SouthLodge
New User
Hi 
My grandparents rescued several horses back in the 90s. Since then, my grandmother has moved to Spain and my grandfather relies on a stable hand to look after the horses as he's busy with work and rarely here.
I moved in with my grandfather 2 months ago and had been saying the ponies seemed lame and could barely walk. I raised issues over them walking on their heels, lack of bedding, the ponies being let out without grazing muzzles despite one having Cushing's and the others seemed to be the same, the stables were dirty, the water buckets had green growing in them, they were never groomed and looked shabby and neglected. The SH gave me an excuse for everything but it all came to a head a week later. We had a 25yo shetland pony who colicked late at night, luckily my livingroom is right next to her stable so I heard her rolling about. I called the vet who came straight out, did an ultrasound and gave meds. They came back out in the morning, gave her a dose of electrolytes and we sat waiting with her in the hope she would pass stools. By 4pm, she had gone into heart failure, her gums were dark purple, her eyes were strange and the decision was made to put her to sleep. It was a horrible experience and one that could have been avoided.... 2 vets believed that the chronic state of her teeth meant she couldn't grind properly thus causing colic.
The stable hand was fired, partly because of this along with the state of the others, the yard, the tack room, questionable receipts etc. My partner and I have agreed to take care of them but I have some concerns about their feed and health. I am not sure where to turn for advice so I am hoping that if I give information about each one, maybe I could get some help please? We had the vet out 3 weeks ago when the SH was fired to do a health check on everyone. I have very limited knowledge of equine care so I want to be sure we're doing things right. The basics are fine; they have thick comfy beds, fresh water daily, grooming etc. The diet is where I'm really not sure and I want to do right by them and make sure they're not in any pain.
23yo Thoroughbred Mare - She grazes during the day and is stabled at night. She has 1 section of hay, 1/2 scoop Happy Hoof and 1/2 scoop of Pony Nuts. She is nutty, a typical stroppy mare and skittish with a wild look in her eyes, could this be her feed? Awaiting a dental visit as advised by vet. She is in relatively good condition though looks pot bellied with her ribs showing?
24yo Welsh Cob - He is such a character, likes to throw his feed bowl at everyone and thinks it's a game. Also nibbles boobies! The vet said he was lame with chronic laminitis and we got a new farrier the next day. He had a black fungus growing in his hooves and both the vet and farrier believed he hadn't had them picked for 6 months, it had to be chipped off with a knife. He had a laminitic trim and seemed to have a new lease of life. He also has Cushing's and wasn't being given his medication daily. He had a blood test and they said it was still very high at 181 and to get him on 1mg Prascend daily with a retest in a month. We were advised to keep him on box rest on a thick bed and give bute for 1 week. He has been kept in with some wandering around the yard as we need the paddock fence fixing - the vet and farrier advised no more grass, paddock only. His diet is 1/3 scoop Happy Hoof, 1/3 scoop Fast Fibre and a small amount of hay soaked for 6 hours.
25yo Shetland Pony Mare (Jenny) - We had the same issue with being lame and she had a laminitic trim. She too was on box rest with bute and is awaiting the paddock to be fixed before being allowed out. She also has Cushing's (50.5) and is now on 1mg Prascend daily with a retest in a month. She has 1/3 scoop Happy Hoof, 1/3 scoop Fast Fibre and a small amount of hay soaked for 6 hours.
25yo Shetland Pony Mare (Sophie) - Again, the same lame issues as above. She seemed much brighter after the trim but perhaps that was the bute. On the 7th day of bute, she had a bout of diarrhea. The vet said it was likely the bute and it was her last day so monitor her progress. She was fine for a few days but then had a bad tummy again. Not watery, but more of a sludgy consistency. She is on the same diet as Jenny. We stopped the FF and increased the hay and HH in case this was the issue (I'm not sure if I made a mistake but I thought a dry diet would help), she seemed fine for 2 days again but it's started back up. The vet is coming on Friday. She is losing weight and seems quite sad, though this may be due to being boxed, despite being allowed in the yard.
All of them have arthritic joints. Lots of clicking and cracking as they walk. I have been reading about using turmeric in their feeds but want to make sure their diet is right first, and check it's ok for Cushing's ponies. I have also read about this supplement for laminitic/cushing's ponies: http://www.valleyviewanimalfeeds.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2400758
Are their diets right? Too much, too little? We were told to give the ponies a salt lick by a feed store owner so the 2 Shetlands have one to share. We have stopped the haylage (vet and farrier advised this) and have replaced it with meadow hay that we soak. The paddock is being fixed within the next week so I'm sure they'll love going out. We've tried to give them as much freedom as possible without letting them overdo it or go near grass. The paddock has some stinging nettles growing through the wood chip floor, are these ok for them to eat or do they need strimming? I know they're super healthy for humans but I have no idea about horses?
Any advice is really welcome!!! Thank you for taking the time to read this.
My grandparents rescued several horses back in the 90s. Since then, my grandmother has moved to Spain and my grandfather relies on a stable hand to look after the horses as he's busy with work and rarely here.
I moved in with my grandfather 2 months ago and had been saying the ponies seemed lame and could barely walk. I raised issues over them walking on their heels, lack of bedding, the ponies being let out without grazing muzzles despite one having Cushing's and the others seemed to be the same, the stables were dirty, the water buckets had green growing in them, they were never groomed and looked shabby and neglected. The SH gave me an excuse for everything but it all came to a head a week later. We had a 25yo shetland pony who colicked late at night, luckily my livingroom is right next to her stable so I heard her rolling about. I called the vet who came straight out, did an ultrasound and gave meds. They came back out in the morning, gave her a dose of electrolytes and we sat waiting with her in the hope she would pass stools. By 4pm, she had gone into heart failure, her gums were dark purple, her eyes were strange and the decision was made to put her to sleep. It was a horrible experience and one that could have been avoided.... 2 vets believed that the chronic state of her teeth meant she couldn't grind properly thus causing colic.
The stable hand was fired, partly because of this along with the state of the others, the yard, the tack room, questionable receipts etc. My partner and I have agreed to take care of them but I have some concerns about their feed and health. I am not sure where to turn for advice so I am hoping that if I give information about each one, maybe I could get some help please? We had the vet out 3 weeks ago when the SH was fired to do a health check on everyone. I have very limited knowledge of equine care so I want to be sure we're doing things right. The basics are fine; they have thick comfy beds, fresh water daily, grooming etc. The diet is where I'm really not sure and I want to do right by them and make sure they're not in any pain.
23yo Thoroughbred Mare - She grazes during the day and is stabled at night. She has 1 section of hay, 1/2 scoop Happy Hoof and 1/2 scoop of Pony Nuts. She is nutty, a typical stroppy mare and skittish with a wild look in her eyes, could this be her feed? Awaiting a dental visit as advised by vet. She is in relatively good condition though looks pot bellied with her ribs showing?
24yo Welsh Cob - He is such a character, likes to throw his feed bowl at everyone and thinks it's a game. Also nibbles boobies! The vet said he was lame with chronic laminitis and we got a new farrier the next day. He had a black fungus growing in his hooves and both the vet and farrier believed he hadn't had them picked for 6 months, it had to be chipped off with a knife. He had a laminitic trim and seemed to have a new lease of life. He also has Cushing's and wasn't being given his medication daily. He had a blood test and they said it was still very high at 181 and to get him on 1mg Prascend daily with a retest in a month. We were advised to keep him on box rest on a thick bed and give bute for 1 week. He has been kept in with some wandering around the yard as we need the paddock fence fixing - the vet and farrier advised no more grass, paddock only. His diet is 1/3 scoop Happy Hoof, 1/3 scoop Fast Fibre and a small amount of hay soaked for 6 hours.
25yo Shetland Pony Mare (Jenny) - We had the same issue with being lame and she had a laminitic trim. She too was on box rest with bute and is awaiting the paddock to be fixed before being allowed out. She also has Cushing's (50.5) and is now on 1mg Prascend daily with a retest in a month. She has 1/3 scoop Happy Hoof, 1/3 scoop Fast Fibre and a small amount of hay soaked for 6 hours.
25yo Shetland Pony Mare (Sophie) - Again, the same lame issues as above. She seemed much brighter after the trim but perhaps that was the bute. On the 7th day of bute, she had a bout of diarrhea. The vet said it was likely the bute and it was her last day so monitor her progress. She was fine for a few days but then had a bad tummy again. Not watery, but more of a sludgy consistency. She is on the same diet as Jenny. We stopped the FF and increased the hay and HH in case this was the issue (I'm not sure if I made a mistake but I thought a dry diet would help), she seemed fine for 2 days again but it's started back up. The vet is coming on Friday. She is losing weight and seems quite sad, though this may be due to being boxed, despite being allowed in the yard.
All of them have arthritic joints. Lots of clicking and cracking as they walk. I have been reading about using turmeric in their feeds but want to make sure their diet is right first, and check it's ok for Cushing's ponies. I have also read about this supplement for laminitic/cushing's ponies: http://www.valleyviewanimalfeeds.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2400758
Are their diets right? Too much, too little? We were told to give the ponies a salt lick by a feed store owner so the 2 Shetlands have one to share. We have stopped the haylage (vet and farrier advised this) and have replaced it with meadow hay that we soak. The paddock is being fixed within the next week so I'm sure they'll love going out. We've tried to give them as much freedom as possible without letting them overdo it or go near grass. The paddock has some stinging nettles growing through the wood chip floor, are these ok for them to eat or do they need strimming? I know they're super healthy for humans but I have no idea about horses?
Any advice is really welcome!!! Thank you for taking the time to read this.
