Long story short (kind of) we've been battling back and hind end soreness, weakness, etc. We've done surgeries, injections and EPM treatments. Recently just ended a 30 day Marquis treatment. We're retesting titers to check levels. His original levels were considered moderate, so not extremely high. With everything he gets; 24/7 alfalfa, low starch and sugar senior feed, equinety, mvp's e-clipse, mvp's vitamin E 5,000, Omega oil, u7 gastric...he's still just never actually "bloomed". We've done Omeprazole tratments. He doesn't look bad, but I know he can and should look better. He sun bleaches extremely easily. Just recently added free choice minerals and Biotin. We do special shoeing with 3d pads on front and performance hind shoes. I have put EVERYTHING into this horse the last 2.5 years that I've owned him, and maybe got to run him 7 times. Most of which we struggled with our 1st barrel (bowing off, to the point that he almost breaks the timer). Nothing I do is helping. He's been sent to a trusted trainer. He did great slow, add speed and he reverts back again (same story with me). This horse is broke. He has all the buttons, he should not be doing this or it should be something that we can overcome and fix but so far, no changes. I know he has it, it's just not coming together. Everyone keeps telling me they it's an EPM thing, dont give up. He's probably had EPM for years before I bought him. Is this something we will ever be able to manage or will EPM just always be an issue we are fighting? Wondering if anyone else has struggled like this particularly with EPM horses. At what point do you say enough is enough? I've put just as much into this horse as I purchased him for, and were seeing ZERO improvement. 

If it is EPM, there's 2 different strains and each one needs a different drug. Mine was moderate for both, I had to use multiple drugs. You also just might have a harder keeper on your hands as far as how he looks, you can try adding aminos for muscle growth if he's not putting on muscle. With the blowing off I assume he's been injected as well and that didn't change anything? Also could try running on lasix if you haven't, blowing off a barrel will usually always be pain or bleeding. 

He's on equinety for aminos and yeah I guess that could just be him, he is appendix. He doesn't look bad just not great and now with summer has bleached out a LOT. He's been injected (literally everything has been injected it feels like) and runs in Lasix. Everyone keeps telling me it's the epm affecting his balance causing him to do that but honestly his EPM isn't so horrible that even my vet didn't feel he was really EPM positive until we tested. I'm wondering if anyone else has a similar situation with an EPM horse? Did it cause these type of problems on the pattern especially at speed? 

Ok. Mine actually did better at higher rates of speed than slower but unsure if that was EPM related or just her adhd. If she has time to look at the scenery she pays less attention to what she's doing with her feet. She did struggle with turns before I had her KS surgery, but that was resolved after surgery and extensive year of rehab. I'd work on Joy Wargo's small circle drill, I've done that drill for 20+ years now. Start at a trot and work their way up as my horse gets fitter and uses their body correctly. Might try that & just strengthen him up 

The first thing that's concerning is, why is he foot sore ? Does he have shallow soles / under run heels, etc or are you fighting a chronic laminitis ?

What do his X-rays look like, especially hock, stifles and back ?

 I would do is have his selenium levels tested in a blood test. Sore feet and odd behavior can be a selenium problem. 

I would also be concious about how much iron he was getting as too much of it will cause foot problems and  could cause him to bleach easily.

if he hasn't been tested for Lymes, I would. It goes along with EPM frequently.

if you have treated with Protazil, Diclazuril/vit E/levamisole or Decoquinate/vit e/levamisole (for at least 60 days) and haven't seen a big improvement I would guess your problem is not EPM.  If you have just used Marquis or Toltrazuril/dmso, I would guess that's why it hasn't went away.

if all the above boxes have been checked, I would do a PSSM test thru Equisec (if he's already been tested for PSSM 1 ).

if he's clean on the many variants of PSSM I would look into ECVM.

. 

The Farrier that did him before I purchased him really did a number on his feet. Very low heel. Did get xrays after about a year of shoeing with my Farrier and vet said the angles looked good and that he doesn't feel that's causing the issues. He did have coffins and bursa injected in both fronts. Not a whole lot of difference seen after that as well. 

Have not xrayed hocks or stifles. He has them injected regularly and it wasn't suggested by my vet but definitely something I will look into along with the back. 

I'm actually having a blood panel pulled on him this week I'll find out if that includes selenium and iron levels. 

Only tested for EPM. Which came back moderate. Treated with Diclazuril and see zero difference, pulled titers again, level stayed the same. So I treated with marquis (30 days). Pulling titers again this week to see where we're at with that. I will definitely ask about lymes. Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I'm definitely at a point where I'm not sure what to do next. 

Yes love that drill!

We have not checked for NS at this point but I will bring it up to my vet. Thank you 

Sorry for being long.

My EPM gelding(17yo) I've had for 14 years.  He was skin and bones when I got him and I have no doubt that he had EPM then.  Didn't know anything about EPM and took about 10 years to get this crap figured out.  For my guy, he gets muscle sore, muscle waisting but his feet stay in great shape overall.  Every winter he'd get better and fall appart every summer.  When his EPM hits him it doesn't matter what I feed him, he looks like crap, wouldn't put on weight or have any energy. The Oklahoma 100 degree summer and joint injections really get to him.  Now I ride him mostly winter and spring.  Very little in the hot summer months and haven't injected any joints for him in years.  He has 10 acres and shade trees.  He's not my main/fun horse.  I give him Decox every day.  This helps him but has not cured him to handle the hot summer or injections.  My opinion, if you haven't gotten your horse better by now, get a new horse!  

Thank you for being honest!!!!

I'm realizing that some just struggle with it worse than others and since I only have him, it's sucked not being able just to have fun and not have to constantly worry about a flair up, soreness, soundness, etc. I've put so much into him and (this may sound harsh) haven't gotten much of anything out of him. 

I'm definitely at a turning point and will need to make some tough decisions. 

I have been dealing with EPM since 1992.  No one knew what it was.  I had a good vet that researched it until she figuured it out.  Then we didn't have anythng to treat it with.  I did a lot ot calling and did find something to treat it. Now today. I have killed 5 possums in a short period of time and need to get my trap back out.  I have had multiple horses get EPM but my problem horse is 21.  I raised him and I think I have given him 8 treatments.  I do not give him a treatment every year, just when I feel he needs it.  My darn vet that I was using recently retired and he was good.  He was able to get the most up to date medicines.  The last thing that he gave me was the stuff out of Florida, I cannot remember the name but it was good. Last summer I went with a friend to Dr. Honnas and while there I asked him for the newest, best EPM meds and he gave me Protizil.  I really feel that was really good and worked as well as anything I have used. After treating with protizil, or anything really, I give TRI AMINO to fill out the topline and Vitamin E.  That is it.  With this horse it was been and on going study.  My vet knows i know my horses and just gives me the medicine.  The vet that retired did say that the horse was getting reinfected and not relapsing.  I will add this.  They will have a case, moderate case, or severe case.  They don't get worse.  If they have a sever case, they will be dead in a week. I know two horses that were severe.  I will try to share a link of my EPM horse.  I have never given Marquis to any of my horses and usually follow vet instructions.  This horse is 21 and we have been dealing with this for about 12 or more years.  

This horse was pretty sick when he ran but he a has a lot of heart.  You have to pay the entry fees like in August to run in November or whatever the dates are.  They keep changing them.  Entry fees, stall, etc ar about $750 and you cannot vet out. 

Harley world show video 2013 APHA Reserve World Champion in Poles - YouTube

When  horses muscles generate energy with out oxygen. I'm not a vet but I did experience something with a horse I had quite some time ago. I was feeding alfalfa ect. Most of my horses have alot of TB. N I've noticed it more so and I've been into race horses you cañ Google lactic acid build up in horses symptoms ect. I feed some alfalfa but yrs back never fed it at all. And my horses were tops in WPRA. My one horse won 9 straight pro rodeos n he had alot of TB. In him.. my mare I have now is Special Effort gd n out of a mare that won 18 races that is by a son of Raise A Native n I have to be careful how I feed her. Not much alfalfa and free choice quality grass or Bermuda hay. I also wet my hay down morning n eve for moisture. If she gets to much alfalfa you can see her movement isn't right but I figured this out with her n observed her. Most all my horses I've barrel raced on have alot of TB. N the ones I've raised. I hope you can get everything resolved with your horse. I love horses n have been training and picking my own horses since I was 7 yrs old. And have had some very top horses in barrel racing and team roping. Actually most all my horses are 3 or 4 event horses. I like the right TB cross they are smart learn quick have stamina and speed n long stride n they are very cal type horses. I'm almost 70 now n have 2 good horses left. Lol... 

When  horses muscles generate energy with out oxygen. I'm not a vet but I did experience something with a horse I had quite some time ago. I was feeding alfalfa ect. Most of my horses have alot of TB. N I've noticed it more so and I've been into race horses you cañ Google lactic acid build up in horses symptoms ect. I feed some alfalfa but yrs back never fed it at all. And my horses were tops in WPRA. My one horse won 9 straight pro rodeos n he had alot of TB. In him.. my mare I have now is Special Effort gd n out of a mare that won 18 races that is by a son of Raise A Native n I have to be careful how I feed her. Not much alfalfa and free choice quality grass or Bermuda hay. I also wet my hay down morning n eve for moisture. If she gets to much alfalfa you can see her movement isn't right but I figured this out with her n observed her. Most all my horses I've barrel raced on have alot of TB. N the ones I've raised. I hope you can get everything resolved with your horse. I love horses n have been training and picking my own horses since I was 7 yrs old. And have had some very top horses in barrel racing and team roping. Actually most all my horses are 3 or 4 event horses. I like the right TB cross they are smart learn quick have stamina and speed n long stride n they are very cal type horses. I'm almost 70 now n have 2 good horses left. Lol...