So, I decided to start this thread for the beginning of this journey with my two EPSM mares.
My first mare is Belle, my EPSM Type I pos percheron. She was severely neglected and possibly abused for a long time before I adopted her. I adopted her at the age of appox 16 year old. She had not had human interaction, hoof care, vet care or turn out from her 50 foot paddock, that she shared with her 3 year old filly, who was larger than her, for at least three years. Simply watered and hay thrown.
My second mare, you may know from previous threads. Her last journal was:
http://www.horseforum.com/member-journals/snickers-noodle-legged-pinto-180945/
Snickers I adopted at the age of 2. I was concerned with the way her hind end moved, but she was a young, growing, butt-high 2 year old draft cross, so I went with it. As time went on, it was the mystery hind end saga with vets, chiros, massage therapists, farriers and trainers. Started to look at EPSM and was in contact with Dr. Beth Valentine with tons of video and she agreed. Tested for Type I, which was neg, but not ruling out Type II. Started high fat diet and she improved. However, with her being an extremely easy keeper and not losing any weight despite following the diet correctly and daily exercise, I began to get concerned for her future becoming IR or worse. The diet DID help her, although, not completely. I was happy with how she DID improve and if she wasn't such an easy keeper and overweight, I probably would have left it that way. But with there being an exact opposite alternative with the fat with Dr. Kellon, I decided to try her way and see what it gets me. How will I know if she wouldn't improve more or lose weight this way, if I didn't try.
So, this is where I am with both girls. I am treating for EPSM with easy keepers.
I have found someone to help me with hay analysis and getting the vit/min correctly established, along with doing it with simple ingredients not using commercial grains/feeds. All being done with low Non-structural Carbohydrates (NSC) = low sugar, low starch and with low fat.
I am also interested in starting to trim my mares with the Pete Ramey method and for them to be barefoot. I am not posting this for criticism. Snickers is barefoot and has very nice feet. Belle has been a rehab project, possible founder, possible laminitis, slipper toed with a crack to her coronary band and abscessed for two months after her first trim. I have had farrier troubles. Belle has now been shod in front for a year. This has kept her comfortable enough to walk off of her extremely thin soles. However, I'm not certain the angles are still where I want to be to make her more sound and walk heel first. I'm concerned with her heel bulbs now starting to pinch, frog getting narrow and longer, sole stretching etc. So, I will be pulling the shoes.
I am creating this journal to not only help ME remember my journey, but to help anyone else out there in the future that may need help. I am being your guinea pig so to speak.
My first mare is Belle, my EPSM Type I pos percheron. She was severely neglected and possibly abused for a long time before I adopted her. I adopted her at the age of appox 16 year old. She had not had human interaction, hoof care, vet care or turn out from her 50 foot paddock, that she shared with her 3 year old filly, who was larger than her, for at least three years. Simply watered and hay thrown.
My second mare, you may know from previous threads. Her last journal was:
http://www.horseforum.com/member-journals/snickers-noodle-legged-pinto-180945/
Snickers I adopted at the age of 2. I was concerned with the way her hind end moved, but she was a young, growing, butt-high 2 year old draft cross, so I went with it. As time went on, it was the mystery hind end saga with vets, chiros, massage therapists, farriers and trainers. Started to look at EPSM and was in contact with Dr. Beth Valentine with tons of video and she agreed. Tested for Type I, which was neg, but not ruling out Type II. Started high fat diet and she improved. However, with her being an extremely easy keeper and not losing any weight despite following the diet correctly and daily exercise, I began to get concerned for her future becoming IR or worse. The diet DID help her, although, not completely. I was happy with how she DID improve and if she wasn't such an easy keeper and overweight, I probably would have left it that way. But with there being an exact opposite alternative with the fat with Dr. Kellon, I decided to try her way and see what it gets me. How will I know if she wouldn't improve more or lose weight this way, if I didn't try.
So, this is where I am with both girls. I am treating for EPSM with easy keepers.
I have found someone to help me with hay analysis and getting the vit/min correctly established, along with doing it with simple ingredients not using commercial grains/feeds. All being done with low Non-structural Carbohydrates (NSC) = low sugar, low starch and with low fat.
I am also interested in starting to trim my mares with the Pete Ramey method and for them to be barefoot. I am not posting this for criticism. Snickers is barefoot and has very nice feet. Belle has been a rehab project, possible founder, possible laminitis, slipper toed with a crack to her coronary band and abscessed for two months after her first trim. I have had farrier troubles. Belle has now been shod in front for a year. This has kept her comfortable enough to walk off of her extremely thin soles. However, I'm not certain the angles are still where I want to be to make her more sound and walk heel first. I'm concerned with her heel bulbs now starting to pinch, frog getting narrow and longer, sole stretching etc. So, I will be pulling the shoes.
I am creating this journal to not only help ME remember my journey, but to help anyone else out there in the future that may need help. I am being your guinea pig so to speak.