New equestrian needs help with fat, sore Shetland

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

I've only just started working with my grandparents horses these last few months and I'm having some issues. They have a cob and a Shetland as well as a donkey. The Shetland I became friends with a couple of years ago while he was sick with laminitis and he seems to remember how I cared for him so he likes me more than others I think.

Currently I'm starting to ride the cob who hasn't been ridden regularly in years and she's doing absolutely fine (I'm very proud of her) but I'm worried about the Shetland.

He's very overweight and has bad feet probably from the laminitis he had a while ago. He gets trimmed by an apprentice farrier every few weeks but one of his feet he really struggles to let the farrier touch. He also limps when walking and it seems to really hurt him when I walk him out of the field. I've tried lunging him but he gets very kick-y and resentful. I'm considering taking him for a walk to the beach about a 1/2 mile away to see if the sea helps with the pain. What should I do? What can I do?

 

[Widgeon]

Honestly, if he's actually limping when walking it sounds like he is probably in quite a bit of pain - so I definitely wouldn't lunge him, and I'd get a good vet out ASAP to work out exactly what is wrong. You need to know exactly what's wrong before you can start fixing it. Personally I wouldn't walk him to the beach either but others more knowledgeable than me may have different opinions - what sort of ground are you walking him over? For example, he may well find gravel much more painful to walk on than firm soft grass.

You say he's overweight, and this will be something else the vet should be able to advise on - he will probably need his grazing restricting somehow, whether that's putting him in a restricted area or letting the other two graze the grass down before he goes onto it. Plus there could be an underlying problem that causes him to gain weight.

This sounds like something that needs a) vet (as soon as possible) and b) a change in management to help get the weight off. Electric tape is probably your friend, although I've got to say that tiny Shetlands can be an absolute beggar to keep where you want them!

It may also be worth getting a more experienced farrier to start looking after his feet - I would be concerned if the apprentice has been routinely doing his feet but has not flagged that there's a problem (because there clearly is). Do you know if the apprentice has said anything to your grandparents about the condition of his feet?

Good luck, hopefully you have your grandparents on side and can get a vet to look at him, make some changes to his management and start to get him more comfortable. I would start by talking to your grandparents to see whether they are aware of how uncomfortable he is, and go from there based on their response.

 

[LaurenBay]

Do you have access to stables? If yes then bring him in on a deep shavings bed (make sure it is shavings and not straw as he could eat the straw) give him soaked hay to eat and call the vet out to him. If he is limping then he will be in quite a bit of pain, he won't want to move forwards hence why he is harder to lunge, you need to check his foot ASAP.

Once sound then I would change how you manage this pony so that he and his feet stand the best chance. What is your routine and set up like?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Do you have access to stables? If yes then bring him in on a deep shavings bed (make sure it is shavings and not straw as he could eat the straw) give him soaked hay to eat and call the vet out to him. If he is limping then he will be in quite a bit of pain, he won't want to move forwards hence why he is harder to lunge, you need to check his foot ASAP.

Once sound then I would change how you manage this pony so that he and his feet stand the best chance. What is your routine and set up like?

Shavings will support the foot better than straw as they mould to the shape, so will instantly make him feel a bit more comfortable.

 

[be positive]

It really depends on how long he has been lame on this one foot, if he has been lame since the bout of laminitis a couple of years ago my guess would be his pedal bone has rotated and that it has never managed to be corrected even with very regular trims, this is a job for the vet to advise on but it is likely he really requires xrays to get a clear picture of what is going on, if it is long term and not improving your grandparents really need to be considering his quality of life, if he can ever have a pain free life and base any decision on that after the vet has been.

If it is more recent then it may be acute laminitis and require the vet to come out to prescribe bute and a treatment plan, he certainly shouldn't be made to walk to the beach, be lunged or really even brought out of the soft bed in his stable.

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Thanks everyone for replying. It's really helpful. I live on an island and so there isn't another farrier who can look at him and it's hard to get the vet out without it costing a fortune. The pain is less bad than I think I made it seem and I took him for a run round the field the other day and that's really helped him move more (this was before I checked here so I didn't know any better). He seems to be in less pain as he can move without limping and moves more in general. The farrier I'd coming tomorrow and he'll be checked out then.
I'm really sorry if it seems cruel but him running round the field has done him a world of good; he's lost weight already and seems happier in temperament and in less pain.
I'll move him in to restricted grazing tomorrow where he can still see his friends but will eat less.
We do have a stable/yard that I can put him in but I don't know if we have hay to soak.
Thanks for your replies!

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

Also thinking about it a bit more. It has been kind of a seasonal thing with him being worse in summer etc. I think the limping when walking can also be attributed to his feet which were overgrown until recently and he's still getting used to his new mobility.
Once again thanks for replying if anyone has any extra thoughts or ideas feel free to express them!

 

[Widgeon]

Also thinking about it a bit more. It has been kind of a seasonal thing with him being worse in summer etc. I think the limping when walking can also be attributed to his feet which were overgrown until recently and he's still getting used to his new mobility.

That sounds positive - if his feet were overgrown and have been trimmed back he may be sore from the trim plus sore from learning to walk normally again. I hope you continue to see an improvement.

Are you in the Hebrides, by the way? Sorry, that's just nosiness on my part. You don't have to answer!

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

I'm in Orkney! He has continued to improve drastically and can now walk, trot even canter on soft ground! Though he still tends to limp a bit on the road or similar surfaces. I took him for a walk yesterday and he seemed so happy to be out of the field! The only trouble is that with his new foot freedom comes his old temper!
Thanks everyone for responding it's been great!

 

[Rumtytum]

Photos required

 

[Widgeon]

I'm in Orkney! He has continued to improve drastically and can now walk, trot even canter on soft ground! Though he still tends to limp a bit on the road or similar surfaces. I took him for a walk yesterday and he seemed so happy to be out of the field! The only trouble is that with his new foot freedom comes his old temper!
Thanks everyone for responding it's been great!

I was just thinking about you as I drove to work this morning! That is good news, I'm glad he's feeling so much better.