Gobsmacked at what I have just seen - EAM

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zoon

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We had EAM at our yard this winter - 1 horse died and the other luckily pulled through. The fields these horses have been in have been empty since.

Until today.

The yard owner put her very elderly, weak horse on one of the affected fields. All her other horses are in the other fields. Now I can only think of one reason why she'd do this when we're coming in to spring and the risk of EAM is up again. And she is well aware of the risk - the vets came out and blood tested most of the horses when it happened and talked us all through what is known about EAM. I can only assume that she is wanting to "get rid" of the poor mare. There is little grass in the field (higher risk of EAM) so she's not there on her own to get weight on her, I can really think of no other reason.

I hope to God I am mistaken - totally gobsmacked :S
 
Why, just why?! :mad: If she wanted to 'get rid' why not just pts, much kinder than what she's doing to the horse by putting her there. Poor poor mare, I feel so sorry for her :(
 
How can anyone prove that is her intention though? She'd just think up another reason for her being in there.
 
I can think of another reason, but I doubt it will make you happy.

She could be testing the field with a horse she is not really bothered about. If it survives the rest of the yard horses will end up back in it.
 
muddygreymare said:
Why, just why?! :mad: If she wanted to 'get rid' why not just pts, much kinder than what she's doing to the horse by putting her there. Poor poor mare, I feel so sorry for her :(
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That costs money doesn't it? Reason yard had EAM is that YO rented out some of her fields as a whole and the person who rented them shoved double the number ofhorses on there that should have been there and never poo picked - became a totally poached see of horse poo. YO said nothing as she was getting paid for it.

I am really thinking of moving now. Almost did when the EAM happened, but the people there are lovely and it is just up the road from my house. I don't want to move to a further away bitchy yard, but this is madness
 
rockysmum said:
I can think of another reason, but I doubt it will make you happy.

She could be testing the field with a horse she is not really bothered about. If it survives the rest of the yard horses will end up back in it.
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If that is the case I'll tell her where to go! I have my own land, but on this yard with one of my horses as she is an ex racer who I am reschooling and I need a school which I don't have. But my horse can come and live with my others short term if need be. I think the other liveries would say the same and she'd end up with an empty yard
 
zoon said:
If that is the case I'll tell her where to go! I have my own land, but on this yard with one of my horses as she is an ex racer who I am reschooling and I need a school which I don't have. But my horse can come and live with my others short term if need be. I think the other liveries would say the same and she'd end up with an empty yard
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The same thing happened at Kokopelli's old yard after Koko died; another horses/horses were turned out in the same paddock, despite Koko's death and at least one earlier death in the same paddock. I would not be happy keeping my horse at a yard like that..
 
Did you have to stay whilst re disease was present? If not I'd have moved ages ago, and would definitely move now.
 
As you cannot prove anything and are just speculating at the moment, why don't you just ask her why she's putting the old mare on the field when she knows it has triggered EAM in other horses?

When did the EAM occur though? I know little about it but I was lead to believe the reason it became a problem at the end of the year was because of the mild weather and that a hard frost kills off the bacteria that is responsible (is that right?). Therefore, I thought the fields would't always be a problem and actually it could be ok for the mare to be on that field?

As I said, I know nothing about it other than what I have read on here. I would still just ask her though to be honest rather than just assume something that could be completely wrong.
 
ladyt25 said:
As you cannot prove anything and are just speculating at the moment, why don't you just ask her why she's putting the old mare on the field when she knows it has triggered EAM in other horses?

When did the EAM occur though? I know little about it but I was lead to believe the reason it became a problem at the end of the year was because of the mild weather and that a hard frost kills off the bacteria that is responsible (is that right?). Therefore, I thought the fields would't always be a problem and actually it could be ok for the mare to be on that field?

As I said, I know nothing about it other than what I have read on here. I would still just ask her though to be honest rather than just assume something that could be completely wrong.
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I am not sure, but since so little is known about it and it is mostly fatal, would you take a chance with a horse you loved?
 
ladyt25 said:
When did the EAM occur though? I know little about it but I was lead to believe the reason it became a problem at the end of the year was because of the mild weather and that a hard frost kills off the bacteria that is responsible (is that right?). Therefore, I thought the fields would't always be a problem and actually it could be ok for the mare to be on that field?
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There are normally 2 'flushes' a year, autumn and spring, normally after a period of mild, wet weather. Like now...

The actual cause is not known, although there are a few theories. If you check out the link in my first post there is a lot of good information there.
 
I wouldn't no, not if I had other fields available, but maybe she doesn't appreciate the risks. If she's had horses on the fields for years with no problems then i guess she may feel the risk is small and that it was just unlucky (i am not saying I would think that but I can see how she could think). As i am saying, i would just ask her and say she's possibly risking the mare's life and see what her response is. I think it's better than assuming she is intentinally being cruel. She could have been advised it would be safe and maybe she just doesn't want to risk anyone else's horses? who knows. I always think it's best to find out the facts though rather than speculating.
 
Sadly there is nothing you can do trust me, I'm talking from prior experience.

In 2010 we lost our horse to EAM 3 years before another and a few years before that the first one died. The YO doesn't give a damn what happens to these horses and because of it I lost the most amazing animal I had the pleasure of owning.

The money grabbing so and so then put another horse in that field once we left the yard.

We tried DEFRA, WHW, Blue Cross even the dreaded RSPCA! We have literally tried everywhere we even tried suing the YO and we got the same response which was "we can't do anything until the horse is showing signs of illness." Sadly if you know anything about EAM at this point it will be too late and the horse will be on deaths door.

The only thing you can do is try your hardest to persuade the horse owner and yard owner that it is unsafe to graze horses on the land, print off vet articles or use shock tactics similar to what I did which was to print off a before and after photo of my horse and stuck it to the gate. It may also be worth getting the vet who dealt with the previous sick horses, or any vet who knows anything about EAM, and get them to talk to the YO/ horse owner. Sadly nothing worked and the horse is still out there and I'm dreading the day they find it dead due to their ignorance/ stupidity but perhaps the people you're dealing with have an ounce of compassion for animals.

If you do get anywhere however will you please PM with what worked as I'm still trying to do everything to get this horse safe.
 
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