Leanne
Olympic Poster
Where you lie, my heart lies also.
Posts: 805
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Post by Leanne on Jun 29, 2009 11:57:33 GMT 1
My cob had lgl about a month ago, he improved within a few days after being stabled, then turned out for a few hours in a muzzle.
Last week I turned him out in a small area, a triangle shape of about 20ft. This was mostly covered with weeds etc and didnt seem to have much grass, and it is all rough grazing.
On the second night he managed to escape and spent the night stuffed himself. He was footy again, like before thought not as bad.Since then he kept him in the small area with haylage but he hasn't improved. Even though there is little grass there now.
I stabled him again 24/7 for the past few days with haylage, etc and he improved greatly again.
I dont know what to do for the best now as it seems even with little grazing he gets footy. I don't want to keep him in permanently, I have thought about turning him out in a muzzle overnight, but I'm worried this may be to much grass as he is bery good using him muzzle.
Any suggestions?
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Sam C
Olympic Poster
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Post by Sam C on Jun 29, 2009 12:30:10 GMT 1
The grass is doing crazy things right now, even if there doesn't appear to be much at all, what is there is rocket fuel! I assume he hasn't been muzzled since being in the small bare area? Why not try going back to the original arrangement after the first attack, turning him out for a few hours muzzled (building up gradually), as it sounds like this was more successful than a bare patch without a muzzle. I know you'd like him to have more time out, but it's better than sore feet and will hopefully only be a temporary thing during the worst of the grass growing weather, and you may well find he copes OK being out overnight if his intake is built up slowly.
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Post by Catrin on Jun 29, 2009 17:11:40 GMT 1
I've been managing this with Freyr, TB in the avatar, since last Thursday, when he appeared 'stiff' and had pulse in off hind and near fore. I kept him under house arrest - access to two stables and concrete area in front, with his companion, as lib haylage and no grass - and, after two days, his pulses disappeared. This morning, he has been allowed out on a vary bare paddock next to the stables and tonight, I found weak pulses in both back feet, so it's in until we see what happens in the morning. The fields have produced a 'lovely' crop of white clover since Friday! Fortunately the paddock has no 'cultivated' grass, so no clover, but it seems that on top of the stressed feet, even 'poor' grass can make the LGL flare up. I just keep checking twice a day, giving Bute-X when needed and keeping off the paddock until there isn't a pulse in a foot. Both Freyr and I look jealously at the rest of the boys in the field, fortunately his companion doesn't mind being in! Richard Vialls article on LGL is very helpful www.bodrwyn.org/articles/lowgradelaminitis.php |
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Post by taklishim on Jun 29, 2009 17:28:23 GMT 1
Any suggestions?
sorry but the only solution is no grass. None, Zilch
come about the end of July or so it may improve and you may be able to allow a little with a muzzle. Or it may not.
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Post by barbararob on Jun 29, 2009 17:42:26 GMT 1
....and when grasses are short they are under stress and that leads to the plants overproducing sugars, seems to me it should be long old grass or as said already, no grass.
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Post by goldenhorse on Jun 29, 2009 17:49:07 GMT 1
It's a relief to know that other people are getting this on/off reaction with the digital pulses too. Mine are on one hour's grazing a day, then back to the bare paddock, every time they come in now they have raised pulses, but they are down again by the next day, they have longer, non stressed grass for their grazing, but it doesn't seem to help.
Do you think an hour is too much?
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Post by mandal on Jun 29, 2009 18:50:48 GMT 1
Here's a link for those who really want to study grass!! It's pretty in depth and very complicated so those of you with no problems thank your lucky stars!! www.safergrass.org/Oh Taklishim I've just this minute put Maisy out for the night (it's been overcast here for a few days)... She's been doing well on limited grass so I thought I'd see how she goes... might get her back in then.  Mta... are you giving any hard feed leanne? I'd be tempted to stop all hard feed and just give magnesium and any supplements he needs... |
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Post by arabmania on Jun 29, 2009 19:38:19 GMT 1
golden horse, no grass is better but 1 hour should be okay as long as it is after midday.
so far my girls are fine , with no digital pulses, which i check everyday and they are out 24/7.
the weather is crazy and menacing to the grass at the mo......
as laminitis isn't particular i think we all have to remain vigilant.
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Post by Yann on Jun 29, 2009 21:21:26 GMT 1
I really struggle with the idea of doing this for an LGL horse with otherwise good feet, because it's highly likely that in shoes it would be completely sound and comfortable and show few or no LGL symptoms at all.
A chronic laminitic is a different matter of course and it can be a matter of life and death for them, but not for many of these horses. If we don't have suitable facilities, and they are rare, we are condemning grass free horses to a quality of life that none of us would otherwise contemplate for them.
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Post by taklishim on Jun 29, 2009 22:19:17 GMT 1
I hear what you are saying Yann but if it is footsore and to remain BF what is the choice? If people cannot offer the facilities then shoeing may be the best answer. I was in this position and shod my horse. (not due to lack of facilities but due to foot soreness) He was fine in December and January, come February he started moving strangely, by March I had to take the shoes off as he moved so badly due to LGL. ie the shoes were masking it. Come May he was turned out to grass for 1.5 hours and I found him standing with both front feet stretched out. Typical laminitis pose. I grabbed him in and it was only because I knew exactly what to do and had the facilities to do it that I managed to halt the laminitis. In shoes he would probably have been out half the day and I would not have been able to stop it. By that stage I realised I had to start dealing with the problem not papering over the cracks. I think it is now 3 or 4 years he has been off grass. I agree with you about the lack of facilites. For those people then shoeing is one answer. The trouble is I don't see how many people can tell how badly prone to LGL their horse is with shoes on before it is too late. I know you have done loads with your own horses and can recognise the symptoms but I simply cannot tell by looking at either a horse or the grass if it is only slightly affected and shoes would be fine or if it would very quickly tip over the edge. If they are going out shod to live on grass for reasonable amounts of time then that may well be a lot of grass for some intolerant horses. A big problem in a country where were are simply not set up for horse keeping in a way that benefits the horse. Very worrying and a potential killer. It is hard for people to know what to do for the best to keep their horses safe yet allow them a quality of life. Take care everyone.  |
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Leanne
Olympic Poster
Where you lie, my heart lies also.
Posts: 805
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Post by Leanne on Jun 29, 2009 22:26:32 GMT 1
Thanks for the replies.
He isn't on any hard feed, he's on timothy horsehage, fibergy, unmollassed beet pulp and lo cal.
I've ordered some magnesium so will give that a try.
Yann, tbh I'd rather not shoe him, im my mind that is only treating the symptom rather than the cause.
In boots he is great, and barefoot hw manages ok on the yard. He hasn't got the best feet but he doesn't need any bute thankfully, within a day he already improved to what he was.
Even in shoes I would still have the problem, I wouldn't like to risk it getting any worse.
It is hard finding a place with no grass, I was hoping to try the paddock paradise system but I don't know if I can now if he can't tolerate the grass.
Where he escaped into is all old tall grass, so its funny he got it then?
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Post by Yann on Jun 29, 2009 22:44:24 GMT 1
I think it varies from horse to horse, all I know is one of mine never had a problem living out 24/7 before I took her shoes off, and it would very much appear that putting them back on (for the summer) has restored that situation.
He does sound a much more serious case than most of the horses that might fall under this kind of discussion, I'd class a horse that was footy and unsound even in shoes as suffering with full on laminitis. In that case the owner has no option but to take the horse off grass.
I totally agree.
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