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Expert
Posts: 1599
  
| Tell me your experience with you hard luck horses! I have a mare that I LOVE- had her since she was a yearling. Started her myselt- she is gorgeous and my once in a life time horse. BUT
She tore her hind suspensory as a 3 year old
Strained her front suspensory as a 4 year old
strained her collateral ligament as a 5 year old
Bred her, she gave me beautiful buckskin filly
Weaned the filly with plan to put her back to work....put shoes back on her....and now she's foundering!! Took xrays this rmorning. Nothing wrong with shoeing job or angles etc.
This mare gets alfalfa cubes and ulltium.....shiny slick coat, not obese, gets a mineral block...just sent off some hair for horse hair analysis as well
My question is....what did you do that changed your luck with you hard luck horse??
Edited by lopnaround 2017-01-12 9:49 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 268
| When I figure that out I'll let you know 
I have a hard luck horse too. He's a once in a lifetime horse but my god he's accident prone. Bought him off the track as a four year old and have had a semi to major injury just about every year since. The year I got him, we discovered a few blown out abscesses (as best we could tell) in one back foot that were causing the wall to separate a good two inches or more up into the hoof. Five year old year he got some kind of skin fungus over his back and hips. Six year old, got spooked by a thunderstorm and ran through a barb wire fence. Eight, hung his foot through the fence and almost completely sawed off one heel bulb. Last year he did the same thing only much worse to both heel bulbs on the opposite front foot. If there is a silver lining its that he comes back stronger every time! Maybe its just his way of telling me he needs some time off. I feel your pain. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | CC.
Super talented, super smart, big time fight or flight instinct, bi-polar, ADHD mare.
Fractured Patella 2011, mountain lion attack 2012, bladder and kidney stones diagnosis 2014, bladder stone removal surgery Nov. 2014, maybe looking at a hind suspensory issue 2017....
She has made me question God, she has brought me closer to God, she has made me question my sanity, my ability, what the H E double L I'm doing at 51 wading out to feed in the dark and rain and going paycheck to 4 days before paycheck at a job I hate to feed, shoe and put pennies together to try to enter 2-3 times a year if I get the guts up to go even though I spend the time doing my riding homework. But then all it takes is a nibble from her on my pocket, a nuzzle as rain or sweat or hay drips down your neck into your shirt and that eye of hers that says "Thank you" or "Lets do this" or "I'm not ready to quit yet, how bout you???" and I'm renewed again.
Every horse is different and I truly believe there is not one feed/supplement/nutrition program that fulfills all of them. We need to find what that particular horse needs, CC I have to be very careful of Calcium/phosphorus ratio on, another mare doesn't absorb Vit. E as readily so she has to have it supplimented, and my gelding is prone to thrush.
On your horse I'd suggest a talk with Dr. Shell with Cur-ost and do some investigating about maybe what she may need more support on nutritionally. Good luck! |
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| Mine taught me that I CAN give up on a horse.
Paid top dollar(for me) for a coming 4 year old mare that I thought would be THE horse. Am getting long in the tooth and have silk purse's out of sows' ears but never cracking that last 1/2 sec in rodeo, at least not consistently. So after shopping for a finished rodeo horse and finding nothing in my price range that was better than what I had, I saw and bought this REALLY nice, well bred, natural on the pattern mare to finish.
I had her 10 years before I finally gave up and sold her for 25 cents on the dollar. Her issues really did not surface until she was 5.
Mysterious lameness that sent me to various vets over a period of months to finally deduce that she had strained a DDFT due to one foot dropping over 8 degrees in 6 weeks....was already resetting her every 3 weeks, shockwave finally took care of the rest.
She also developed heat related lamenesses which I fought until finally had her spayed at age 9. It got to where I could long trot her and tell the vet which side she was ovulating and how big the ovary/follicle was. Then she developed an abscess in one if the surgical incisions ...which turned out to be MRSA.
Other issues spread over the years, several outbreaks of Potomac fever, suspensory injury out in the pasture, various hoof abscesses, ling infection out of the blue which left scar tissue in her windpipe that caused her to cough for a couple of years, the only case of founder I have ever had in almost 50 years ( caused by her eating chaff from running hay up an elevator, caught VERY early no rotation)Tried to breed her to deal with ovary issues but could not get her (or any mare) to get much past a heartbeat .......ummm, I am sure I am missing something. I got two 1/2 summers out of her in 9 years.
None of this was really her fault or mine....I really liked/loved that mare but was frustrated beyond belief. She is the only horse I ever gave up on. I just hope that in getting her away from here she was able to escape the black cloud over her and is doing very well for her new owner. If she is, that girl got a REALLY nice horse for really cheap. |
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 I Want a "MAN"
Posts: 3610
Location: MD | Unfortunately I think these horses are sent to us to teach us lessons we didn't really want to learn. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Nothing has changed it at all. I have owned a few that were determined to be 3 legged at all times. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 324
| I have one!!
When she was a yearling, she nearly cut her leg off, like to the bone cut... We could never find anything sharp in the field, we never found any blood, and she wasn't attacked by anything... it was a clean cut like with sheet metal. It was totally bizarre.
Not even 6 months after we got that healed, I had her haltered and I had her wormer in a plastic bag. She was standing there perfectly calm and all of a sudden she swung her head at my hand and got the bag hooked on her halter somehow! Talk about a freak accident... Poor thing didn't even slow down for the fence which resulted in a pretty decent gash in her neck.
Then last year, she abcessed in both of her front feet in the middle of the extreme rainy season and ends up having to make yet another trip up to the vet.
We've had almost a year injury free now *knock on wood*
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| Thanks for all of your input!! I've realized that 1) it could be a lot worse and 2) it's not cuz I'm a bad horse mom!! Run n rate thanks for the advice- will contact Dr. Sherman and check out Cur ost. |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| CE's wrapn3 - 2017-01-12 11:34 AM Unfortunately I think these horses are sent to us to teach us lessons we didn't really want to learn.
TRUTH. Like how I should have been budgeting 25% of my paycheck for vet bills!! |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I don't know the answer to that. I have a friend who takes fantastic care of her horses and she has had 4 that have had career ending injuries in the last 5 years, more of a hard luck horse owner. My hard luck horse taught me how to ride, we have that kind of connection people dream of. He tore his right suspensory, out a year, came back 100% for 4 years, strained his left suspensory, out 8 months, came back strong, stepped on a nail, went into the coffin joint, miracously healed from that but all the time off allowed arthritis in his front knee to develope. I chose not to inject and turned him out. He was 19 and took my daughter to many championships and slowed down to take care of me, he had earned his fat happy retirement. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Sorry your going through this, I feel your pain! I've noticed that the prettier the horse, I'll have the worst luck with it; either with their bones, body issues, hoof problems, or just too hard headed. I'll stick to the ugly horses that are tough as nails lol. |
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| I've heard that founder is usually caused by insulin resistance. Alfalfa and grain (even very small amounts) are very bad for insulin resistant horses. Grass hay that's been tested as low NSC and minerals balanced to the hay helped my IR horse immensely. |
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Veteran
Posts: 171
| I feel your pain. A friend once told some horse are expensive and need to find them a new home.
Lol. However I did not listen and still trying.
Dealing with:
1) thin soles....out 2 months
2) bleeder/allergies - not sure
3) tear in foot - should be released to ride in June 2017.
It is discouraging but we take it one day at a time.
I would hate to sell him and end up in wrong hands or someone whom would not take care of him.
Horses become family.
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| cecollins0811 - 2017-01-12 3:44 PM Sorry your going through this, I feel your pain! I've noticed that the prettier the horse, I'll have the worst luck with it; either with their bones, body issues, hoof problems, or just too hard headed. I'll stick to the ugly horses that are tough as nails lol.
This is so true!!! |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| Breeze'sJockey - 2017-01-12 3:54 PM I've heard that founder is usually caused by insulin resistance. Alfalfa and grain (even very small amounts) are very bad for insulin resistant horses. Grass hay that's been tested as low NSC and minerals balanced to the hay helped my IR horse immensely.
Thank you- I am having her tested for IR. Wondering if her body chemistry changed while she was preggo. She used to be such a hard keeper!!
Good news this morning, she is dang near sound on banamine/bute/feet iced and no more digital pulse!! |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| canchaserdelux - 2017-01-12 10:12 PM I feel your pain. A friend once told some horse are expensive and need to find them a new home. Lol. However I did not listen and still trying. Dealing with: 1) thin soles....out 2 months 2) bleeder/allergies - not sure 3) tear in foot - should be released to ride in June 2017. It is discouraging but we take it one day at a time. I would hate to sell him and end up in wrong hands or someone whom would not take care of him. Horses become family. Sorry you are dealing with all of this too- those are frustrating as heck- I know there is not 1 "surefire" cure for any of that!!
I told my bf last night- I'm not upset because I can't run her- I'm upset because she is "The One" horse for me (like she has been with me thru a divorce and mulitple life changes) and I feel like I keep failing her!
Edited by lopnaround 2017-01-13 9:31 AM
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| Y'all- I just got off the phone with the woman that runs the hair analysis. I've worked for a big orthopedic/lameness vet here in North Texas and when I first heard about hair analyis I thought it was quackery. Took me a YEAR to finally sent hair in (after my friend repeatedly told me about her). Anyways- without any info from me she found:
-Slow thyroid (Which I had suspected since she has turned into an easy keeper post foaling, but vet dismissed yesterday because she was so slick and shiny)
-Poor performing gut/hindgut/small intestine
-Weak coffin joins/soft tissue in lower limb, worse RF (she is more lame RF)
-Weak hocks
I finally feel like we are getting somewhere!!
Needless to say, I no longer consider hair analysis to be BS! If you want her info PM me:)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| lopnaround - 2017-01-13 10:45 AM
Y'all- I just got off the phone with the woman that runs the hair analysis. I've worked for a big orthopedic/lameness vet here in North Texas and when I first heard about hair analyis I thought it was quackery. Took me a YEAR to finally sent hair in (after my friend repeatedly told me about her). Anyways- without any info from me she found:
-Slow thyroid (Which I had suspected since she has turned into an easy keeper post foaling, but vet dismissed yesterday because she was so slick and shiny)
-Poor performing gut/hindgut/small intestine
-Weak coffin joins/soft tissue in lower limb, worse RF (she is more lame RF)
-Weak hocks
I finally feel like we are getting somewhere!!
Needless to say, I no longer consider hair analysis to be BS! If you want her info PM me:)
She told you the horses RF was worse based off of hair sample anaylsis or did I read that wrong? |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| veintiocho - 2017-01-13 11:09 AM lopnaround - 2017-01-13 10:45 AM Y'all- I just got off the phone with the woman that runs the hair analysis. I've worked for a big orthopedic/lameness vet here in North Texas and when I first heard about hair analyis I thought it was quackery. Took me a YEAR to finally sent hair in (after my friend repeatedly told me about her). Anyways- without any info from me she found:
-Slow thyroid (Which I had suspected since she has turned into an easy keeper post foaling, but vet dismissed yesterday because she was so slick and shiny)
-Poor performing gut/hindgut/small intestine
-Weak coffin joins/soft tissue in lower limb, worse RF (she is more lame RF)
-Weak hocks
I finally feel like we are getting somewhere!!
Needless to say, I no longer consider hair analysis to be BS! If you want her info PM me:)
She told you the horses RF was worse based off of hair sample anaylsis or did I read that wrong?
Yes, she asked me if she was more lame on her RF based off of what her analysis was showing. The mare IS more sore on her RF and her xrays yesterday showed a slight chip in her RF coffin bone. I about dropped my phone!!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| lopnaround - 2017-01-13 11:16 AM
veintiocho - 2017-01-13 11:09 AM lopnaround - 2017-01-13 10:45 AM Y'all- I just got off the phone with the woman that runs the hair analysis. I've worked for a big orthopedic/lameness vet here in North Texas and when I first heard about hair analyis I thought it was quackery. Took me a YEAR to finally sent hair in (after my friend repeatedly told me about her). Anyways- without any info from me she found:
-Slow thyroid (Which I had suspected since she has turned into an easy keeper post foaling, but vet dismissed yesterday because she was so slick and shiny)
-Poor performing gut/hindgut/small intestine
-Weak coffin joins/soft tissue in lower limb, worse RF (she is more lame RF)
-Weak hocks
I finally feel like we are getting somewhere!!
Needless to say, I no longer consider hair analysis to be BS! If you want her info PM me:)
She told you the horses RF was worse based off of hair sample anaylsis or did I read that wrong?
Ok, how in the world would a hair sample determine that? I'm going to have to do a little research, as I thought hair analysis just showed vit/mineral deficiencies. Not knocking your experience, but that sounds like some voodoo sh!t lol :) |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| veintiocho - 2017-01-13 11:36 AM
lopnaround - 2017-01-13 11:16 AM
veintiocho - 2017-01-13 11:09 AM lopnaround - 2017-01-13 10:45 AM Y'all- I just got off the phone with the woman that runs the hair analysis. I've worked for a big orthopedic/lameness vet here in North Texas and when I first heard about hair analyis I thought it was quackery. Took me a YEAR to finally sent hair in (after my friend repeatedly told me about her). Anyways- without any info from me she found:
-Slow thyroid (Which I had suspected since she has turned into an easy keeper post foaling, but vet dismissed yesterday because she was so slick and shiny)
-Poor performing gut/hindgut/small intestine
-Weak coffin joins/soft tissue in lower limb, worse RF (she is more lame RF)
-Weak hocks
I finally feel like we are getting somewhere!!
Needless to say, I no longer consider hair analysis to be BS! If you want her info PM me:)
She told you the horses RF was worse based off of hair sample anaylsis or did I read that wrong?
Ok, how in the world would a hair sample determine that? I'm going to have to do a little research, as I thought hair analysis just showed vit/mineral deficiencies. Not knocking your experience, but that sounds like some voodoo sh!t lol : )
I completely agree- that's what kept me from doing it for forever!! I need to research myself- all I know is that she called it EXACTLY right on per xrays/clinical signs and confirmed my suspicion of thyroid issues.
She said she gets called a psychic all the time...I am dumbfounded by this lol |
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Member
Posts: 10
| I had a gelding I raised, he contracted- so surgery on check lig. then colic surgery then popped a splint then hind susp tear then hocks fusing I got 6 months here and there and he was that once in a life time horse but I couldnt keep him sound - there is hope! He just loves his job, loves to go, is a show off for attention so when he was 10 years old-
I let a 8 year old run him she had him for 4 years stayed sound enough to get her to the next level now another little girl has him. So just because it didn't work for me to run him I'm so proud and happy he has his little girls and its more happiness when they win a buckle than if I did on him. Its just meant to be but not as I had planned :)
Edited by nvgal 2017-01-13 3:02 PM
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Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms |
I've quit talking about HHA pretty much because of the negative replies I have gotten on here, but that doesn't mean I've quit having done. Almost a year before we found the abscess in Tucker's right front foot and about 2 weeks before he ever came up sore the first time his HHA came back with a note about his Right Front. I dismissed it even after he came up sore, then again 6 months later when he came up lame in it. When the vet found the abscess his first words were "THAT sucker has been there a long long long time, more than a year I'd guess."
I do not use it instead of vet work, I use it as another element of it WHEN the vet work doesn't seem to be getting to the bottom of the problem by itself.
Edited by run n rate 2017-01-13 3:41 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| run n rate - 2017-01-13 3:40 PM I've quit talking about HHA pretty much because of the negative replies I have gotten on here, but that doesn't mean I've quit having done. Almost a year before we found the abscess in Tucker's right front foot and about 2 weeks before he ever came up sore the first time his HHA came back with a note about his Right Front. I dismissed it even after he came up sore, then again 6 months later when he came up lame in it. When the vet found the abscess his first words were "THAT sucker has been there a long long long time, more than a year I'd guess." I do not use it instead of vet work, I use it as another element of it WHEN the vet work doesn't seem to be getting to the bottom of the problem by itself.
Run n rate- I totally agree with you. Definitely not a substitute- but I am sure impressed with it as an additional diagnostic tool!! That's pretty cool story about your gelding- I am a believer lol
I understand the negative responses too- I felt the same way. I decided for 25 bucks what the heck would it hurt? And BOOM. Converted!.
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| nvgal - 2017-01-13 3:01 PM I had a gelding I raised, he contracted- so surgery on check lig. then colic surgery then popped a splint then hind susp tear then hocks fusing I got 6 months here and there and he was that once in a life time horse but I couldnt keep him sound - there is hope! He just loves his job, loves to go, is a show off for attention so when he was 10 years old- I let a 8 year old run him she had him for 4 years stayed sound enough to get her to the next level now another little girl has him. So just because it didn't work for me to run him I'm so proud and happy he has his little girls and its more happiness when they win a buckle than if I did on him. Its just meant to be but not as I had planned :)
This is true- it is rewarding to see your horse go on with someone else- especially when it's horse crazy little girls! |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | run n rate - 2017-01-12 11:09 AM
CC.
Super talented, super smart, big time fight or flight instinct, bi-polar, ADHD mare.
Fractured Patella 2011, mountain lion attack 2012, bladder and kidney stones diagnosis 2014, bladder stone removal surgery Nov. 2014, maybe looking at a hind suspensory issue 2017....
She has made me question God, she has brought me closer to God, she has made me question my sanity, my ability, what the H E double L I'm doing at 51 wading out to feed in the dark and rain and going paycheck to 4 days before paycheck at a job I hate to feed, shoe and put pennies together to try to enter 2-3 times a year if I get the guts up to go even though I spend the time doing my riding homework. But then all it takes is a nibble from her on my pocket, a nuzzle as rain or sweat or hay drips down your neck into your shirt and that eye of hers that says "Thank you" or "Lets do this" or "I'm not ready to quit yet, how bout you???" and I'm renewed again.
Every horse is different and I truly believe there is not one feed/supplement/nutrition program that fulfills all of them. We need to find what that particular horse needs, CC I have to be very careful of Calcium/phosphorus ratio on, another mare doesn't absorb Vit. E as readily so she has to have it supplimented, and my gelding is prone to thrush.
On your horse I'd suggest a talk with Dr. Shell with Cur-ost and do some investigating about maybe what she may need more support on nutritionally. Good luck!
I'll say it again RNR----I LOVE how you love her 
To the OP and others with issues---bless your hearts and hope it gets better quickly. Sean's big Paint has stress fracture and suspensory soreness. Three to six months confinement and then we'll know more. I've never dealt with anything like this so I'm just out of my element. We're not set up for "confinement" and just have nothing but mud and muck right now. I'm thankful the bone chilling cold is gone for now tho. Makes me sick for Sonny to be going thru this--he's just a big sweetheart of a horse.
Edited by Chandler's Mom 2017-01-13 11:48 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| In the last 2 years my horse has had 4 sarcoids treated which I am still dealing with, treated for lyme disease twice, developed cataracts, injured his SI, found out he has pssm type 2, and stomach ulcers is the newest thing. |
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Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | My horses have been that light at the end of the tunnel for me, there are moments they've also been the train it's attached to but still!!! Lol;-)
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Hard luck horses