tracy_wace
New User
Hello
I have kept my horses at livery for most of my life and understand the battles that you can have when you find yourself with a horse that requires specific care for problems such as laminitis I lost one horse to an acute Cushing's related laminitis resulting in severe rotation of both hind pedal bones and another to a per acute bronchial pneumonia which developed after a ten month successful battle with laminitis due to suspected Insulin Resistance. Caring for these horses in a standard livery environment was incredibly difficult, challenging and caused a lot of additional stress especially when faced with ignorant yard managers and well-meaning liveries!
I am posting to find out if this is the norm for those of you who are also caring for this type of horse? The reason for this is that I may have the opportunity to purchase a small farm in Essex and would like to offer a livery based on preventative management and rehabilitation to owners of these horses. The farm in question is unusual for Essex in that it has some very hilly fields and is based on a light sandy soil with a mixed sward. There are areas that can be used as 'soft', all weather turn-out without grazing and flat fields that would suit recovery paddocks. The hilly areas would be used for preventative and recovered horses where the hoof capsule is stabilised and would encourage more movement and natural grazing patterns up and down the slopes. The aim would be to offer high levels of care to laminitics and horses prone to laminitis, with on-site 24 hour supervision enabling turnout as and when required i.e. late night/early morning in line with current research on fructan production as well as sick nursing, dressing changes and nutritional balancing / bespoke diets. The proposed business would sit somewhere between owner provision of nursing within the standard livery environment and hospitalisation at a veterinary practice.
I have spent the last four years studying in an effort to try to understand the causes of laminitis, its' prevention or control in the face of Cushings Disease and Insulin Resistance/Equine Metabolic Syndrome. I have attended laminitis seminars at the Royal Veterinary College and have been studying on various courses to develop my knowledge of nutrition, its' impact on health and performance, the importance of a balanced diet (especially when metabolically challenged) and how blood-work can assist in maintaining these horses as well as the specific care that metabolically challenged horses require. In addition to this, I am a BHSAI, have a BSc in Equine Science and am halfway through a part time MSc in Equine Science to be completed June 2011.
So, does anyone believe that there is a requirement for this type of enterprise within the industry? I would really appreciate any advice or support in relation to whether there is anyone else providing this type of service and whether you feel that it would be beneficial.
I look forward to hearing your opinions on this.
Tracy.
I have kept my horses at livery for most of my life and understand the battles that you can have when you find yourself with a horse that requires specific care for problems such as laminitis I lost one horse to an acute Cushing's related laminitis resulting in severe rotation of both hind pedal bones and another to a per acute bronchial pneumonia which developed after a ten month successful battle with laminitis due to suspected Insulin Resistance. Caring for these horses in a standard livery environment was incredibly difficult, challenging and caused a lot of additional stress especially when faced with ignorant yard managers and well-meaning liveries!
I am posting to find out if this is the norm for those of you who are also caring for this type of horse? The reason for this is that I may have the opportunity to purchase a small farm in Essex and would like to offer a livery based on preventative management and rehabilitation to owners of these horses. The farm in question is unusual for Essex in that it has some very hilly fields and is based on a light sandy soil with a mixed sward. There are areas that can be used as 'soft', all weather turn-out without grazing and flat fields that would suit recovery paddocks. The hilly areas would be used for preventative and recovered horses where the hoof capsule is stabilised and would encourage more movement and natural grazing patterns up and down the slopes. The aim would be to offer high levels of care to laminitics and horses prone to laminitis, with on-site 24 hour supervision enabling turnout as and when required i.e. late night/early morning in line with current research on fructan production as well as sick nursing, dressing changes and nutritional balancing / bespoke diets. The proposed business would sit somewhere between owner provision of nursing within the standard livery environment and hospitalisation at a veterinary practice.
I have spent the last four years studying in an effort to try to understand the causes of laminitis, its' prevention or control in the face of Cushings Disease and Insulin Resistance/Equine Metabolic Syndrome. I have attended laminitis seminars at the Royal Veterinary College and have been studying on various courses to develop my knowledge of nutrition, its' impact on health and performance, the importance of a balanced diet (especially when metabolically challenged) and how blood-work can assist in maintaining these horses as well as the specific care that metabolically challenged horses require. In addition to this, I am a BHSAI, have a BSc in Equine Science and am halfway through a part time MSc in Equine Science to be completed June 2011.
So, does anyone believe that there is a requirement for this type of enterprise within the industry? I would really appreciate any advice or support in relation to whether there is anyone else providing this type of service and whether you feel that it would be beneficial.
I look forward to hearing your opinions on this.
Tracy.
