When you lose your horse to EGS what do you do

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost a 3 year old suddenly with EGS a couple of years ago. It is such a shock when they turn from looking a picture of health to gravely ill in 24 hours.
I try to ensure good gut health, and supplement their grazing all year - but the worry is always there. x
 
So sorry to read this, I am also in Scotland and lost my beautiful girl to it a month ago. I still can't believe it happened. Be kind to yourself and remember you'll be in shock and will also be mourning not only her but the future she'll never have. My girl had just turned 7 and I had such plans for her, including a foal in a few years time, which has been cruelly taken away. For me, that's one of the hardest parts. Keep reminding yourself that there's nothing you could've done - the vet told me it has to be a 'perfect storm' of factors all happening at once for it to happen which has made research and treatment so hard. You will be in my thoughts.
 
Omg I'm so so sorry for your loss. I don't know how you get over it. Only time will help and it will. Remember the fun you had and smile.
Huge hugs x x
 
Very sad news - my thoughts are with you.

A friend lost one to EGS a few years ago. It was awful and very quick and I think that makes it even more shocking.

Hugs
 
I haven't read all the replies, only your first post, however I am so so sorry to hear of your loss. What an awful thing. Big virtual hugs and thoughts to you.
 
I'm so, so sorry FfionWinnie - she was absolutely beautiful. Heartbreaking for you to lose her so quickly. I know very little about EGS and have been shocked. Please look after yourself xxx
 
FfionWinnie said:
Keep my horses at home. Live in the area of Scotland which has the highest incidence of Equine Grass Sickness. Lost two to it in 2 years. Got 5 other ponies on the place. Can't afford to keep them else where and moving isn't really an option.

So what do you do to fill the gaping hole in your heart when your horse of a life time has died of this stinking disease in a matter of hours.

I certainly don't know the answer.

Below is 4pm Sunday, does that look like an ill horse to you?


At 5pm an hour after that photo was taken she was choking and by midnight the vet had seen her twice. She was admitted at 7am Monday morning and was dead by 7pm Monday night

How do you get over that. Heart is broken.
Click to expand...

OP I don't think you ever do I'm afraid.
I can totally understand how you feel.

We lost our homebred mare at the age of 7 over 10 years ago to EGS and I still cry to this day when I think of her.
Monday she was fine, Tuesday evening her back legs were trembling and she was off her food (definitely not her at all) and we called the vet who admitted her to Leahurst Horsey Hospital that night.
She wasn't allowed any food at all and was on a drip. She was so hungry, kicking the door.... She loved her grub and was so cross all the horses round her were being fed and she wasnt.
They told us it was incurable the next and she had to be PTS. She still looked so happy and healthy, it was devastating.
She went from hunting on the Sunday to gone on Thursday.
To top it all of the insurance company were messing us about with her payout.
We got another cob a few months later, still have him now, he's never going to quite replace her, she'll always have a special place in our hearts because my auntbred her and still has her mum, but he's special to us in other ways and he's part of the family.

I'm now bawling my eyes out after writing this..... It's such a horrible and devastating illness :( but I felt I needed to share our story

Xx
 
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I'm so sorry to hear this - it's a horrid thing

Have you thought about contacting the research people to see if you can get involved? I think they are still looking for yards.
 
So very sorry to hear that you have lost such a beautiful friend. The photos you posted show such a lovely happy horse, you must be devastated. It's so hard to lose them in ways that leave us no alternative. Look after yourself while you grieve.
 
I lost my first beautiful mare to EGS at the age of 11 over 12 years ago. We have kept other equines on the same lnd permanently during and since this date, with, luckily so far, no more cases. I hope this remains the case (am touching wood).

It devastated me, and I felt like I was living in a bubble for many weeks.
 
Hi folks. Sorry I haven't responded to everyone. Thank you for the lovely caring replies. It helps to know people care and understand how devastating this is. Devastated is probably a word that is over used, I've used it myself when it was something stupid really. But its the right word now, and I am totally and utterly devastated. I really loved her so much, 6 months of utter joy and enjoyment, my perfect horse seemingly made for me, just gone in an instant.

I've spoken to the vaccine trial people, I will probably do it with at least some of mine, but there are a few considerations like as it's a trial only 50% get the real vaccine, and it has implications for insurance as well which I need to look into further.

This horse died on a different field to the other one, which she had never been in. The field does not have any trees surrounding it, nor is there any disturbed ground to speak of (the grass is slightly muddy on high traffic areas but nothing unusual for November in Scotland). They were eating hay and they had and were using a high manganese content lick as I was told the last time that deficiency of manganese had been found in some horses. She was 7 so within the age danger range and I bought her from Wales 6 months ago.

I can't stress how healthy she was at 4pm, to go from that to choking at 5pm, its beyond my comprehension. With the last one I did wonder if I had missed the symptoms and if he suffered for longer than he needed to, but now I realise things can change in an hour. I wouldn't have believed that had I not seen it with my own eyes, and I don't expect people to believe it either as it is frankly not believable!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Today wasn't as bad as yesterday and in time the raw pain will ease I suppose. I'm not sure I will ever be able to remember her without anger at losing her tho. It was all ahead of us and now it's all gone and I feel cheated and bitter over it.
 
So, so sorry to read this.

I lost a horse of a lifetime (5yo) in a matter of hours... only to colic, rather than EGS. We were cantering down bridleways at 12pm, and he was dead by 9pm. My whole world dissolved that day. Sending you big hugs and condolences, but no words are ever adequate. x
 
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