EMS, Previous Laminitic and Sweet Itch Sufferer

[kate4560]

Advice wanted for anyone else who has had any previous experience as I am battling with my 26 year old New Forest pony.

I've had Scamp for 24 years, as a 5 year old he developed sweet itch, first hurdle. He then got extremely overweight in my mums care and went down with laminitis, lucky it was caught early and after a month of box rest he came sound and lucky hasn't had it since (9 years ago). Sadly he now has EMS and is currently on a bare patch of ground and being strip grazed methodically to manage his weight. I can't keep him the stable in as he rubs himself raw. I keep him in a field next to his friends so they can groom over the fence and interact. He's 26 so is pretty much retired.......

So my question to you is, am I being cruel keeping him going? Is this quality of life for him? He's been a brilliant pony and he deserves the best but am I giving him this? It breaks my heart that he cant be with the others.

 

[be positive]

It is so difficult to manage two conditions that require opposing care to an extent so you are doing well to be able to provide him with reasonable turnout so he is not shut in, could his friends take turns to be in with him at least part time, having one in with them helps with movement, they can interact more and possibly have a larger area if an extra one is eating.
It is not cruel to keep him alone, it is in his interests to be carefully managed, he has company he can interact with but you would feel happier if he had proper company and it would do no harm to see if the owners of the others would be willing to work with you to make a rota, if you offered to do their share of poo picking when they are in your paddock it may help.
If you do decide to call it a day don't feel guilty, managing SI is not easy, managing laminitis/ EMS is tricky, he has had a great life so take stock as to how you feel as well as how he is doing, if you feel it is not sustainable long term it would not be easy to pts but he will know nothing about it, remember how much fun you had over the 24 years.

 

[Goldenstar]

I know this dilemma because I live it with Fatty who is retired he went out tonight with his mates in an acre and a half which his mates are got chewed down he’s been on a strip since mid April some of the time with a friend .as soon as it rains he will have to come back to the fat club.
You know him best ,My friend Fatty likes to be in the stable all day in summer he’s dark bay he looks black and has almost total anhydrous he does not sweat I think that why he loves his stable in the day so in he stays with the others mimicking his life when he worked .
Last winter I kept him out until ,mid January this was a mistake he became miserable I will do it different next year .
The person who is best placed to assess the happiness and well being of an individual horse is almost always its long term owner .

 

[meleeka]

Im presuming he’s also been tested for Cushings? Can you muzzle him and turn him out with the other for some of the time even if only for a couple of hours? I think the extra exercise might do him good and would certainly brighten his day. I don’t like muzzles really, but if that’s the only way for him to have a life I think I’d try.

A friend in a similar position has decided to let her horse in the field for some time each day and if he comes down with laminitis again she’ll call it a day. She discount Cushings before she did this and so far, so good. Not suggesting you just chuck yours out, but sometimes a compromise needs to be made.

 

[Shay]

You are brave and wise to be asking the question - you have his best interests at heart and you are to be commended for that. I have seen far too many try to keep horses (and other types of animal) going long past any quality of life becuase they cannot face that decision. He sounds as though he is actually still happy. If he still interacts with his mates over the fence and isn't stood in the middle looking miserable then I would say you are probably OK. Muzzles, a rota (in or out) are all good suggestions too. But if he can express natural behavior (albeit over a fence) and is free from pain and discomfort then he's fine. You are right to ask - and keep asking. But it sounds like you are doing a great job.

 

[kate4560]

Thanks all. I have my own land so its him, and my other 2 on 5 acres. I do put my Welsh D with him on some occasions I suppose I could make his paddock bigger and chuck him in a bit more. I try to hang things from the trees to keep him entertained and make obstacles in his field that he has to move around when hes on his own but some days he looks bored stiff

He's been tested for Cushings and it came back negative. I just wish I could keep him in all day and turn him out at night with the others, I did try on Saturday but after 30 minutes he'd scratch so much his ears were bleeding. I've tried muzzles but my other horse pulls them off, then he's in dangerous territory.

 

[kate4560]

You are brave and wise to be asking the question - you have his best interests at heart and you are to be commended for that. I have seen far too many try to keep horses (and other types of animal) going long past any quality of life becuase they cannot face that decision. He sounds as though he is actually still happy. If he still interacts with his mates over the fence and isn't stood in the middle looking miserable then I would say you are probably OK. Muzzles, a rota (in or out) are all good suggestions too. But if he can express natural behavior (albeit over a fence) and is free from pain and discomfort then he's fine. You are right to ask - and keep asking. But it sounds like you are doing a great job.

Thank you, I think its hard when you are on your own to just get into a routine, its only when you step back and wonder if what you are doing is actually cruel. so this means a lot x

 

[Goldenstar]

My observation of Fatty is he’s happier when two are doing fat club so he has a friend .

 

[holeymoley]

Can totally see where you’re coming from and agree with the others. My guy is an EMs laminitic too. He doesn’t have full blown sweet itch but definitely something there. I really find Switch keeps it under control. Could be worth trying? It’s £30 for a small bottle and I only apply it once a week. The difference in him is amazing really cuts down the need for him to rub his mane on everything. Even managed to keep a full tail this year too! Good luck

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I have a similar problem, I have one geriatric fatty with cushings that gets laminitis just looking at the grass and 2 other that are just normal fatties.

The geriatric one spends 80% of his time in a bare bit of the field. The other 2 come in here with him at night and during the day they go on the attached slightly less bare area. It seems to work well, he gets company at least half the time and the other to get to go out a bit too.
During the day if he's on his own in fat camp I scatter his chaff around all over the place and have several hay nets all over and scatter a few treats around for him to find. He always looks disgusted as I walk through flinging stuff everywhere but otherwise he would just stand in one place all day eating hay and gazing longingly at the grass and his arthritis would make him stiff.