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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
  
Location: Georgia | I guess this would be a spin off to my previous post about calming supplements... Anyway I've been working my 6 year old mare on and off the pattern for the past two weeks. She's been riding a much quieter and calmer however the past two times I've ridden she's been riding with a REALLY low head set, to the point of her nose dragging the ground. She'll long trot perfectly but she continuously drops her head really low and she doesn't like breaking over into a lope. She doesn't buck but she'll pin her ears and lope maybe 2 small circles and then break back down. At first I thought it was stubbornness but she's been working great otherwise. Very responsive, light, and collected. But the past two rides have been me constantly picking her head up and forcing her into a faster gait. Does this seem like ulcer symptom or should I be researching something else. Thanks again for everyone's advise and help. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | Does she seem tight in the lower back? My horse I thought had some soundness issue I could feel but no one could see. I could get him to move off my leg. He was very resistant and would sometimes throw these fits. My massage therapist for him said it feels like he has been doing 1,000 situps and that his lower back and abs very tender and tight. She suggest ulcers. I put him on the GastroPLUS and was shocked at how well he responded. Moved off my leg fantastic, no more fits, very very sound. My trainer was impressed and said he looked even better than before. I had suspected ulcers but after hearing it from the massage therapist I knew he must. So glad I treated him, now I feel like I have a new horse!   |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
Location: Georgia |
Thank you for the response. I feel like hers is also more gut related than soundness related. I done a simple flex test on her and she didn't respond with any soundness issues. She rides really well other than a little cranky when I ask for a faster gait and she seems tense and irritated when I tighten the cinch... Any opinions on Aloe Vera juice? |
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| My mare is an ulcer prone horse , when im hauling & running , I keep her on omeprazole which is prescribed by my vet. If she's not on it and her tummy is hurting, she lets me know in various ways.. refusing to lope, wont step out into a fast trott, gets very tight in her neck , and acts irritable under saddle. 3 days on omeprazole and she's better. I have tried aloe vera juice before the omep. but didnt see any results.One sure sign with her is she refuses to go any faster than a slow trot. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | I personally didn't see any response from the aloe vera juice but my friend did with her horse. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
Location: Georgia | canchaserdreams - 2015-05-18 6:45 PM
My mare is an ulcer prone horse , when im hauling & running , I keep her on omeprazole which is prescribed by my vet. If she's not on it and her tummy is hurting, she lets me know in various ways.. refusing to lope, wont step out into a fast trott, gets very tight in her neck , and acts irritable under saddle. 3 days on omeprazole and she's better. I have tried aloe vera juice before the omep. but didnt see any results.One sure sign with her is she refuses to go any faster than a slow trot.
That really helps. That's the battle we're fighting now. Refusing to break over to a lope. She's got a heck of a trot though! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| Google equine ulcer treatment. A VERY informative, detailed article about equine ulcers on there. Dr Kerry Ridgway. We had been battling right side soundness issues, refusal to pick up right lead especially in hind end. After multiple blocks and xrays in the hind end we never found the actual problemand after 2 weeks stall rest, msm and Bute he was "sound" again. However, being in a stall caused him to draw up. He looked terrible. He still wasn't right to me. Long and short we are treating ulcers. Ranitidine and suralates (sp) I had already changed his feeding program so he does not get grain. He's on complete turnout, a ration balancer with ALL the vitamin and minerals and alfalfa 2x daily. He is not a nervous horse which is what you would expect with an ulcery horse. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
Location: Georgia | Thanks for all the information. I hate going the inexpensive route however in this case, I think I'll try her on 60cc of aloe vera twice a day, alfalfa and grass hay, and THE for about 14 days to see if I get any improvement with that. If not I'll immediately go to UlcerGard. |
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