decide quite soon and i have no experience of arthritic ponies. any advice would be much appreciated. thanks

 

[Bosworth]

Talk to your vet, they are teh only people qualified to give you this advice. Normal advice for arthritics is keep them moving to prevent them siezing up, so I would say live out, as long as he is warm enough and not laminitic then he will be fine. Ge as much weight off him as possible, it is better for him to be on the thin side than at all overweight as that places far more stress on the joints. As arthritis is bony changes on the joints you need to keep using the joints to prevent the boney growths growing further. i was advised with an old boy of mine to bute, turn out and ride him, and it certainly worked. Now he is retired completely he lives out on a hilly field. Box rest will increase the stiffness and discomfort caused by inactivity.

 

[Puppy]

i have a pony which has been lame on and off for a couple of months, the vet said poss v mild laminitis or otherwise the onset of arthritis in his front legs.

Well I would say that you need to establish for certain what it is. The two conditions require very different management. If it is arthritis then out 24/7, joint supplements and light work will all help loosen him up. BUT, if it's lami then he should be in, with a giant shavings bed, and not exercised at all. Get a vet who will give you a definitive answer about the lameness and go from there.