The Results Are In

" I'm feeling better and think I can go back out now, you know "

" Hey, where do you think you're  going, come back here, right now !"

" That did it, I'm not speaking to you anymore"

I’ve been waiting for the results to come back from Dusty’s many tests performed by our vet.  Yesterday I got the call: there is absolutely nothing wrong with her.  She had a slew of blood tests and all her chemistries are good, just a little underlying Lyme, but that’s to be expected since they are constantly exposed and, as many believe, once you have Lyme it never completely leaves your system. Dusty is not insulin resistant and doesn’t have HYPP, which were the two big ones I was worried about.  When she first injured herself her muscles were so tight she looked as if she might be tying up.  She may have been tying up, but it was most likely due to the stress and pain of compensating for the pain in her feet.

She is still on stall rest until next Friday when the vet will come out and evaluate her progress.  I’m hoping for an ultra-sound of her hind suspensories to give me a clue as to how they are healing.  Dusty is not getting any grain or grass but I do take her out for short walks on soft ground and grooming.  I’ve even let her in the small paddock with a grazing muzzle on for a few minutes just so she can roll; it seems to make her feel better. 

Even though the vet wants her to have no grain or grass, I’m not totally convinced that the reason for her founder is the grass and grain. I know it’s the pat answer for any horse with this affliction in the spring, but I’ve read in studies done that they can’t reproduce founder/laminitis in a controlled setting with spring grass or grain.  Personally, I suspect it could be due to the multiple vaccinations she gets in the spring.  Some of our horses have bad reactions to them.  Blue is one of the ones who swells up terribly (and not just at the injection sites), Nate often gets lymphangitis, Mellon gets colicky and once had a bout of laminitis after his vaccines, etc., and Dusty often runs a fever after her shots despite giving her bute.  This year in particular they all seemed especially miserable for a few days after their vaccinations….

I’ve been to some message boards concerning a certain company, which shall remain nameless because I don’t want to open a can of worms here; I’ve found horse people with the same problem of founder and colic after the vaccinations are administered.  This happened to her last year after the vaccinations so I am suspect and wary and will most likely change companies for future vaccinations. I should mention too that my horse Erik colicked and died two days after his spring vaccinations.  We have always tried to limit the number of vaccines we give and space them out over several weeks, but the reactions are still an issue.  Our previous vet wouldn’t use this particular company’s vaccines because of just these reasons.  Makes me wonder…

In the meantime we’ll try to make Dusty as comfortable as possible. Being locked in her stall, she is going stir crazy and is making her annoyance known: there’s a lot of door slamming and ear pinning, of course, she’s in a raging heat again which isn’t helping.

Until next time

Quote for Today

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.
    - Sharon Ralls Lemon-

Another Vet Visit

 We had to call the vet again for Dusty today.  Seems yesterday she was sore on her front left foot and today it wasn’t much better even with bute and limited turnout in the small pasture.  After a check with the hoof testers, which didn’t bother her at all, he took some x-rays. Our vet thinks it is most likely a mild case of laminitis.  This is the same foot that she had the 5-degree rotation in last August. We’ll have to see how the new x-rays compare to the old ones and see if there’s been any improvement—hopefully it won’t be any worse. I was hoping for an abscess.  The vet also thought there could be an air space, but it looks like it is probably in an area where last year’s laminitis episode is still growing out.

I’m trying to figure out why this would have happened again?  We gradually increase their time out on grass every spring so they can acclimate to it, and it’s never been a problem for her even when she lived out 24/7 on pasture.  Maybe as she gets older it’s affecting her differently.  Regardless, there is a grazing muzzle in her future, starting tomorrow.  She’ll be on bute twice a day for a week switching to once a day and we’ll probably be adding another med like isoxsuprine or something along those lines.

Dusty is really being a good sport about all these problems she is having.  I feel sorry for her; it’s no fun being injured, especially now that the weather is so nice and the grass is up. Usually, the herd heads to the backfields to graze each morning and she’s left to her little paddock. Nate, her best buddy, does stay up with her in the paddock across from hers and even if he leaves to graze he comes back to check on her during the day. Now that’s a good guy.  Poor girl, I hope she heals quickly and can rejoin the herd.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Ask not what your horse can do for you - Ask what you can do for your horse.

A Walking Lesson

'Dusty's Latest Hoof Photos'

Our farrier came to the farm this past Friday and everyone got what they needed, either trims or shoes.  Dusty’s foot is healing but still not quite there, some bruising is still evident.  He’s very surprised that she’s doing as well as she is in the time frame since her original injury. I’m happy that she heals so quickly and is a stoic little mare - never a complaint from her about anything going on physically.  When he turned her out in the paddock after her treatment Mellon chased her (he always does this, he’s such a neurotic character) and she took a few bad steps.  Due to this the farrier recommended that she not be ridden until Sunday and then only worked lightly.

The footing in the indoor is soft sand and couldn’t possibly hurt her feet so we decided to have a lesson at the walk. I practiced some leg yielding in both directions and added something new for her to think about.  Shoulder-in down the long sides.  We were hoping this might help her in the future to stop popping her shoulder out all the time. Sort of developing straightness and getting a little collection in the bargain. 

For a green mare she did exceptionally well.  Dusty is very smart and sensitive, by the second or third attempt she got it. I am very proud of her. It always astonishes me that with her tough persona she also wants to please. Of course, I could be wrong she may not be trying to please me, as that might be degrading to her, but maybe she has the sort of personality that doesn’t allow her to do things the wrong way.  She is very intent on “getting it right” all the time. Getting it right, also involves getting a treat, so that’s another cause for motivation.  I know most trainers/riders frown on treat training but I say pass them out along with the praise. It works for us and since most of our horses are treat monsters it works for them too. Whatever her reason, I’ll take it.  Things are working out very well.

Until next time

Quote for Today 

There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favourite places is on the back of my horse.
    - Rolf Kopfle

Dusty's Foot

" signs of trauma where the coffin bone rotated downward toward the sole"

"with pressure the bruised areas leak a bit of blood and serum, but luckily are no longer active or painful"

[picture of cornet band:] our questions about whether this was a recent rotation or an old founder combined with a stone bruise were answered when this deep groove began to grown down from the coronet; the amount of growth corresponds with when her lameness began, and clearly shows a brief period of compromised circulation in the area during the episode.

Our farrier was here on Thursday and while he was working on Dusty’s feet we managed to take some pictures of what’s been going on with her. It’s not a pretty picture but, now that she has her natural balance shoes and pads, her soles aren’t bothering her at all. She is sound and wants to get back to work, to the point that when she sees me she will actually come over to the gate to be caught. 

After her shoeing it was recommended that she shouldn’t be ridden for 48 hours and then only light work on Saturday.  So that’s what we did.  Saturday she walked a lot of patterns, practiced her softening and bending and learned how to turn on the haunches.  We did some trotting of figure eights and called it a day.  Even with an injury like Dusty’s it’s still possible to ride and train, and we went back to easy basics to reinforce her previous lessons.  She was a good girl, as usual, and more than willing to do anything as long as she could get back to work. 

Sunday, she was going to work again but circumstances on my end prevented us from riding.  My son called to say my daughter–in-law was in labor and I went to their home to watch my 2-year-old grandson.  I’m happy to report that we now have another grandson who is a happy healthy newborn.  I may be busy for a few weeks and not able to devote any time to blogging.  Enjoy the autumn weather and I wish many good rides for all my blogging friends. See you soon.

Until next time

Quote for Today
No hoof, no horse!