Navicular changes and coffin joint arthritis

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Plus hock arthritis. Cheers Millie.
All relatively mild and showing at the moment as reluctance on hard ground (seeking soft), not moving back properly and taking a bit of time to warm up.
Awaiting arthramid injections into coffin joints and hocks. Haven’t MRI’d feet, but aware there will be some soft tissue involvement. Vet very keen that Millie continues to hack and said 100% she will be able to continue doing farm rides (we don’t go mad on these, I’m far too old for such frivolity!).

Im interested in peoples management for this. I have had a horse with navicular but he had lots of other things going on so was retired after a short while.
M is shod in front, but going to go barefoot again. She is quite upright and boxy, with a slight turn in one foot. Desperately trying to get weight off her but as I relied on keeping her in a decent level of work to help, this is proving harder than ever now. Muzzled on barest field I have, weighed hay, cup of pink mash to carry supplements etc.

Experiences and management tips most welcome.

 

[ITPersonnage]

For me your biggest issue that you can do something about is the weight - can she come in at nights ? I would ask the vet about Metformin too - used to manage laminitics and does help shift the pounds. Obviously not cheap but you seem to have tried everything else but it would seem to be getting more urgent to address if she can't work properly.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I am just careful with Louis I don't school him to the level he was at and I only do about half an hour, I don't hack him that much as his not great on his own but if we do I just walk if the ground is hard like at the moment.

He is prone to weight gain his on magnesium oxide in the warmer months, Ron Fields do a supplement that is aimed at metabolic challenged horses I have used it when his piled it on and it definitely helps.

 

[scats]

For me your biggest issue that you can do something about is the weight - can she come in at nights ? I would ask the vet about Metformin too - used to manage laminitics and does help shift the pounds. Obviously not cheap but you seem to have tried everything else but it would seem to be getting more urgent to address if she can't work properly.

She’s in during the day to 1.7kg soaked hay in a small holed net. Comes in about 8.30am and back out at between 6.30-7pm.

 

[webble]

One on our yard has found Devils claw a great help

 

[scats]

I am just careful with Louis I don't school him to the level he was at and I only do about half an hour, I don't hack him that much as his not great on his own but if we do I just walk if the ground is hard like at the moment.

He is prone to weight gain his on magnesium oxide in the warmer months, Ron Fields do a supplement that is aimed at metabolic challenged horses I have used it when his piled it on and it definitely helps.

Can I ask which supplement that is? Anything is worth a try I think. Millie actually has some rib now showing but she is such an odd shape that she still has a large backside and shoulders. Polly, by comparison, on the same field/routine, is dropping weight no problems.

Arthramid booked for a week on Monday.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Have you had a recent Cushings test? Some horses change shape and go a bit footy without any other symptoms present. We have a horse on the yard at the moment that sounds very similar to yours, but the owner flatly refuses to test 'because she doesn't want to know.'

 

[scats]

Have you had a recent Cushings test? Some horses change shape and go a bit footy without any other symptoms present. We have a horse on the yard at the moment that sounds very similar to yours, but the owner flatly refuses to test 'because she doesn't want to know.'

No but I will ask about it. She’s always been an odd shape in all fairness; deep body and massive back end that looks like it belongs on a different horse. Bless her.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Can I ask which supplement that is? Anything is worth a try I think. Millie actually has some rib now showing but she is such an odd shape that she still has a large backside and shoulders. Polly, by comparison, on the same field/routine, is dropping weight no problems.

Arthramid booked for a week on Monday.

It's EM. S12 GOOD LUCK FOR Monday I hope she starts to look better.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I've posted a fair bit about how successful having the Equibiome analysis done on my sports horse mare with the hind gut ulcers has been.

They do also post a lot about gut health, EMS and equine obesity, which you might find helpful re managing Millie's weight.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1862115997153052/permalink/5587808541250427/

I've not got experience of that side of it, but I believe that despite your best efforts you have always struggled with her weight, so could be worth further investigation? If it's like the hind gut management, once the initial dietary tweaks are done the horse becomes much easier to manage long term - you aren't forever throwing expensive supplements at them.

https://www.equibiome.org/product-p...dIIKx4KD6JcojRWAPEFm6R9N6YWCfsOb0CRVNsvJt-DPg

Good luck .

 

[scats]

I've posted a fair bit about how successful having the Equibiome analysis done on my sports horse mare with the hind gut ulcers has been.

They do also post a lot about gut health, EMS and equine obesity, which you might find helpful re managing Millie's weight.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1862115997153052/permalink/5587808541250427/

I've not got experience of that side of it, but I believe that despite your best efforts you have always struggled with her weight, so could be worth further investigation? If it's like the hind gut management, once the initial dietary tweaks are done the horse becomes much easier to manage long term - you aren't forever throwing expensive supplements at them.

https://www.equibiome.org/product-p...dIIKx4KD6JcojRWAPEFm6R9N6YWCfsOb0CRVNsvJt-DPg

Good luck .

Thanks TP. What did the Equibiome show with you mare? Feel free to PM if you’d prefer.

Yes, Millie has always been a struggle weight wise. She came to me overweight, and it’s been an ongoing battle. I honestly don’t know if I need to move yards because we are on rye grass and although I’m grazing them in our baldest field and she is muzzled, I can’t seem to get anything off her. I know she’s standing without food for longer than she should but I just don’t know how else to manage her.
If I give her chopped straw she just tips it over.
Feed wise she’s on half a cup of pink mash once a day (that’s half a cup dry, soaked) to put her vitamin supplement and joint supplement in.
1.7kg hay in a greedy feeder from 8.30am-5pm. When I get down in evening at 5pm she gets a handful of hay before she is hacked out.
She’s still got these fascia lines on her sides, too.
By comparison- here are the girls. Both grazing the same field, same hay, same feed.


Millie is huge, that photo doesn’t show the size of her bum, but it’s awful. However, she is also slightly tucked up. I don’t know what to do for the best. I’m mortified by the size of her and know it won’t be doing her joints any good at all.

 

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It's EM. S12 GOOD LUCK FOR Monday I hope she starts to look better.

Thank you. I will have a look at that supplement x