For anyone who takes the time to read this post, Thank you in advance. If you have any ideas or information you feel could be helpful please by all means share it. So far we are at a loss as to the problem or the solution/treatment.
So heres an idea of the situation as things are currently.
Approximately 10 months ago we purchased a piece of property and moved in. In the process of the move we began noticing that our nearby neighbors had 2 neglected horses basically wasting away in a trash filled 1 acre field with no fresh water source or protection from the elements. In addition these horses (1 17.5h arab cross and 1 14.0h palamino cross) were being sparsely fed obviously moldy hay. Over the course of the next month in our new residence we had tried speaking with the neighbors regarding the horses current conditions on several occasions, Hoping that being put "on the spot" would force better care. It quickly became obvious the horses were destined for increasingly poor conditions despite several conversations with the owners. We then tried contacting the local sheriff as well as the humane society. We were sadly informed that basically nothing was going to be done regarding the horses almost non existent care. At this point I felt the only option was to purchase the horses, Coincidentally it was nearing my wifes birthday and she had always wanted a horse since having one as a kid/teenager. So although we are not "horse people" and were in no way looking for a horse let alone 2 horses, i bought them knowing that no matter what my wife and I could atleast give them a much better life than they had at the time.
Ok, So the Horses were moved onto our property approx 8 months ago, It took us a week or so to properly prepare and fence an approx. 2 acre field before being able to take them. So upon receiving the horses both were very very thin, Vitamin deficient, Likely full of worms, etc. We immediately called our local horse vet for a wellness check along with any immunizations required. The vet did a full blood workup and very thorough physical as well as making a few supplement suggestions to help them recover. Overall the vet diagnosed both horses as being in pretty great shape other than the obvious diet and nutrition issues. Being neglected horses with a bad diet the next step was to de-worm and call a farrier. We found a recommended local farrier who did an exhaustive almost 2 hour session on the arabian cross (Sam), However the Palamino cross (Buddy) wanted nothing to do with it. In the end we had to schedule a a new appointment with the vet and the farrier to have Buddy the palamino sedated and trimmed.
Ok, So fast forwarding approx six months, Both horses have put on a lot of weight and had another wellness check just to be safe. Up until a week ago they were both doing Great! Excellent health, Happy, Becoming Sociable, Etc.
At this point they are on a standard diet of quality hay and small amounts of 50/50 grain/oats. Literally the only issue lately is they have both gotten a tad bit over weight, But bear in mind they had been starved long term so we arent too worried about them enjoying good fresh hay grain fruits and veggies a little too much.
The start of the problem
About a week ago Sam the large arab cross slowed down a little and became a little lethargic. Over the next few days we babied him some and encouraged him to take it easy for a while thinking it was a mild pulled muscle or a sore hoof. Around the third day we awoke to find him laying flat out on his side, Although we realize this isnt as bizarre or unheard of as many new horse owners think, A few hours after full sun-up when he was still down and refused to rise we called the vet. The estimated arrival time of the emergency barn call was 2 hours. Shortly before the vet was to arrive our son happened to come out to visit, He was somehow able to get this giant draft size horse back on his feet. My wife and I had tried literally everything we could think of and were sure this horse was never getting back up. Until the moment the horse was up we were preparing our selves think the horse would have to be put down. Fifteen minutes later the vet arrived and did a full wellnes check and took more blood for a full panel. His visit yielded only 1 possibility, Which was a slight soreness in one leg. No temperature, no hoof pain, good gut sounds, heartbeat, etc. Seeing nothing more than a Possibly Mildly sensitive leg the vet suggested a few days of essentially stall rest (We built a nice run in before moving the horses into the field) and some Bute type powder. The next few days sam spent standing in the corner of the pasture all day until around 8pm (Not dark until after 10pm) and not rising until around 8am mostly by force. We are fully aware about the issue of pressure on internal organs so we have been making him bed on a massive hay pile to lessen the pressure as well as making him rise shortly or manually rolling him over every few hours. During daylight hours he has been staying up, So its not like he is unable to stand. A few days ago we called another vet for a second opinion as well as a stronger pain medication as we believe the extended periods of down time are due to leg pain. The second vet had essentially the same diagnoses, Mild sensitivity in one leg. A stronger pain medication was provided and he has now been slowly working his way 20 feet or so from the hay pile grazing and back to the hay pile again by evening time. We also had our trusted farrier come check his feet just to be sure everything was ok, And everything hoof wise checked out with 2 vets and our farrier. Literally no answer as to what the cause is or what else to do. For the last approx 7 days this horse has barely moved and is basically down for 10-12 hours every nigh. We have been taking shifts staying with him making sure he has everything he needs and monitoring him for changes. Every few hours of down time we force him to rise for 30 mins or so out of fear for his organ health and proper blood flow. During the day he eats readily and drinks plenty of water but seems to have no energy or desire to move. We fully realize that from a human perspective this makes sense since the only possible symptom has been leg pain which Would make you Not want to walk or even stand. If we were dealing with a person we would tell them to simply stay off the leg for a week or two and let it heal. But with having to constantly worry about a down horse suffering internal injuries that isnt an option. We discussed putting him in a makeshift vertical sling in the run-in shelter but everyone including the vet said they see no benefit in this case, Also that many horses actually injure themselves reacting to being in the sling itself and end up having to be sedated or removed from the sling having suffered even more injury.
The Horses (Sam) specifics
Background unknown, But definitely neglected before we received him
Demeanor is pretty bulletproof and at some point in his earlier life someone did take care of him and likely trained and rode him as we once tried saddling him and he behaved perfectly, My wife actually rode him for 5-10 mins but that was the only time.
Age approximated at roughly 20yrs
Current wellness check Great health
Bloodwork done by 2 diff vets in the last week say all clear
Farrier inspected hoofs and verified they are in good shape, Though he did a touch up just to make sure he could walk as easily and comfortably as possible.
Current medication Bute powder (NSAID) plus a heavier pain medication (no meds prior to potential leg injury)
Current diet 4-5 fresh clean (inspected) flakes of hay and 2 cups +/- of 50.50 grain/oats split into 2 feedings plus approx 2 cups chopped carrot or watermelon (all split into 2 feedings at 9am and 6pm)
Lifestyle Leisurely field horse, No work free roaming and not ridden so far
Field conditions Meticulously prepared with No holes or tripping dangers. Currently the field is pretty sparse as the two horses have cleared it out, though new growth is now underway since summer hit.
behavior prior to this last week was very sociable and upbeat, Always on the move and very playful
The reason i took the time to write such a lengthy post is I know that anyone who takes the time to try and help will likely have questions, hopefully somewhere in this post there might be some of the answers. Again if anyone has any ideas or suggestion please share them as we are at a bit of a loss, We would appreciate it So Much. The only thing we ever wanted from or for these horses is to be free of the nightmare they previously lived and to be happy and safe. Now we just feel helpless and dont know if we are just WAAAYYY over-reacting or if he is dying or what!?!? The vets say theres no obvious problem, But on the other hand something is very clearly wrong. Like I said, he is eating well and drinking plenty, But he is down a LOT at night the last week. He has also developed some pretty nasty bed sores, Which we have cleaned, medicated and covered. We realize the sores arent all that uncommon but it just makes you feel that much worse for them. So far we havent noticed any fluid in is lungs while being down, But his legs sure so shake after rising for a good 5-10 minutes. The additional pain meds hes been administered the last 4 days have helped marginally as he does seem to rise somewhat easier and shake somewhat less as well as walking a Very small amount the last few days. Our biggest question is are we simply over-reacting or should we be in the panic mode we currently are because something is seriously wrong?
*Anyone who feels like we arent doing enough or are not experienced enough please just keep it to yourself. These horses had no other options and we are doing the very best we can to care for them. If we had plenty of money to throw around we would have Sam taken to a hospital simply to find out What is or isnt wrong. But with both vets giving him basically a clean bill of health plus the fact hes standing all day, eating and drinking well we just cant afford to spend money we dont have on a very expensive hospital bill to find out that there actually is nothing medically wrong. Also please note how we came to have these horses, It was not a case of prematurely buying a horse for fun, The horses were dying before our eyes a little each day. The only reason we got ourselves in soo far over our heads was out of compassion, Not self interests.
*Bizarre Behavior From Second horse
From the very start of the ordeal with Sam discussed above, Buddy has stuck to his friend like glue. Then entire time he is never more than 20 feet away, And at night he specifically beds down with the injured horse Sam. For the last week he refuses to leaves his friends side, We even had to start feeding him next to sam as he refused to be more than 20 feet away. So Buddy is in great health and a much younger horse, estimated at 12 years old. Yesterday morning it was really heating up and the injured horse was standing in the direct blazing sun so we misted him with a hose to make sure he doesnt overheat. Well since Buddy wont leave sams side he was also in the direct sun, So we tried giving him a gently spray as well. Buddy is a more skiddish semi-unbroken horse and did not appreciate the efforts to cool him down. He immediately ran to the other end of the field near the stable and layed down in a sternal position. He has pretty much been there since for almost the last two days. He will get up and graze in a small area then lay back down. There is nothing wrong with him that we are aware of, He literally just seems to be throwing a tantrum over being misted with a hose 48 hours ago and is still pouting! Not really sure what to make of this as i honestly figured he would forget or forgive the spray of water after a few hours. But he seems to be going to an extreme to make a point, Guess I wont be spraying him off this summer! The only other thing we can think of is a new fly spray we have never used, Since Sam has been down with an injury the flies have been driving him crazy so we broke down yesterday and bought a FORTY DOLLAR bottle of fly repellent. Buddy was not sprayed with this, Only Sam was. But were wondering if maybe something about the smell of it spooked Buddy and is keeping him away, unfortunately we cant stop using the spray on sam until he has made it through this as the flies were driving him insane Hopefully it was just the spritz of water that ticked Buddy off and he will get over it soon, He obviously misses his friend and so does sam.
Again, Thank You to anyone who took the time to read this ridiculously long post, Our fingers are crossed someone will recognize what is going on with these horses and clue us in. We are willing to do anything we can manage if it will help this poor horse get back to good health. If were just being over-reacting newbie horse owners Please Feel Free to Say So! We will happily feel stupid about our dire concern if it means our horse is ok. Thanks
So heres an idea of the situation as things are currently.
Approximately 10 months ago we purchased a piece of property and moved in. In the process of the move we began noticing that our nearby neighbors had 2 neglected horses basically wasting away in a trash filled 1 acre field with no fresh water source or protection from the elements. In addition these horses (1 17.5h arab cross and 1 14.0h palamino cross) were being sparsely fed obviously moldy hay. Over the course of the next month in our new residence we had tried speaking with the neighbors regarding the horses current conditions on several occasions, Hoping that being put "on the spot" would force better care. It quickly became obvious the horses were destined for increasingly poor conditions despite several conversations with the owners. We then tried contacting the local sheriff as well as the humane society. We were sadly informed that basically nothing was going to be done regarding the horses almost non existent care. At this point I felt the only option was to purchase the horses, Coincidentally it was nearing my wifes birthday and she had always wanted a horse since having one as a kid/teenager. So although we are not "horse people" and were in no way looking for a horse let alone 2 horses, i bought them knowing that no matter what my wife and I could atleast give them a much better life than they had at the time.
Ok, So the Horses were moved onto our property approx 8 months ago, It took us a week or so to properly prepare and fence an approx. 2 acre field before being able to take them. So upon receiving the horses both were very very thin, Vitamin deficient, Likely full of worms, etc. We immediately called our local horse vet for a wellness check along with any immunizations required. The vet did a full blood workup and very thorough physical as well as making a few supplement suggestions to help them recover. Overall the vet diagnosed both horses as being in pretty great shape other than the obvious diet and nutrition issues. Being neglected horses with a bad diet the next step was to de-worm and call a farrier. We found a recommended local farrier who did an exhaustive almost 2 hour session on the arabian cross (Sam), However the Palamino cross (Buddy) wanted nothing to do with it. In the end we had to schedule a a new appointment with the vet and the farrier to have Buddy the palamino sedated and trimmed.
Ok, So fast forwarding approx six months, Both horses have put on a lot of weight and had another wellness check just to be safe. Up until a week ago they were both doing Great! Excellent health, Happy, Becoming Sociable, Etc.
At this point they are on a standard diet of quality hay and small amounts of 50/50 grain/oats. Literally the only issue lately is they have both gotten a tad bit over weight, But bear in mind they had been starved long term so we arent too worried about them enjoying good fresh hay grain fruits and veggies a little too much.
The start of the problem
About a week ago Sam the large arab cross slowed down a little and became a little lethargic. Over the next few days we babied him some and encouraged him to take it easy for a while thinking it was a mild pulled muscle or a sore hoof. Around the third day we awoke to find him laying flat out on his side, Although we realize this isnt as bizarre or unheard of as many new horse owners think, A few hours after full sun-up when he was still down and refused to rise we called the vet. The estimated arrival time of the emergency barn call was 2 hours. Shortly before the vet was to arrive our son happened to come out to visit, He was somehow able to get this giant draft size horse back on his feet. My wife and I had tried literally everything we could think of and were sure this horse was never getting back up. Until the moment the horse was up we were preparing our selves think the horse would have to be put down. Fifteen minutes later the vet arrived and did a full wellnes check and took more blood for a full panel. His visit yielded only 1 possibility, Which was a slight soreness in one leg. No temperature, no hoof pain, good gut sounds, heartbeat, etc. Seeing nothing more than a Possibly Mildly sensitive leg the vet suggested a few days of essentially stall rest (We built a nice run in before moving the horses into the field) and some Bute type powder. The next few days sam spent standing in the corner of the pasture all day until around 8pm (Not dark until after 10pm) and not rising until around 8am mostly by force. We are fully aware about the issue of pressure on internal organs so we have been making him bed on a massive hay pile to lessen the pressure as well as making him rise shortly or manually rolling him over every few hours. During daylight hours he has been staying up, So its not like he is unable to stand. A few days ago we called another vet for a second opinion as well as a stronger pain medication as we believe the extended periods of down time are due to leg pain. The second vet had essentially the same diagnoses, Mild sensitivity in one leg. A stronger pain medication was provided and he has now been slowly working his way 20 feet or so from the hay pile grazing and back to the hay pile again by evening time. We also had our trusted farrier come check his feet just to be sure everything was ok, And everything hoof wise checked out with 2 vets and our farrier. Literally no answer as to what the cause is or what else to do. For the last approx 7 days this horse has barely moved and is basically down for 10-12 hours every nigh. We have been taking shifts staying with him making sure he has everything he needs and monitoring him for changes. Every few hours of down time we force him to rise for 30 mins or so out of fear for his organ health and proper blood flow. During the day he eats readily and drinks plenty of water but seems to have no energy or desire to move. We fully realize that from a human perspective this makes sense since the only possible symptom has been leg pain which Would make you Not want to walk or even stand. If we were dealing with a person we would tell them to simply stay off the leg for a week or two and let it heal. But with having to constantly worry about a down horse suffering internal injuries that isnt an option. We discussed putting him in a makeshift vertical sling in the run-in shelter but everyone including the vet said they see no benefit in this case, Also that many horses actually injure themselves reacting to being in the sling itself and end up having to be sedated or removed from the sling having suffered even more injury.
The Horses (Sam) specifics
Background unknown, But definitely neglected before we received him
Demeanor is pretty bulletproof and at some point in his earlier life someone did take care of him and likely trained and rode him as we once tried saddling him and he behaved perfectly, My wife actually rode him for 5-10 mins but that was the only time.
Age approximated at roughly 20yrs
Current wellness check Great health
Bloodwork done by 2 diff vets in the last week say all clear
Farrier inspected hoofs and verified they are in good shape, Though he did a touch up just to make sure he could walk as easily and comfortably as possible.
Current medication Bute powder (NSAID) plus a heavier pain medication (no meds prior to potential leg injury)
Current diet 4-5 fresh clean (inspected) flakes of hay and 2 cups +/- of 50.50 grain/oats split into 2 feedings plus approx 2 cups chopped carrot or watermelon (all split into 2 feedings at 9am and 6pm)
Lifestyle Leisurely field horse, No work free roaming and not ridden so far
Field conditions Meticulously prepared with No holes or tripping dangers. Currently the field is pretty sparse as the two horses have cleared it out, though new growth is now underway since summer hit.
behavior prior to this last week was very sociable and upbeat, Always on the move and very playful
The reason i took the time to write such a lengthy post is I know that anyone who takes the time to try and help will likely have questions, hopefully somewhere in this post there might be some of the answers. Again if anyone has any ideas or suggestion please share them as we are at a bit of a loss, We would appreciate it So Much. The only thing we ever wanted from or for these horses is to be free of the nightmare they previously lived and to be happy and safe. Now we just feel helpless and dont know if we are just WAAAYYY over-reacting or if he is dying or what!?!? The vets say theres no obvious problem, But on the other hand something is very clearly wrong. Like I said, he is eating well and drinking plenty, But he is down a LOT at night the last week. He has also developed some pretty nasty bed sores, Which we have cleaned, medicated and covered. We realize the sores arent all that uncommon but it just makes you feel that much worse for them. So far we havent noticed any fluid in is lungs while being down, But his legs sure so shake after rising for a good 5-10 minutes. The additional pain meds hes been administered the last 4 days have helped marginally as he does seem to rise somewhat easier and shake somewhat less as well as walking a Very small amount the last few days. Our biggest question is are we simply over-reacting or should we be in the panic mode we currently are because something is seriously wrong?
*Anyone who feels like we arent doing enough or are not experienced enough please just keep it to yourself. These horses had no other options and we are doing the very best we can to care for them. If we had plenty of money to throw around we would have Sam taken to a hospital simply to find out What is or isnt wrong. But with both vets giving him basically a clean bill of health plus the fact hes standing all day, eating and drinking well we just cant afford to spend money we dont have on a very expensive hospital bill to find out that there actually is nothing medically wrong. Also please note how we came to have these horses, It was not a case of prematurely buying a horse for fun, The horses were dying before our eyes a little each day. The only reason we got ourselves in soo far over our heads was out of compassion, Not self interests.
*Bizarre Behavior From Second horse
From the very start of the ordeal with Sam discussed above, Buddy has stuck to his friend like glue. Then entire time he is never more than 20 feet away, And at night he specifically beds down with the injured horse Sam. For the last week he refuses to leaves his friends side, We even had to start feeding him next to sam as he refused to be more than 20 feet away. So Buddy is in great health and a much younger horse, estimated at 12 years old. Yesterday morning it was really heating up and the injured horse was standing in the direct blazing sun so we misted him with a hose to make sure he doesnt overheat. Well since Buddy wont leave sams side he was also in the direct sun, So we tried giving him a gently spray as well. Buddy is a more skiddish semi-unbroken horse and did not appreciate the efforts to cool him down. He immediately ran to the other end of the field near the stable and layed down in a sternal position. He has pretty much been there since for almost the last two days. He will get up and graze in a small area then lay back down. There is nothing wrong with him that we are aware of, He literally just seems to be throwing a tantrum over being misted with a hose 48 hours ago and is still pouting! Not really sure what to make of this as i honestly figured he would forget or forgive the spray of water after a few hours. But he seems to be going to an extreme to make a point, Guess I wont be spraying him off this summer! The only other thing we can think of is a new fly spray we have never used, Since Sam has been down with an injury the flies have been driving him crazy so we broke down yesterday and bought a FORTY DOLLAR bottle of fly repellent. Buddy was not sprayed with this, Only Sam was. But were wondering if maybe something about the smell of it spooked Buddy and is keeping him away, unfortunately we cant stop using the spray on sam until he has made it through this as the flies were driving him insane Hopefully it was just the spritz of water that ticked Buddy off and he will get over it soon, He obviously misses his friend and so does sam.
Again, Thank You to anyone who took the time to read this ridiculously long post, Our fingers are crossed someone will recognize what is going on with these horses and clue us in. We are willing to do anything we can manage if it will help this poor horse get back to good health. If were just being over-reacting newbie horse owners Please Feel Free to Say So! We will happily feel stupid about our dire concern if it means our horse is ok. Thanks
