EPSM

[melle]

Can anyone offer any advice about managing a suspected EPSM horse?

Symptoms have been on going in 4 years I have owned her.

Not sure what I should be doing with regards to exercising her etc

How have you got on with high fat diet - and how did you get them to eat it?

Thanks

 

[LucyPriory]

veg oil can be yuck.

flavour it

make sure the base is absorbing it all well and isn't too wet

join the EPSM yahoo group, and make sure you have read all beth valentine's stuff too. You have the link to the heritage site, although it's not the best to navigate

Grace used to go through phases of not eating - not any more but at the time it was quite frustrating

 

[cptrayes]

My suspect horse also went through phases of not eating. He did manage 500ml a day of rapeseed oil though, in speedibeet that was only just soaked enough to turn to crumbs, with no water left over. You'll need a high dose of Vit E too, and I found simplysupplements.com cheapest for that - just cut up the gel capsules into the feed.


Good luck.

 

[Lgd]

Been doing this for a looong time now wih my friend's Fell - long before it was even recognised over here.

He is now on Winergy Equilibrium senior as it is only 3.5% starch and has a higher oil content. He always hated the oil but have got round that by using black oil sunflower seeds instead. Selenavite E for the vit E/selenium is cost effective.
Hay rather than haylage, although he can manage the low energy haylage if desperate.

Keep them warm, he always needs more rugs than anyone else including my TB. Slow warm up and warm down especially in cold weather.

Avoid straw bed - he's a bed eater and it tips him off into a relapse - fine on shavings.
Avoid or restrict turnout when grass really lush and or wet. He goes out muzzled to increase his turnout time.
Avoid days off, even if it is just a quick lunge or a brisk walk in-hand.

It can be managed - I competed him for his owner and got him back to medium level affiliated dressage, including getting placed at regionals. He is 22yo and retired from competition now due to arthritis but is still ridden.