Old mule stiff after laying down

Hello,
I have an old mule and his shoulders are quite bad ( he was roped hard off of in his younger years)

His shoulders arent "injured" there just "done" he only walks now but is still very happy.

We have been keeping him in our indoor arena for these reasons :

He doesnt need a blanket because its warm ( he doesnt like blankets because they bug his shoulders)

He can't slip ( this is the main reason because it is soooooo icey outside he could easily slip and break somthing or even slip his shoulder out of the socket)

His arthritis isnt acting up ( when horses have arthritis the colder it is the more it will act up )

It is nice and comfy ( he loves the to roll and sleep in the sand )

He has room to walk ( since his shoulders are worn out he likes to walk around to make them feel better so the arena is nice and big)

All of these are helping him much more then him being outside in the slippery cold


He has hay and water and a bucket for his grain.

But when he lays down to sleep and roll he can get up fine and sturdy but once he's up he very stiff and sore, when he walks about 10 to 15 steps he's better again. But the biggest problem is at night ( around 9-10 pm) he's already laying down sleeping ( he always fell asleep earlier even when he was young) and that is when we feed him so he gets up all stiff and sore then he has to stand in one place when he eats which doesnt help, then he goes to sleep again so at night and int he morning its quite bad and that's the main problem.
So I was wondering how to help this!?!!?

We are putting him on a powederd bute that doesnt damage horses kidneys like the paste.

I was also wondering if once he's up and about to eat if I should put his halter around and walk him around the arena a couple times and then give him his food, would that help??

Thanks
Megan

I can only answer from the standpoint of my own arthritis in my neck and shoulders. Little light stretching and work usually helps.

I have an old pony that I watch like a hawk for lameness and sometimes I notice she is moving a little funny. I will walk her around the field in my paranoia trying to figure out what is wrong and by the time I make a loop she is walking fine. Best guess, same as me, the kinks worked out.

Nothing cures old age. Wish it did. Keep doing the best you can for him and give the old boy a kiss on his nose for me.

SueNH I think that's what im going to try and do and see if it works

I will give him a big ol' kiss for ya and tell him you said hi.
Thanks
Megan

Could you feed him earlier before he gets down to sleep? Seeing as you know what time-ish he goes down?

Hey I don't know if I could change his eating time but I will look into it.

What does it mean when a horse lays flat out??

Okay so we put ned out in a stall this morning around 10 am and we brought him back in ( into the arena ) around 3:45 pm

He walked around a bit and then he layed down and rolled, then he layed there for about 10-15 with his head up. My mom said that he was just resting his legs and hooves because he was out side all day and when he was outside he never layed down because its too wet and he didnt want to slip. BUT then about 10 minutes later he started to lay down flat with his head down, when we called him he would put his head up. He has been laying like this since I came to the house. My mom thinks that it is possible he could have kidney problems but we don't really "think" so.

Should I be really worried :( I am pulling my hair out with stress

I am just scared, is it normal for horses to lay flat out when there is not sun to enjoy.

When he lays down his hip looks a little strange, I don't know its not really bad but its alittle out but not alot

IM SO SAD

Let the old guy rest. Old folks all enjoy a power nap here and there.

My horses will lay down in the snow if the mood strikes them.

SueNH okay your right I need to calm down and let him sleep

I let him around the grass today and he is walking much better :)

He is alittle gassy but that might just be the bute.

He even got into a trot it was an ugly trot but t was a trot.

He is still full of misguf though haha

Well.... I don't have the best of news.

I went out a couple of minutes ago to give him his hay and I saw he was laying down, no big deal. But he had trouble getting up and once he was up his right shoulder hurt more then usual, his hips had knots in them and he was really sore.

I rubbed the knotts the best I could and then put cream on them, did the same with the shoulders and he seems to be abit better....

I just don't understand this past week he has been doing crazy good!!!

He has been getting up 5 times better/faster
He walks sooooo much sturdier and faster,less of a limp in the right leg

His coat was getting shiner and he was eating more

Just this morning I brought him outside for half and hour to walk around on the eshank and eat grass!!!

He has been getting this for food

In the morning ( 9 am) he gets : one cup of rolled oats and one cup of senior feed.
Morning: One and a half slices of VERY rich orchid grass hay

After noon (4 pm) One cup of rolled oats and one cup of senior food
One and a half slices of very rich orchid grass hay

Late night food ( 9 pm) He gets one slice of plaiin grass/ alfelfa hay

Oh and for medacation wise he gets pwderd bute that tastes like strawberries and is supposed to be better on their kidneys
This is the scheadual the vet recommended:

Saturday morning he gets one gram of bute
Saturday noon he gets one gram of bute

Sunday morning he gets one gram of bute
Sunday noon he gets one gram of bute
Same with monday and tuesday

BUT on wednesday he gets TWO grams of bute in the morning and 1 gram of bute in the noon

BUT then on thursday and friday he doesnt get bute at all!!!

My mom thinks thta is hips and shoulder were like that tonight because of the rich hay, she thinks that the rich hay causes somthing called ......lactic acid ( I think I spelt that right) and it is somthing that make the museals ...harden or tighten or somthing and we are going to keep him on the grass lfelfa hay until we find some plain hay that will work for him, he also like the grass alfelfa hay more then the orchid so that might be a sign of somthing......

Thanks for all your help!!

You all have helped me more then my own vets

Megan