Footy pony

[respectedpony driver]

Hi,for the first time in 15 years my moorland pony is footy,she has only been on the Croft field and has hay. I have taken her off the Croft and she has a stable and a small area to go in or out as she pleases. She had 5 days of half a bute morning and evening. She is still footy.she wears boots in the daytime but I am worried about thrush etc. Any ideas for more treatment would be gratefully appreciated.

 

[JackFrost]

At this time of year, first thoughts would be laminitis, however little she is on. Really I would ring the vet to discuss, and not treat with bute or anything else till you have a proper diagnosis.
At 15, could be cushings related, worth getting tested.

 

[IrishMilo]

Time for the vet after 5 days.

 

[Melandmary]

Definitely the vet and no bute as others have said, you need to soak your hay or get hay/ haylage that is under the 10% sugar and starch. There is a fb group called laminitis crisis support- utilising ECIR protocols with lots of helpful advice on how to deal with it once your vet is on board. This time of year is scary for grass growth and apparantly this year is worse than ever. Hope your pony makes a good recovery. I would avoid shoeing if you can and get some boots that don’t get sweaty. I used the flex boots with pads which were fine left on almost all day and actually helped with thrush treatment by keeping the paste in place

 

[Pinkvboots]

I think it sounds like laminitis and if no improvement after 5 days definitely a vet job, if it is a metabolic issue like cushings or ems you won't control the laminitis without the proper medication.

 

[toppedoff]

i got nothing to add here but i read the title as frosty pony - i was rather confused

 

[Red-1]

I would also get the vet. I would have blood tests for EMS/cushings and X rays to see if the laminae have broken down and there is rotation. The pony may need supports to protect the foot. I would soak the hay for min 1 hour, then rinse before feeding.

 

[Birker2020]

There are a lot of vets that would recommend giving bute. Mine all have in the initial stages of an abscess. Is it fair not to give a horse bute if it's in agony? I wonder if there is proper research somewhere about this as it's something that is often debated on the forum.

 

[Red-1]

There are a lot of vets that would recommend giving bute. Mine all have in the initial stages of an abscess. Is it fair not to give a horse bute if it's in agony? I wonder if there is proper research somewhere about this as it's something that is often debated on the forum.

What I would object to is the pony getting bute with no diagnosis. That is a reason for it being prescription only, so the vet can see the signs. The bute may hide what is going on and won't 'cure' the most serious of possibilities for a footy horse.

 

[ycbm]

There are a lot of vets that would recommend giving bute. Mine all have in the initial stages of an abscess. Is it fair not to give a horse bute if it's in agony? I wonder if there is proper research somewhere about this as it's something that is often debated on the forum.

There's no mention of this pony having been seen by a vet and bute is a prescription only drug, though you wouldn't believe it by the way its handed out in stable yards.
.

 

[Jellymoon]

I don’t think OP has done anything wrong by giving a little bit of bute, but you would need it out of the system before the vet sees him.
I have had same with our connie for first time this year, he became a bit footy on the stones. I could feel front pulses, but not bounding. I didn’t call vet, but I treated as if laminitis and give nice deep bed, fed only soaked hay (have a look at what a pony your size should be having for weight reduction, believe 1.5% of body weight is a good start) No bite as don’t have any.
Anyway, after a week, farrier came, said he looked fine, then vet came the week after for vaccinations so I got him to have a look, he said he also looks fine now and I’d done the right thing by treating as laminitis.
I then started work…and have built up gradually to turning him out again on strips.
I am working him 6 days a week now and will need to keep that up all summer if he’s to have an acceptable amount of turnout to make him feel happy!