hypothermia in elderly horse

Ibblebibble

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ok without going into too much detail, for an elderly horse to get hypothermia would you consider there to have been a degree of neglect/bad management?
horse was seen to and fed once a day, at some point it laid down and couldn't get up and by the time of the next visit was hypothermic:(
 

Goldenstar

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How can you say ,without knowing all the details but I don't think you could for sure there was neglect.
Old horses do go down I was called to several when I was a welfare officer and it's easy to say it should have been PTS sooner but everyone views on that are different, And things that they where coping with well can suddenly became it much as they age and it's not always easy to see if you see them everyday.
Having said I would be horrified if that happened to one of mine.
For interest did the horse die ?
 

JanetGeorge

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ok without going into too much detail, for an elderly horse to get hypothermia would you consider there to have been a degree of neglect/bad management?
horse was seen to and fed once a day, at some point it laid down and couldn't get up and by the time of the next visit was hypothermic:(

Not necessarily! A very elderly horse will - sooner or later - start to shut down. His circulation may go, his heart may give out, his joints may give out. He may drop dead very suddenly - or he may just lie down and not be strong enough to get back up - he will then become hypothermic.

I haev a youngster at present with an injured stifle - stabled/rugged - on box rest. She would lie down with her good leg underneath her (to make it easier to get up) but during the very cold weather - despite being on EVA mats and well bedded, she got a bit stiff and stayed down too long - and the good leg went numb. I had to get her up every couple of hours - and each time I got her up it was obvious she had severe 'pins and needles' in the good leg! If I hadn't got up through the night and helped her up, by morning she wouldn't have been able to get up, the circulation would have become impaired - and she'd have quickly become hypothermic!! In an old horse, it could happen in just a couple of hours.

Of course, if the elderly horse was in poor condition, riddled with arthritis etc - then yes, it would become hypothermic quickly and the cause would be neglect! arthritis, out in the cold unrugged, not fed properly
 

Ibblebibble

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yes goldenstar he did have to be PTS :(

there are a few questionmarks over certain things, allegedly he was only in a light rug and the amount of hay being given on the once a day visit is also being questioned:(
part of me says there was a degree of bad management, the other part says it was a 30+ year old pony and old age got the better of him:( either way very sad
 

fatpiggy

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A year or so ago, the world record mileage holder for endurance horses was found down in his field (USA) and his owners decided enough was enough and had him PTS where he lay. He was ancient by anyone's standards and yet was still doing the odd 20 miler and learning dressage. That horse couldn't have been better looked after, was very much in the public spotlight and the post mortem revealed him to have a healthier body than horses in their teens but it was hypothermia that got him when he was down too long. So no, I don't agree that negligence was behind this horse's end, but personally I wouldn't only be seeing any horse or pony, especially one that old only once a day, winter or summer. There is too much that can go wrong in no time at all. eg. this morning I was concerned about one of the other horses on my row because she was unusually quiet and staying at the back of the stable. She seemed ok but I sent a text to the person who would be coming down after me to check on her again, before her owner or sharer came down to do her later on.
 

Archangel

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A 30+ horse stuck down will get very stiff and cold very quickly, they will struggle for a while, then give up and if not found promptly it will be the end of them as they become 'set' and even if you are able to get them up they may not be able to stay up.

From my experience, horses don't usually go from being perfectly OK getting up to complete failure to get up, they go through a period of increasing difficulty in getting up first. A vigilant owner will notice an oddly chipped hoof, or unusual mud on the rug but it is not always possible to put two and two together.

The recent snow and ice would take its toll on an elderly body and really extra rugging and feeding is essential.

It is a sad end for a gallant horse though.
 

Moomin1

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I agree with everyone else that hypothermia is not necessarily linked to any neglect issues. However, for an owner to only be attending once daily, and particularly with an elderly horse in winter, then that is not acceptable and debatable whether the horse's needs have been met in the eyes of the law. Proving that however is a different matter, unless the owner fesses up!!
 

Nailed

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My 11 year old mare got HYPOTHERMIA in JULY.. she was stable over night due to bad weather, with a fleece rug on, her temp was 33 degree's when I got to her the next morning.. SO NO... there doesnt not have to be neglect there!

Once a day.. winter or not is better than some horses get!

Lou x
 

Ibblebibble

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The recent snow and ice would take its toll on an elderly body and really extra rugging and feeding is essential.

It is a sad end for a gallant horse though.

I agree with everyone else that hypothermia is not necessarily linked to any neglect issues. However, for an owner to only be attending once daily, and particularly with an elderly horse in winter, then that is not acceptable and debatable whether the horse's needs have been met in the eyes of the law. Proving that however is a different matter, unless the owner fesses up!!

A very sad end :( i think what's grating with me the most is that the owner is 'too busy' to visit during the week so leaves it to her husband who, for whatever reason, only visited once a day. This pony had served them well and really was a sweet old chap who deserved better care in his twilight years, especially at this time of year:(
Owner would never admit to anything moomin:rolleyes: she is the only perfect horsewoman at the farm you know, everyone else just doesn't have a clue:rolleyes:
 
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