Oh the irony...

[Nudibranch]

Over the years I've found myself irritated by various things on here; over-rugging, people brainwashed by advertising into mixing 20 different useless supplements into their feed buckets, owners making a second hobby out of their horse's minor health issues, the various health fads/scares that do the rounds (KS, pssm, ulcers, blah blah).
Over the same years I've lost a few lovely horses so decided to "downgrade" to something smaller and more robust. Found myself a lovely big 3yo Dales filly. Backed her and brought her on myself.

Long story short, fast forward 4 years and I have a lovely big 7yo Dales mare. With PSSM. So I now own a 6'6 rug in every weight and neck combo from 0 to 350g. I mix 7 different items in her feed bucket. I obsess about her movement, her temperature, her energy levels - you get the picture.

I'm sure it's a punishment from the horse gods for not believing...

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have to laugh about my neighbour. She was a die hard barefooter, treeless saddle, no rugs ever.
FF to her newest recruit, he has 4 shoes, hated the treeless saddle and has countless rugs in all different weights!
Im sure next winter the clippers may even come out

 

[Rowreach]

Over the years I've found myself irritated by various things on here; over-rugging, people brainwashed by advertising into mixing 20 different useless supplements into their feed buckets, owners making a second hobby out of their horse's minor health issues, the various health fads/scares that do the rounds (KS, pssm, ulcers, blah blah).
Over the same years I've lost a few lovely horses so decided to "downgrade" to something smaller and more robust. Found myself a lovely big 3yo Dales filly. Backed her and brought her on myself.

Long story short, fast forward 4 years and I have a lovely big 7yo Dales mare. With PSSM. So I now own a 6'6 rug in every weight and neck combo from 0 to 350g. I mix 7 different items in her feed bucket. I obsess about her movement, her temperature, her energy levels - you get the picture.

I'm sure it's a punishment from the horse gods for not believing...

I hope you've bought some turmeric.

 

[millikins]

That's very unfortunate, it's rare in Dales isn't it?

 

[Widgeon]

I'm sure it's a punishment from the horse gods for not believing...

At least you're self aware enough to laugh about it...I think that's usually the thing that's lacking in the die-hard nutter brigade!

Sorry your horse has PSSM, though. That's a shame.

 

[SEL]

I used to look like a drug dealer after mixing up my PSSM mare's supplements for a fortnight. Magnesium gets everywhere and its a fine white powder......

Now she's retired she's lucky if I remember to chuck the vitamin E in!!

 

[Widgeon]

One horse on our yard used to get spirulina and turmeric in her feeds. When I was covering morning feeds I looked how I would imagine Van Gogh looked after a particularly inspired day...

 

[tristar]

could be worse, hope you can ride her? at least.

 

[Dexter]

That's very unfortunate, it's rare in Dales isn't it?

No sadly. I guess its probably made worse as there's so few of them. But I personally know of 2, and now NBs mare

 

[Fransurrey]

I can relate. I didn't own a pair of clippers, my Exmoors had one lightweight rug each until their 20s and whilst wanting something bigger than my retired boy, I still wanted a robust rugged native type, so opted for gypsy cob. Turned out his chronic thrush really was chronic and metabolic as suspected. He also has PSSM1, with overheating being a problem. So, my 'easy to manage cob' is clipped all year round, has three different weight of rugs (although I still can't go above 100 g as he sweats), chronic thrush unless I pack his hooves with a home-blend of hoof clay and requires his sheath cleaning weekly in summer with either aloe vera gel as lube in water or Vagisil (I put this down to the PSSM1 too and believe me I've tried leaving well alone, but it truly stinks and attracts bitey things). In 25 years of owning geldings I'd never done more than peel the odd flake off a willy.

 

[holeymoley]

Horses for courses

 

[SEL]

I can relate. I didn't own a pair of clippers, my Exmoors had one lightweight rug each until their 20s and whilst wanting something bigger than my retired boy, I still wanted a robust rugged native type, so opted for gypsy cob. Turned out his chronic thrush really was chronic and metabolic as suspected. He also has PSSM1, with overheating being a problem. So, my 'easy to manage cob' is clipped all year round, has three different weight of rugs (although I still can't go above 100 g as he sweats), chronic thrush unless I pack his hooves with a home-blend of hoof clay and requires his sheath cleaning weekly in summer with either aloe vera gel as lube in water or Vagisil (I put this down to the PSSM1 too and believe me I've tried leaving well alone, but it truly stinks and attracts bitey things). In 25 years of owning geldings I'd never done more than peel the odd flake off a willy.

My Ardennes who I lost last year was p1/p1 and had an awful sheath. He wasn't a fan of me doing anything with it but always perked up when the willy washing lady turned up!! Never really thought about it being PSSM related - he was cut very late so I'd put it down to that.

 

[Nudibranch]

That's very unfortunate, it's rare in Dales isn't it?

I think type 1 is rare in Dales but I've heard of/met a few type 2's now. Mine carries P3 on both dam and sire lines so there are bound to be a lot more out there. I know the Equiseq test is still controversial and of course maybe P3 has nothing to do with anything. But she definitely has a muscle myopathy so in that respect it doesn't matter. My guess is a fair few don't work, particularly breeding mares, so we would never know whether they are affected or not.

She's had 3 months off now and I'm hoping and praying can come back into work slowly soon. She's had a respiratory virus for what seems like ages and tied up. Definitely showing more energy in the field though. She even cantered for her feed yesterday! Hasn't done that for ages.

 

[Fransurrey]

My Ardennes who I lost last year was p1/p1 and had an awful sheath. He wasn't a fan of me doing anything with it but always perked up when the willy washing lady turned up!! Never really thought about it being PSSM related - he was cut very late so I'd put it down to that.

I'm lucky that whilst he dislikes having flakes picked off, he's quite happy to be fondled internally with lube (oo er!). It's only because I've worked in veterinary research for so long that I was suspicious of something going on (that, combined with the chronic thrush even in summer). As time went on he displayed more and more symptoms which made me think of betting a year's salary on it before I tested. Interestingly, when I've left it for a long time, he never has a big bean. It's just a general smegma build up. I have to keep the hairs near the entrance very short, to prevent cling ons, too. It's just so lovely...

 

[SEL]

I think type 1 is rare in Dales but I've heard of/met a few type 2's now. Mine carries P3 on both dam and sire lines so there are bound to be a lot more out there. I know the Equiseq test is still controversial and of course maybe P3 has nothing to do with anything. But she definitely has a muscle myopathy so in that respect it doesn't matter. My guess is a fair few don't work, particularly breeding mares, so we would never know whether they are affected or not.

She's had 3 months off now and I'm hoping and praying can come back into work slowly soon. She's had a respiratory virus for what seems like ages and tied up. Definitely showing more energy in the field though. She even cantered for her feed yesterday! Hasn't done that for ages.

I know 2 pure bred Dales who came up negative on the genetic tests but have shown signs of a myopathy in blood tests. I think whether or not the genetic test is accurate is irrelevant when there are other symptoms. My Dales x is definitely better in regular exercise with softer muscles but then I'm pretty paranoid having had two with type 1 so squidging muscles is a daily event. I suspect most people wouldn't even notice.

I hope you can get yours back into work. I always found warmer weather helped with the P1 Appy.

 

[Chianti]

Over the years I've found myself irritated by various things on here; over-rugging, people brainwashed by advertising into mixing 20 different useless supplements into their feed buckets, owners making a second hobby out of their horse's minor health issues, the various health fads/scares that do the rounds (KS, pssm, ulcers, blah blah).
Over the same years I've lost a few lovely horses so decided to "downgrade" to something smaller and more robust. Found myself a lovely big 3yo Dales filly. Backed her and brought her on myself.

Long story short, fast forward 4 years and I have a lovely big 7yo Dales mare. With PSSM. So I now own a 6'6 rug in every weight and neck combo from 0 to 350g. I mix 7 different items in her feed bucket. I obsess about her movement, her temperature, her energy levels - you get the picture.

I'm sure it's a punishment from the horse gods for not believing...

Welcome to the world of the Paranoid Parent!

 

[tda]

I think PSSM in dales ponies is the next thing the society will tackle.
I've seen ponies advertised as free of pssm1 and pssm2 but I thought the test for 2 was not peer reviewed yet

 

[Nudibranch]

Ibd

I think PSSM in dales ponies is the next thing the society will tackle.
I've seen ponies advertised as free of pssm1 and pssm2 but I thought the test for 2 was not peer reviewed yet

I do hope so, although it's a poisoned chalice as the gene pool is so small. I wonder if in time some outcross blood will be needed although I can't see it ever happening.

Then we can address the issue of bulky, gypsy haired, Welsh trotting, nowhere near true to traditional type being the current show ring fashion...
*Ducks and runs for cover*

 

[tda]

Ibd


I do hope so, although it's a poisoned chalice as the gene pool is so small. I wonder if in time some outcross blood will be needed although I can't see it ever happening.

Then we can address the issue of bulky, gypsy haired, Welsh trotting, nowhere near true to traditional type being the current show ring fashion...
*Ducks and runs for cover*

I think it has to be considered, in some form.
Well I'm not sure I know who you mean

 

[catembi]

Oh gosh, sorry that you've joined the PSSM club. I have 3 members of the club here. Old ex racer is p3/px, my 'competition horse' ex racer is p2/p3/px, my Dartmoor is p4 and I have a Shetland, so four to pay for and look after and nothing to ride. I just need p8 & k1 & I have bingo. Both ex racers can only do 20 minutes in the school in walk, yawn.

 

[Nudibranch]

Crikey Catembi, that's some score sheet