Good day, bad day.....

[pleasantmeadowfarm]

I’ve had enough bad horsey luck lately with my darling mare. Two (or was it three) failed trips to hunt with my Virginia brethren due to injuries and illnesses (hers not mine). Last Monday, her future foxhunt replacement, and youngest offspring was diagnosed with EPM (via spinal tap). Rather BAD day.

I was in such a funk I decided to skip going to my hunt’s annual meeting… I changed my mind last minute, drove just a tad over speed limit and got there on time. So glad I did. I was awarded my colors! It really did brighten my gloomy day!!!

Bad news, good news - now for a question…

Has anyone hunted a recovered EPM horse? He’s just finished week one of Marquis, and I think we caught it early. He was graded 2/3 on the ataxia scale, with some muscle wasting in a few days time. He’s a strapping young, coming 3 year old Oldenburg that had yet to be started under saddle.

Is there any hope that he can one day fulfill the job as my foxhunter? If pasture potato is all he’s capable of, that’s fine with me. I’m trying to stay optomistic.

Please keep little Tiny in your prayers:(

PS - I did breed my lovely mare (as she’s on stall rest for 3-4 months) to a stunning little stallion… Tuesday I’ll find out if I get SOME good breeding news.

[whicker]

There is hope

I’m soo sorry to read this about your baby!

I may have some good news for you, in that I may be hunting one who has recovered. Although, she is probably too forward to hang out in 3rd field.
So far she is doing well, 3 years out from recovery.
Congratulations on getting your colors! You have really brought so much enthusiasm to AVH!

[iechris]

I have a friend who whips in on an EPM horse. The horse had previously hunted in VA I believe after his EPM treatment. I don’t know how long ago he was treated, but I haven’t heard of him having any problems.

[gothedistance]

I feel for you. I have one that had EPM. A very light case that only manifested itself in tripping behind and vague discoordination. 1 treatment, recovered (2 years now), but has residual effects: he still hasn’t regenerated all the nerves in his back feet and still has to use muscle memory to tell him where his feet are. Doing EXCELLENT - zero tripping, very happy, beautiful flowing smooth-as-silk gaits, a perfect “10” jump, and a lovely, lovely ride. He was supposed to be my future hunt pony - suppposed to being the operative words. I took him hunting twice (2nd Flight of course) last year… and then said “no more”. Not because of him - he actually did great! – but because I just decided the sport (being in the Field) was too extreme for a compromised horse. Too much in hunting relies upon a horse being quick on its feet, fast and accurate on all types of terrain at all speeds. A horse affected by EPM (where if affects the legs and balance) just doesn’t have that edge, and when they get tired, it makes the residual damage all the more dangerous. I know 3 people whose field hunters got EPM - all three retired those horses immediately from the sport to other, less extreme sports. The cost for continuing hunting was just too high in the dangers it represented. One trip, one fall - could cost you your neck. It just wasn’t worth it.

That said, you still have time and your horse is young and may pull out of this with no residual effects. I would just take a wait and see attitude. Once you start working him under saddle, you can make your judgement call.

My guy will now do endurance, and he’s in a conditioning program for that.

Congrats on getting your colors! That is one bright spot in your life that will last forever.

[Leprechaun]

So sorry for Tiny and you. Wishing you both the best. It is hard to love such fragile creatures so much!

[Hinderella]

I’m so sorry to hear about the diagnosis! I have no knowledge about EPM, But I’ll have you and Tiny in my heart.

Congratulations on getting your colors! How wonderful to have been able to go from “dressage rider gone wild” to hunt member with colors in such a short time. You should be very proud!

[KateDB]

There absolutely is hope.
One of my hunt horses has recovered brilliantly. Marquis was definitely the answer, other medications did NOT work for him. He had 3 months of Marquis and continued in work throughout treatment. Also, he had regular acupuncture/chiro work (and still does).

He leads the field, whips in, qualified for the North American field hunter championships final day, has placed 3 of the 4 years he has shown at Harrisburg Hunt Night, has placed at CCI*/Intermediate all post-EPM.

[Xctrygirl]

TONS of hope.

I know 2 CCI*** and CCI**** horses that made it all the way back to peak form. And more recently a lovely jumper horse that was very bad and is now even better than he was pre-treatment.

Don’t give up, but do your research, explore all the options on the web, and ASK QUESTIONS…alot.

Good luck.

~Em

[pleasantmeadowfarm]

Thank you so much!

Ladies,
You’ve really brightened my spirits!
Whicker - I love your mare, and I can only hope Tiny ends up a fraction as sure footed, strong and beautiful as your girl. KateDB, three months on Marquis? Do you recall how long it took to see an improvement? I started treating day 1 with Marquis - I couldn’t imagine it being anything else (and yes we did test for EVERYTHING), so hopefully it was caught early.

I’m lucky to now have options in the barn to hopefully take out come Roading in August. Hey, if my mare is confirmed “open” on Tuesday, and that wandering ultrasound goes from her abdomen to her leg will find her extensor tendon fully healed, and she can go back to work shortly… Otherwise, another fabulous (and crossing fingers) healthy baby it will be!

[KateDB]

Yes indeed, 3 months, as prescribed by vet. We had already tried sulfadiazine with some progress, but it was too hard on his system.

I would say that I felt solid results within 4 weeks or so. I kept him in work, and even traveled South for 2 weeks of schooling/competing, though I dropped him down a level - and that was in his last 5 weeks of meds.