Re: sore, sore, sore

> Lot's of stuff snipped <

Update, Saturday June 28:
Reason was a bit gimpy still this morning, but oodles better even
after withholding bute for 24 hours (one of the doctors at work told
me I shouldn't mix bute and banamine unless absolutely necessary, and
I wanted the bute out of  his system if I did indeed need the vet
today!)  Then tonight, IF I wasn't looking for lameness, I wouldn't
have seen it.  He is favoring the left front ever so slightly, and
there is a minute pinhole in his coronary band, where I suspect the
abcess worked its way out.  He was back to himself chasing the other
geldings away from the gate at dinner time, so I knew he wasn't
hurting as much!!!!  YEAH!!!!!

I think I mentioned before that I had a horse that had a bout of acute
laminitis some 18 or 19 years ago; if I didn't, I should have and
elaborated on what I observed back then.  He presented COMPLETELY
differently than what Reason just did.  Patrick, the wonder Pinto was
dull, depressed, withdrawn, just so totally in pain that I knew
something was not right with this horse with the absolutely wonderful
personality.  He WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL (whereas Reason would move, but
not very willingly.)  I called the vet the minute I got home from
where Patrick was stabled (barn with just electicity, no running
water, and definitely no phone!)  24 hours of cold soaking feet later,
lots of bute and mol***** mixture, and one very tired owner later,
Patrick was WELL on his way to recovery!  He completely recovered and
we were back to riding in little schooling events that fall!

I TOTALLY lived the management aspects of the easily foundered horse
after that episode for the next three summers I owned him: he was on
grass NO MORE than 10 mintues twice a day at this time of year with
increasing amounts of time once the rapid growth season was over
(usually late July, early August here.)  Otherwise, he lived in a
"dirt" paddock, which has little nubbins of grass so he could feel
like a real horse, but not so much that he would have another
episode.  I kept his weight down to the point his ribs would show, but
he still had fat wads on his butt and along the crest of his neck.
That 10 minutes of grass and a handfull of grain, which he got only to
keep him civilized and coming into the barn twice a day is what he
lived on ALL summer (besides the grubbing of the putting green in
which he lived!)

This assumption I had NO clue about laminitis/founder is what made me
cranky, and I apologize.  Yes, every horse presents differently in an
illness, as do dogs and cats, but the main symptoms should be the
same.  Patrick, would barely eat ANYTHING for the first two days, thus
why I assumed the fact that Reason was eating meant he wasn't
foundering.  So, on this one, I learned something new in this
discussion, and I appreciate that input.  I also thought I was clear
that he was gimpy BEFORE they went out on grass on Tuesday, but I
guess it didn't translate well.  Just checking, but laminitis will NOT
cure itself, correct?  He wouldn't just get magically better without a
vet's intervention?  Am I not seeing the forest for the trees?

I said right from the start that I screwed up about his feet and I
NEVER said I HAD NOT noticed they were too long.  Those of you who
have been following the perils of Reason's back know that he hasn't
been in much of any steady work since this winter when his back became
completely sore from most likely my saddle and/or its placement on his
back.  So, I was a LOT less diligent and concerned about him getting
his feet done on time and I obviously have paid highly for it!  When
your farrier has limited time and multiple horses to do, the
management decision was made to do the horses that were actually
working for a living.

What I typed last night was one of those things you should send to
yourself to allow a few hours to cool off, because I wouldn't have
been quite so rude myself had I waited, but......

Hope this clears up some of the mess I created! ;-)
Sandy