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Things that have been on my mind

1K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  dee 
#1 ·
Well the quick story is I have owned my mare for 1 year. 6 months of that year I was not able to ride her due to laminitis/founder issues. Her soles are very flat. Without shoes she is very miserable and unable to move around. She can be ridden only if shoes are on and about 4-5 days after being shoed. I have ridden her consistently about 2 -3 times a week since May 2009.

The place that I have her at is 20 acres and can be partitioned off if needed, has fence and gates. Due to not paying rent and just keeping the horse there based on a friendship, I cannot due much to block not allow the owner to have access to these parts of the pasture.

I am scared of the situation of having a horse that has foundered. I feel like I am going to mess up or something and she is going to get worse. I like my mare and have invest time in working with her to get her to where I want her, which we was already broke to ride when I purchased her. She is only 4 years old. I don't know if I want to see her suffer.

I have been kicking around the idea about selling the mare and look for another horse that does not have health problems and that is broke to ride. I understand the idea that the horse market is down and that with a horse like my mare, that they are not worth much.

I guess I am looking for some support on how care for this mare. How has other people been able to care for their horse with this problem and how long was they able to keep them ridable? I feel like I need a simple management option similar to keeping the mare on pasture between mid July - Feb while the grass is dormant, and then in a small mowed paddock while the grass is turning green and growing between March - July. Is this management option duable for this mare's condition? I do plan to supplement the needed hay and feed when nessesary. Are there any affordable supplements that could be fed?

I do plan to a least keep the mare until mid 2010 after I wean the expected foal.
 
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#2 ·
I'm so sorry to hear about your horse's medical condition. Founder is such an ugly thing - very insidious. Unfortunately, I can't really make any recommendations for you. Ultimately - you have to make that decision. I don't know where in Oklahoma you are (I'm north of Seminole). Our pasture stays reasonable most of the year. You might consider one of those grazing muzzles during the growing season. That way she could still be outside and feel the green grass under her feet, and even nibble it, but she couldn't eat very much of it. That's the only way I can think of to allow her the freedom she needs. I can only imagine the distress this has caused you.:cry:
 
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