SecretSquirrell379
Well-Known Member
I just want to warn everyone to be extra careful with their horses this week when everyone is bringing them back into work after the snow & ice.
I have a fit 20 year old Appy and during the bad weather she has been in her stable as we couldn't safely get them out and certainly couldn't ride. Her feed was adjusted (totally cut out the oats) her haylage dropped (not rich at all), apples and carrots cut right back. Yesterday was the first time we could ride, she'd been in for 8 days, we went for just a walk around the block to stretch them out. She went out like a rocket, understandably, but on the way back (30 min hack) she got slower and slower. To be honest at first I thought she was just having one of her 'lazy' moments, as I trotted her to catch up with our friend she felt unlevel, I thought it was because there was quite a camber on the road. She was still very dead to my leg and when we got on a flat piece of road I again trotted her to catch up. She felt almost lame so I jumped straight off so I could look at her properly. She just looked knackered, which was strange and her left shoulder was not moving as far forward as her right.
We strolled back (me leading) and when we got back to the yard she was standing like she needed a wee so I quickly got her stable sorted out and popped her in. She rooted as soon as she got in and pooped in a place she never poops in, then started to move around the stable using just her front legs, her back leg just swivelled on the spot.
I called my friend over as I knew something was really very wrong now and we called the vet telling him that we thought she had tied up. I put all of her rugs on to keep her warm and waiting for the vet, he came very quickly, examined her and said he thought she was tied up but took bloods to double check. He gave her a large bute shot & she is on bute twice a day for the next few days in just a teeny amount of hard feed.
The vet called me last night and her CK reading (think it was CK) was off the scale and she was badly tied up. She is now on box rest for a few days, no hardfeed (apart from a smidge for her bute) taken off haylage and put on hay, no apples or carrots at all and being kept toasty warm.
The vet said it was just 'one of those things' nothing that I have done has contributed to it, although thats not how I feel. He said that they have had several cases this week and he expected to see quite a few more.
Sorry for my ramblings but I just want to warn people that it can happen very easily and getting a vet to your horse quickly is essential. She had been examined and treated within a hour of us getting back, this has helped her recovery and today she looked a lot better.
I have a fit 20 year old Appy and during the bad weather she has been in her stable as we couldn't safely get them out and certainly couldn't ride. Her feed was adjusted (totally cut out the oats) her haylage dropped (not rich at all), apples and carrots cut right back. Yesterday was the first time we could ride, she'd been in for 8 days, we went for just a walk around the block to stretch them out. She went out like a rocket, understandably, but on the way back (30 min hack) she got slower and slower. To be honest at first I thought she was just having one of her 'lazy' moments, as I trotted her to catch up with our friend she felt unlevel, I thought it was because there was quite a camber on the road. She was still very dead to my leg and when we got on a flat piece of road I again trotted her to catch up. She felt almost lame so I jumped straight off so I could look at her properly. She just looked knackered, which was strange and her left shoulder was not moving as far forward as her right.
We strolled back (me leading) and when we got back to the yard she was standing like she needed a wee so I quickly got her stable sorted out and popped her in. She rooted as soon as she got in and pooped in a place she never poops in, then started to move around the stable using just her front legs, her back leg just swivelled on the spot.
I called my friend over as I knew something was really very wrong now and we called the vet telling him that we thought she had tied up. I put all of her rugs on to keep her warm and waiting for the vet, he came very quickly, examined her and said he thought she was tied up but took bloods to double check. He gave her a large bute shot & she is on bute twice a day for the next few days in just a teeny amount of hard feed.
The vet called me last night and her CK reading (think it was CK) was off the scale and she was badly tied up. She is now on box rest for a few days, no hardfeed (apart from a smidge for her bute) taken off haylage and put on hay, no apples or carrots at all and being kept toasty warm.
The vet said it was just 'one of those things' nothing that I have done has contributed to it, although thats not how I feel. He said that they have had several cases this week and he expected to see quite a few more.
Sorry for my ramblings but I just want to warn people that it can happen very easily and getting a vet to your horse quickly is essential. She had been examined and treated within a hour of us getting back, this has helped her recovery and today she looked a lot better.