The 'Grace Saga' continues...

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There are no yards in this area that have a walker, as I would be there in a shot and hire it every day
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Wonder if the YO would consent to buying one in just for me... I agree though, a walker would be a great way of dealing with this
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Have you thought of using the walker at Crow Wood? Higher Spen have also got a walker - I know you're waiting to talk to your vet about taking her swimming but I'm sure they'd let you hire the walker if you asked them. I can't think of anywhere closer to you that has a walker apart from that new yard in Tockholes that I told you about. They might be worth a phone call as it's close to you and they might well let you just hire the walker if you ask.
 
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I'm very pleased that she IS feeling well, that's great.
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What was she like before all this happened?

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She has always been a bit hot headed
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That is the problem... this has to be every day and I just don't have the time to travel that far
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Cant you put her in livery there for 3 weeks?
 
I just can't afford it right now. Even if I stopped having lessons with Hannah, I would still really struggle for three weeks
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It would be quite nice though having just one horse to do and not having to risk life and limb every day
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It would be at least £85 a week, plus I would also have to pay livery where I am on the stable... And my insurance would not pay out because we are pretty close to the limit now.
 
They seem to be virtually unknown here but there are medications in North America known colloquially as "30 day tranq". They aren't tranquillisers and they don't necessarily last 30 days - in actual fact they are human anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic drugs - but they're a pretty common fall back for horses on stall rest/limited exercise where non-medicinal calmers aren't doing the job and safety (horse or handler) is a concern. I've seen it work better for many horses than the more traditional, "one off" sedatives like ACP or Valium, in part because they don't seem to interfere with co-ordination or reaction time. They don't sedate the horse noticeably, they just "take the edge" off and make it a little easier for the horse to bear the situation more calmly. (To be frank, they are also used illegally on ridden horses but that's a whole 'nother ball game. It does at least show you how subtle the effects are.)

I have no idea if they are applicable for horses recovering from colic surgery and I do no at least one older type of drug can have intestinal effects but there are other, newer options as well.

Now the most common drugs - Resperine and Fluphenazine - DO have side effects (as do all drugs) so one would have to be very sure the positives outweighed the risks. IF there are non-medical options I'd certainly take them. (I've used such a medication once in 25 years for a horse that was not going to survive stall rest and hand walking.) But each situation is different and they are another tool in the bag. I wouldn't look at it just for convenience but when safety becomes a factor I think vets have to at least consider whether or not they want the client to live long enough to pay the bill!
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As I said, I don't even know if such drugs are available for horses here (although I would bet you some people can get them for less than legal use
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) but it might be worth a conversation with your vet as they sound applicable to your situation.
 
Thanks, I will look into it and when I get a phone call (I phoned yesterday) I will ask about this too... although my prenunciation might be a little shaky
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Obviously with everything this mare has been through, the positives would have to far outweigh the negatives for me to use something like this, and the impact on the gut is also a big issue too
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It is certainly an option though!
 
I have to say I've always resisted them on principle and been more than a bit alarmed at people who give them as a matter of course, especially if it's medication over management changes, hiring help etc. I can understand the reluctance. That said, for the horse I used Fluephenazine on last year - a huge, dressage bred Dutch horse with a ligament injury - it was a godsend. ACP and Valium did nothing but make him stoned without touching his pent up energy, which just made him uncoordinated and even more dangerous. He was bouncing around in his stall, risking himself that way; hand walking looked like a circus audition and ridden walking . . .well, let's just say I got a good view of the barn roof from above!! I would not have believed a horse could buck that high from a walk!! The vet hummed and hawed and basically told me not to be silly but I pointed out his rodeo practice was not helping his rehab any little bit. I even had her out to watch one of his "walking" sessions, after which she changed her tune and agreed the chances of us all surviving the rehab were slim.

Some highly bred horses just do not cope well with being shut ins. After all, that's why we all make such a big deal over horses getting out at least to be ridden thoroughly every day if they can't be turned out. We can't have it both ways! I'd rather give a horse "help" - however much it's against my principles - than let a situation I know is dangerous continue.

I do hope you find a solution. It sounds like a pretty nerve wracking situation on top of a couple of other recent stresses - not much fun for any of you. Good luck.
 
Cruiser is right our vets use something along this lines but they say it lasta bout 3 months.

Have used it on a neurotic chap when he had to be retired through this he's learnt and become a happy lawn mower.

Worth talking to your vets about it and apparently safer that trying to ride on ACP or sedaline.
 
Ah... I didn't realise it lasts three months
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I don't want anything that would last that long due to the fact I was hoping she might be out competing by that time and I am guessing it not FEI legal... I am still waiting for the vet to phone me back, might phone again this afternoon.
 
Not sure if it will help, but a friend has been using a Valerian based calmer from www.silverliningherbs.co.uk (called Keep Cool) on her 17.1hh Dutch warmblood who has been having stress/explosion/colic issues (all a bit complicated to explain), but anyway, it has worked amazingly on him! He is such a happier boy now and soooo calm - used to do buck handstands and also get very excited at jumping - lately he is coming in calm as a cucumber to the jumps, she's hoping to get him used to being unstressy and then get him off it so she can compete again.

Of course it does contain Valerian which I believe isn't competition legal for affiliated stuff, but it might do the job for you at the moment and may be worth checking how long the stuff stays in the system, as would imagine it is less than 3 months! And it definitely does contain magnesium as it is all herbal based.

I really do feel for you, as its so hard to know the best course of action. My mare who is recovering from an annular ligament/SDFT injury and is on week 9 of 12 weeks paddock rest, has just out of no where had an "episode" in the field and is now back on box rest with a suspected suspensory ligament injury on the opposite hind leg to the original injury and also a possible stress fracture on her hind quarters! Think she might be getting some Keep Cool too!!

So both ways - box/riding or turning out can be problematic. I'm getting to the stage where I think I will get her to a certain point of soundness and just chuck her out 24/7 with a staid companion and forget about her for a year! Either that or I will be posting very similar posts to you in x amout of months if I have to ride her off the box, as she had to be sedated just to lunge her at the vets coming off 2 months box rest in January!
 
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They seem to be virtually unknown here but there are medications in North America known colloquially as "30 day tranq". They aren't tranquillisers and they don't necessarily last 30 days - in actual fact they are human anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic drugs - but they're a pretty common fall back for horses on stall rest/limited exercise where non-medicinal calmers aren't doing the job and safety (horse or handler) is a concern. I've seen it work better for many horses than the more traditional, "one off" sedatives like ACP or Valium, in part because they don't seem to interfere with co-ordination or reaction time. They don't sedate the horse noticeably, they just "take the edge" off and make it a little easier for the horse to bear the situation more calmly. (To be frank, they are also used illegally on ridden horses but that's a whole 'nother ball game. It does at least show you how subtle the effects are.)

I have no idea if they are applicable for horses recovering from colic surgery and I do no at least one older type of drug can have intestinal effects but there are other, newer options as well.

Now the most common drugs - Resperine and Fluphenazine - DO have side effects (as do all drugs) so one would have to be very sure the positives outweighed the risks. IF there are non-medical options I'd certainly take them. (I've used such a medication once in 25 years for a horse that was not going to survive stall rest and hand walking.) But each situation is different and they are another tool in the bag. I wouldn't look at it just for convenience but when safety becomes a factor I think vets have to at least consider whether or not they want the client to live long enough to pay the bill!
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As I said, I don't even know if such drugs are available for horses here (although I would bet you some people can get them for less than legal use
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) but it might be worth a conversation with your vet as they sound applicable to your situation.

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i think you'll find they are unlicenced in this country. In people those types of drugs have side effects such as Parkinson disease type symptoms, so i'd be very wary of using them.
 
I'd be wary of using ANY drugs, quite frankly.
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I've often been surprised when I look up medications/supplements/additives that are often presented by professionals as "safe" and used commonly even without medical supervision (Bute, ACP, various joint supplements etc.) but in fact can have quite serious side effects and repercussions. In the end I don't take anyone's - vets included - word on it.

I'd also say, in cases such as this, letting things go on as they are could have serious side effects.
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I'm not arguing, just saying I always consider these situations to be imperfect, risk balancing, management exercises where NO answer is the perfect one. As such they each have to be taken individually and solutions found to fit the moment which might not be ideal in theory. Not at all great but often unavoidable in horses.

I believe these medications are used "off label" for horses in North America (as are a surprising number of medications used for animals -this is not illegal) but perhaps there is no such option in the UK. If so, sorry for getting your hopes up.
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