Hind gut acidosis people

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crabbymare

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I have a mare possibly coming in a few weeks who has a problem when ridden. I cannot be totally specific as she is not mine and I have not ridden her or seen her other than on video so please bear that in mind when answering. from what i have been told she always starts with her back is up is very nappy in the school and does not go into the contact at all. she will not go into canter at any time (other than from a long framed fast trot where she can fall into it) will stop suddenly and either stamp the ground or have a bucking fit. out hacking she is ok at a walk but in their words she feels as if she is curling up and getting ready to explode which gets worse the further she goes riders following can see her doing and even they get scared. she has had back xrays and teeth/saddle checked (they have said she is the same without a saddle) physio and lameness workup with nerve blocks plus no ulcers or overy problems on scanning and bloods are normal so having read the thread a week or so ago I was wondering if these symptoms ring any bells with others who have horses with hind gut acidosis?
 
I would say it would be well worth trying her with some RiteTrac to treat whole gut followed by Equishure (hind gut) reducing dose. You will know very quickly if the ritetrac is working. 2-3 days.

You haven't mentioned diet but from personal experience, low, sugar low starch will help. Lots of forage. Gut friendly things like micronised linseed, yeasacc, brewers yeast will help.

Hope that helps?
 
Thanks a lot for that. I feed ad lib hay and straights and micro linseed/brewers yeast anyway so will get some equisure for her as it sounds like she will be coming at the end of february. if you have had one with this does the behaviour sound like hga to you?
 
Thats really helpful and it does sound very much like this mare. they said she was on mix with alfs oil with 2 nets haylage at night and they have nets in the field for the day. I suggested they took her off haylage and switched to hay a few months back and also to take her off anything with alfa as I know that can have a bad effect on some horses but nothing changed. I think they are going to stop trying to ride her now as not suprisingly she is scaring them so hopefully she will just have a break and as much turnout as possible with adlib hay until she arrives so I can start her slowly back onto hard food and see if there is anything I can do for her. luckily she is very sweet to handle so thats a plus and probably the only reason she is not tesco burgers by now :D
 
yes it sounds a distinct possibility. For mine the final answer was equishure but management is most important. Ad lib hay, copra and soaked alfalfa nuts really helped, bicarb helped as well. Also reducing stress. Is the horse stressed with it's companions? is it stressed being stabled, stressed being out etc etc.
For mine his stress levels were considerably reduced when he was shut in a stable at night with his favourite friend looking over his door and with a thick rug on. Warmth seemed important to him. For him it meant he didn't have the stress of thinking what to do, the decision was made for him and all he had to do was eat and sleep. He was in ecstasy. For some of course stabling will be dreadfully stressy. Just a case of working out exactly what the horse really wants.

Mine was a nightmare to ride. Very scary. Once the problem was controlled he completely changed. He also didn't remember the pain from the HGA. Once it was gone that was it.
He also get charcoals. That food/supplement combination works for my 2 HGA horses. Might not for all of them or course.
His temperament changed completely from nightmare horse to totally cuddly.

nearly forgot but sugar beet in any form molassed or unmollased make him worse.
good luck
 
I was told the other day that the femal owner of thunderbrook feed is very interested and knowledgeable regarding hind but acidosis and acid leakage. Might be worth a chat with her.
 
Thank you :) I am hoping that the break from riding which has been confirmed now and the move here will give her a chance to rethink and forget things. she is rugged at the moment so will have to be here as well but after the initial quarantine (with a friend from the group she will be turned out with) she will be living out in a herd so hopefully that will reduce stress as they say she is happier when she has more turnout. I will look into the supplements and try to get her comfortable on them (from the replies I am assuming it is gut related) before she goes out and then she can start coming back to being ridden and I can see how she is. I am hoping it does sort her as she sounds a sweet mare :)
 
Crabbymare, i take its stress ulcers, that is what caused my mares ulcers, i use equistro equilizer which helps the stress amazing stuff!! eliminate the stress helps the ulcers!!! think your doing the right thing!! maybe when you put her back into work wold really recommend putting her on the equilizer!!! wish you best of luck, xxxx
 
The reluctance to go into canter is very characteristic of a gut problem, due to the way the gut moves in canter. You might also want to look into turmeric, which is reportedly being studied with regards to ulcers and is already being hailed as a great anti-inflammatory.
 
Thank you I will add that to the list of things to try :) I am going to be assuming that she has a gut problem somewhere and try her on a supplement for stomach and one for hind gut and see if there is a difference. I will adjust things after a few weeks and try other things if needed and all I can do is hope she can be helped and made comfortable with them.
 
Crabbymare, think your doing the right thing!!!Take her off the corn and get her on a good gasrtro product!!!! does she seem bloated and passes wind alot??? grunts when weeing, these are some of the symptons which my horse had when she had her ulcers xxxx
 
tilly49 said:
Hi - I know this an old thread but how is your mare now crabbymare? My mare has just started treatment for hind gut ulcers.
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sorry about the late reply but I have only just seen this. she is a lot better now and will probably go back to her owners in spring :) they had stopped riding her a little while before she came so she went through the normal quarantining with worming and teeth check and then was gradually introduced to the herd she is now in. she got hay while she was in for the quarantine with a handful of chaff with micronised linseed and equisure and was turned out from after the morning feed until around 6pm and there was always hay in the paddock she was in. then she went in with the others and just came in twice a day for the feed again with big bale hay for them all. she chilled out nicely and spent spring doing nothing and started long reining in around june? she is now hacking out happily with no curling and is happy to canter again. her owners have ridden her and are in love with her again and when they are back and settled into wherever they live they are wanting to find somewhere she can be kept in the same way she is here and have her back again. hope yours can be sorted out :)
 
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