EPM

[AppyMom]

Looking for some stories on people’s experiences with EPM. I am feeling highly discouraged. I have a super talented coming on 6 year old Appy gelding that has a tentative diagnosis of EPM. I’ve been having on and off issues with him for a few months. The symptoms are very vague and even though in my gut I always felt something was wrong, it was hard to say… because this is a bold and athletic horse that has always been a little difficult to deal with at times. He would be absolutely horrible one day and fine the next, so I thought at first I was dealing with a training issue. However, in the last few weeks he’s progressed to not being just difficult, but dangerous. He will stop in his tracks, pull his head down and buck violently out of nowhere. He spooks at everything. Changing direction at a trot or canter really pisses him off. I had chiro and acupuncture done on him a couple weeks ago and he tried to kick and bite the vet. That’s when I knew something was really wrong, he loves being worked on normally. So sent a blood sample for Lymes and EPM. The Lymes came back negative, so vet said she’s almost positive he has EPM because he was profoundly neurologic on exam. Especially with the head raise test, he could not walk… he had a weird high stepping pacing gait. It was pretty impressive. We’re waiting on the EPM test results but she wanted me to go ahead and start the Marquis. So he got his first dose today. He has great muscling, no atrophy, he could use a little extra weight for what they like on the Appy circuit for a hunter under saddle horse, but overall his weight is pretty good. He eats like a pig. His attitude is ok on the ground, just not under saddle. He’s not noticeably lame, but his quality of movement has decreased and he breaks out of a canter… he does drag the left hing ever so slightly at a trot. He won’t bend to the right… it’s always been his stiff side, but now if you ask for any bend you get a head tilt not a bend.

I’d love to hear experiences. My goal for him this year was to qualify and show at the World in hunter under saddle and next year I was going to start doing dressage shows with him. No plans to make him an over fences horse as I already have one and don’t need 2. He is a BEAUTIFUL mover (was…). I’ve already canceled our first regional Appy show. What are the chances to returning to a high level of competition as a flat horse? The only horse I’ve ever known who had EPM was put down not long after the diagnosis… but he was emaciated and stumbling. My horse looks totally fine to someone who doesn’t know him.

Does anybody have any recommendations on management after EPM treatment? I want to do whatever I can to keep him healthy after completing the Marquis.

[starhorse]

My horse had an acute onset of EPM symptoms in her 20s. Did a cycle of Marquis and she’s returned to flat work. We haven’t pushed for anything significant given her age. We supplement with natural vitamin E.

Have you ruled out anything with spinal compression? Some of those symptoms sound more like pain to me those symptoms suggest pain to me more than EPM, and spinal/neck issues could explain the neuro stuff too. But I’m not a vet, so, just 2 cents

Good luck!

[appyrunner]

I just completed treating my AQHA. He received Rebalance for many months, also vitamin E supplement. Plus when I started riding again I did a suspensory rehab type gradual strengthening program. I didn’t think I’d ever canter him again under saddle–but I am and am even thinking that he could show again (on the flat–we don’t’ jump). So my message to you is one of patience and hope. Good luck!

[AppyMom]

I haven’t done any xrays. When the chiro came out, I was SURE he was back sore or hind end or something. She didn’t feel he was really that sore in the back end at all. In fact the only thing she seemed concerned about was his knees. For her it was like he just didn’t want to be touched, anywhere. That’s another weird thing I forgot to mention previously. His front legs shake when he’s standing, more so after being asked to work. Even just a few laps on a lunge line. He’s always been slightly over at the knee and would occasionally shake a bit in the front while standing, but now he appears VERY over at the knee only after a little exercise and the shaking is very noticeable. I got it on video today after 5 mins of lunging. Vet really thinks we’re dealing with EPM, but certainly back/neck xrays should be on my list of things to do if EPM test comes back negative or the Marquis doesn’t help. Just as an added note, he uses a custom fitted Black Country close contact saddle and it was just reflocked for him less than a year ago. So saddle isn’t an issue.

[appyrunner]

I think you must have a clone of my horse… he had the front leg shake too. He does have some navicular changes. It really seems to be heel pain even though he doesn’t visibly appear lame. I also had reputable chiro say she could find nothing. Sooo… on top of the EPM treatment which fixed about 95% of his issues, after working closely with vet and excellent farrier we have him in heartbar shoes. I don’t know why they make that last little piece of improvement but they sure do. Totally stabilized his front end. It is not clear to me at this point if he will wear them ongoing or if it is a temporary phase. I think horses sometimes have several different things going on. Sometimes you have to try different things. And be patient… having a great vet and farrier that will work together and with you is key.