What to do now? PTS?

[Aidey]

My childhood pony has been out on loan to a girl for the past nearly 3 years, 2010 she got lami and was very lame, this has been on and off since then, lame infront then sound then lame in both behind etc etc*

Since 2010 she has only been turned out a few times a week for 3 hours grazing, limited hay and so on, vet did blood tests/x rays and they said it was simply the lami.
*
She had a good spell and was sound for a few months, now 2 weeks ago she is lame again and after another vet visit the lami is back!

Last night the girls parents phoned to say they were giving up loaning her, which I don't blame them, no point in loaning a horse they cant do anything with. So now the poor girl is heartbroken.

Now I'm wondering what to do, as it has been recurrent for the past 2 years I'm not sure if she will ever come right to then loan her back out, she has been with us for the past 12 years and will never be sold (even if she was sound). *She can't be a companion as she can only have limited turnout.

Question is what to do now? PTS?*

Thanks if you managed to get through all that!

 

[touchstone]

I also have a laminitic, so understand how difficult it can be.

In your pony's case it sounds as if the three hours turnout has simply been too much, the grass has been growing in many areas and there have been a few frosts lately. There are some ponies that need managing very tightly and I've found the best way to manage mine has been 24/7 turnout on limited grass using a track system or a grass free turnout area or you could muzzzle and feed plenty of hay when she is in. The continuous movement helps I've found once the initial attack is over. Mine is also barefoot. Is her hay soaked as this can make a difference, mine actually does better on high fibre haylage.

In your situation I'd have a go at managing it myself and if I found I couldn't keep it under control then I'd pts. I can recommend having a read of this blog, some really good advice and shows what can be done:- http://www.barefoothorseblog.blogspot.com/

 

[YasandCrystal]

Sorry to hear about your pony.
I have a lami prone pony - he is only 10hh and quite fine so I have to be very careful with him.
I do think daily turnout is essential and mine is out 24/7 in summer and for at least 8 to 10 hours per day in winter.
In summer, autumn and spring my pony is in a small restricted grass paddock, basically a corner of the herd#s paddock and he is fed hay twice daily. In winter when the grass is sparse he is allowed a greater grazing area.

I also ensure that he is fed - albeit a lami diet. He get Happy Tum charcoal and a specific feed for laminitics (just a handful and a handful of hi fibre pellets - Allen & Page). He has had #an episode# a few weeks ago and I kept him in for a week on bute and he was fine again.
It takes careful management, but certainly my pony has a good quality of life. I would investigate specific lami supplements and try the pony on these for a prolonged period. Here is my pony on his #starve patch#. Some members commented he was too light and others he is just right He is heavier than that now, but it's such a fine balance. Mornings like today where it is frosty I increase his feed slightly and ensure there is a pile of hay for him to detract him from the frosty grass. Oh and he will be 22 this year and I have owned him since he was 3, so I know careful management works.

 

[Wagtail]

Your pony is gorgeous, Yasa. Good advice there OP. I would not want to put the pony to sleep until I had had a go at managing her myself. It may be that the loaners were not as careful as they could have been.

 

[Shay]

You have my sympathies! For all sorts of reasons we currently loan a 12.1hh welsh sect A with Cushings. (As well as owning 2 SJ competition horses.) He's had Lami twice (not in our care!) and has a degree of permenant rotation of the pedal bone.

It is hard to find people to care for these special ponies but they do exist. (And no - I can't take another. Sorry!) Each one needs unique and particular management.

If you can have him back and manage him - great. if you can find someone you absolutely trust to manage him - great too. But if not then the last and best thing we can do for our beloved ponies is to make sure they have a quick and easy transition to the pasture in the sky.

Well done you for being brave enough to think about it. Which ever way it works out you will do the best for him!

 

[Miss L Toe]

Your pony is gorgeous, Yasa. Good advice there OP. I would not want to put the pony to sleep until I had had a go at managing her myself. It may be that the loaners were not as careful as they could have been.

Can you have a look at the Rockley farm site for advice on paddocks and tracks, it might suit your pony to go barefoot and have his main paddock as pea gravel I think you could have him out there where he could see what is going on in the yard, feed little and often, so five mini haynets put out every day, so he has to move about.
The pony above is obviously doing pretty well on his regime, if I were to be critical [sorry], I would say that he could do with a bit of work to build up his backend.

 

[forestfantasy]

Your pony is gorgeous, Yasa. Good advice there OP. I would not want to put the pony to sleep until I had had a go at managing her myself. It may be that the loaners were not as careful as they could have been.

Agree with this ^^
A child wouldn't necessarly understand the pony cant have carrots/apples/polos or other sweet treats - and they possibly may have been working her too soon after her attacks & bringing the lami back on via concussion.

I certainly wouldn't be giving up yet without trying to manage it myself

 

[YasandCrystal]

Can you have a look at the Rockley farm site for advice on paddocks and tracks, it might suit your pony to go barefoot and have his main paddock as pea gravel I think you could have him out there where he could see what is going on in the yard, feed little and often, so five mini haynets put out every day, so he has to move about.
The pony above is obviously doing pretty well on his regime, if I were to be critical [sorry], I would say that he could do with a bit of work to build up his backend.

Barney is retired. He was very slim in that photo, but I am very careful in summer as the tiniest bit too much and he gets lami.
My horses are on a sort of paradise system - I have a track around the perimeter of my paddocks that 2 of them graze and it's on a hill and the water and hay and stables are at the top and the nicest grass and hedgerows are at the bottom. They do self exercise pretty well, which includes Barney in the winter when he is not on his patch. Here he is at a better weight.

 

[Aidey]

Thanks for all your replies, very helpful! I am going to have a look at the links that have been provided and look into her current turnout procedures, she is turning 17 this year and has been rather stiff when stabled so much, there aren't many mares on our yard so there normally is a lot of grass, will ask if there is anywhere she can be turned out a lot of the time with not so much grass.

Thanks again everyone, made me feel more hopeful than this morning

 

[Dab]

Sorry to hear about your pony, but hopefully the lami can be managed.

I have a TB and shettie with EMS (and did have lami), poles apart when it comes to diet management, but they are both out together 24/7.

The shettie is muzzled 24/7, access to small amount of hay and gets a small feed in the morning with a 1tsb of cinammon.

The muzzle really does restrict his grazing intake, the cinammon really helps with the EMS/lami and since being on it he is completely sound. The shettie gets chased around by the TB which really helps with keeping him moving!