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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
 
| Can someone tell me is there a chance for a horse to return to competitive barrel racing after being diagnosed with EPM? It's been diagnosed prior to any muscle atrophy haa began. |
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Regular
Posts: 73
| My mate was diagnosed as a 2 year old and broke as a 3 year old and has never had any issues as a result of EPM. She's a handy mare I don't think it ever hindered her in anyway. |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
   
Location: OH. IO | It IS possible!! Is this the update you recieved f rt om your other post? My prayers are with you and your horse. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Well, mine is Reserve World Champion in poles. It really depends on how bad the horse had EPM. I read an article that said 70% of the horses diagnosed with EPM would recover and 30% of those could return to the level that they were performing. It really depends on how bad they were. My horse had a very subtle case that was definitely hard to get rid of. |
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I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
Location: MD | If treated and in some cases, managed properly, they can bounce back perfectly fine. |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | My daughters horse was diagnosed in 11 or 12 I think. She was bad and had some atrophy. However treatment was successful and she earned her WPRA card this year, won a PRCA/WPRA Rodeo in Davie FL and placed ran a 14.912 at NBHA Open World show this past year for a good check in the 1D. Id say there is a.great life after EPM. |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | My mare was diagnosed in April 2014. She never had any of the classic neuro signes, but lost weight and turned into a bronc. Her titers were the highest the vet has ever seen. She also had a suspensory injury which we only discovered through a bone scan a year ago.
I was off her a total of 15 months, then slowly brought her back. We ran out first race in October of this year and she is doing well.
She is still acting differently than she was prior to EPM - however, I'm not sure if it is because of the disease,or because she is fresh and spoiled and excited to go to work again.
Good Luck!!! |
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 Three in a Bikini
Posts: 2035
| Yes they can return to a competitive level.
My HS rodeo horse was 21 when he was diagnosed. We treated and rehabbed for a year. At the age of 23 he came back even stronger than before. He was a consistent 21 sec pole horse and 2D/3D barrel horse after the incident.
I sold him when I graduated and he went on to compete two more years before being retired at 25.
So there is hope. :) |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | I personally know of two different horses that were diagnosed and treated for EPM, and both returned to competition with no lingering issues. Both are just as competitive, if not more so, than before their diagnosis. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 584
Location: MS | My mare was diagnosed in March 2014 as a 4yr old. We treated her and shewent back in training 2 months after and has been competing ever since with no issues. Now, it was caught early and she had no signs of atrophy or any neuro issues but I do have a friend who's horse was diagnosed at 17, was treated, went back to running in 1D, and then relapsed at 19 but is back running strong again. Both times it was caught early. |
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 Queen Bee Cat Owner
Posts: 3629
Location: Way up North | My gelding was diagnosed and treated 2 years ago, had no symptoms to suggest EPM and I'm pretty sure my vet thought I was bat$hit crazy when I requested he be tested on a whim. He had no atrophy, was not neurological, not tight rope walking, etc. he was just dubbing his hind toes and I couldn't figure out why. I think way more horses have had it/do have it than people realize partly because it effects each horse so differently and the symptoms can look like so mnay other reasonable issues.
He never really took a break from working/riding and has no ill effects. He runs barrels and does all the ranch rodeo events without any issues and those get to be really long days. I don't think it is big of an issue as it used to be with the advances in early detection and better treatments. |
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 Saint Stacey
| It really depends on how severe it is, the age of the horse and how stressed the horse is. If you catch it early enough, treat it and manage it then your chances are good.
If the horse is older, had very severe symptoms and is easily stressed then your odds for recovery fall drastically. |
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