Would you be mad? & experiences please

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MrsP*

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I have today found out that one of my horses is being given Potassium Bromide without my say so.

It's apparently fine as there "are about another 6 horses on the yard on it".

He is on full livery so they do decide a lot of things (which rug to put on, amount of hours a day turned out etc.) but this feels too much.

Thoughts on this and experiences of Potassium Bromide please?
 
I would go bonkers if someone gave something to my horse without asking me first. Can't help on the potassium bromide, never used it. What are they giving him it for?
 
I would go mad, deciding on what rugs to wear is not the same as deciding to put your horse on a sedative supplement,

I wasnt sure what Potassium Bromide was, so I google and one of the first things I found was

I rate the administration of potassium bromide to a horse as ethically bad as administering sedatives to kids on school holidays to shut them up and as dangerous as allowing drunk drivers behind the wheels to drive kids around ....it absolutely whacks a horses CNS for a 6 and turns it right down not to mention the physiological effect of bromide displacing chloride in the body and the load that puts on the kidneys.

Which is quite alarming, although other may disagree, its just what I have read.
 
Potassium bromide is used as a calmer. If all the horses are on it, would suggest something slightly up with their management of the horses and the yard.
 
Sorry, I hadn't seen the other replies when I posted.

They said the vet had suggested it and it works wonders. I was shocked so didn't say anything at the time.

I feel very unsettled about everything now. My other horse is moving yards in a few weeks time (to go onto competition livery). I feel I may have to move both of them now.
 
I would say how unhappy I was ,make sure the other liveries knew what was going on and leave immediately.....something very wrong at that yard!!!!!!!
 
Being a mistrustful, mean old thing, I'd be ringing that vet and asking what transpired. No vet would be recommending dosing someone else's horse without their permission, livery or not.
 
But the vet is likely to have recommended it for a particular horse - not what seems like the entire yard!

And is it competition legal? What if you had gone to a high level affiliated comp, had random tests done and got the rap? OR something needing to be given that contra-indicated to it and the vets weren't aware? I would be getting your horse off the yard ASAP.
 
I would be absolutely LIVID!! That is completely not on and is not even remotely the same as choosing what rug to put on, plus you have given them permission to do that anyway, not to drug your horses!!
 
I might not have even found out. He seemed very sleepy this afternoon and his eyes looked a bit glazed over. I joked and said it must be all the sunbathing in the nice weather!

They so casually said: "it's most likely the bromide". It was only when I (obviously) asked what they meant that they told me "yeah, he's been on it about 10 days now". "He's going really well on it"

I asked what it was and they said "oh just a simple calmer, the vet recommended it so we thought we'd give a try with him".

I said "Do you think he needs it, he's never been on a calmer before?". They said "don't worry about it we've got ____, _____, _____, _____ and the two mares on it". "It works really well."
 
What a bizarre yard you're on. Is it strange in any other way ?
In answer to your question, I can't imagine being on a yard that would do this, but if I was, then, not only would I be mad, I'd remove my horse before the end of the day and take legal action against the livery owner and if appropriate, the vet too.
 
MrsP* said:
I might not have even found out. He seemed very sleepy this afternoon and his eyes looked a bit glazed over. I joked and said it must be all the sunbathing in the nice weather!

They so casually said: "it's most likely the bromide". It was only when I (obviously) asked what they meant that they told me "yeah, he's been on it about 10 days now". "He's going really well on it"

I asked what it was and they said "oh just a simple calmer, the vet recommended it so we thought we'd give a try with him".

I said "Do you think he needs it, he's never been on a calmer before?". They said "don't worry about it we've got ____, _____, _____, _____ and the two mares on it". "It works really well."
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If that were my horse I would have been so shocked I'm not sure I would be able to find any words.

I would be moving ASAP and letting as many people know of their little practice as possible. Sounds like they can't be bothered to do their job properly and dope anything which isn't a donkey.
 
They do change other things (like feed etc.) without telling owners but to be honest they seemed so knowledgeable and experienced that I felt like they knew better.

The owner is happy to let you borrow anything of his which is nice but it's not great in the way that your stuff is also lent to everyone (generally without being returned to where it lived). For instance, I've seen another horse wearing my £50 control headcollar in the field. I said something about that straight away as they are not designed to be left on when turned out.

The facilities are amazing so maybe they feel they can just do what they like and they know best no matter what.
 
SpringArising said:
If that were my horse I would have been so shocked I'm not sure I would be able to find any words..
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I was just so shocked. I wish I'd have said something now but I was just lost for words.

I will need to arrange for transport so I can't just up and move them today. I only get to see them about once a week at the moment (because of work) so I want to make sure the next yard is OK too before moving.

If I kick up a fuss, how well will they look after my boys until I move?
 
MrsP* said:
I was just so shocked. I wish I'd have said something now but I was just lost for words.

I will need to arrange for transport so I can't just up and move them today. I only get to see them about once a week at the moment (because of work) so I want to make sure the next yard is OK too before moving.

If I kick up a fuss, how well will they look after my boys until I move?
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Don't beat yourself up about it. Lots of people (myself included) probably would have struggled to find the right words (in the moment) without being a fuming mess!

If I were you I'd tell them that they are not to give him anything else unless specifically requested, and then remain civil until you leave for the sake of your horse(s).

It's extremely hard to bite your lip sometimes, but there are some unsavoury people who will try to spite a horse because of the owner. I'd then be phoning the vet and giving them an earful.
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
I'd be phoning my vet to aks what they thought about this practice of administering anything to someones horse on a regular basis....

Your vet can be your friend, try having a chat with vet x
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I've not that long moved into the area so I just agreed to have their vet. I've been told he's a very very good friend of theirs. I'm not sure I'd want to speak to him until I have secured somewhere else for the horses to go to. I presume the YO will have told the vet it was for one of their own horses too so he won't be aware of all of this?
 
You could get another Vet along to blood test the horse for the bromide (I assume you can test for it as it's banned for competition use) then you have irrefutable evidence (eg if you decide to talk to a solicitor). I'd also be tempted to make an official complaint to the original veterinary practice.

I'm another who would be moving as quickly as humanly possible.

Sadly this corresponds with my own experiences of full/part livery where the YO treats the horse as their own (and not necessarily having the welfare of the horse to the forefront) and the owner as an annoyance that they put up with because they are a source of money.
 
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