[QUOTE=JackieBlue;7219173]
While I agree that the horse in unacceptable condition in the latest photo, the anhydrosis thing confuses me. He’s in FL, yes? And the vet says he’s been pacing and weaving? And he hasn’t overheated in his pasture environment that he’s been in for months now? He must be sweating some, no? It sounds as if he’s been on OneAC for years. Has he ever had ACTH or any other potential curative for the condition?
It sounds as if the supplements that were discontinued by the retirement farm were OneAC, a coat supp and Red Cell. Aside from possibly OneAC (although there are other treatments for anhydrosis that don’t require daily feed supplementation), none of these is essential. Both the coat supp and the Red Cell added calories, but not enough to see such a dip in condition from discontinuation. If the horse isn’t anemic (and, according to the vet, he’s not, even after 12 or so weeks off Red Cell), then continuing Red Cell is just an unnecessary expense. And, of course, the coat supp is an aesthetic product, not necessary for the health of an oldster. The senior feed he’s on should be balanced with respect to vitamins and minerals, so further supplementation of those, in the absence of proof of deficiency is unnecessary and can even prove harmful.
Yes, the horse is skinny, but it’s not because he’s not getting his supps. The vet’s explanation of increased activity and stress over relocation and routine change seems reasonable. Again, I agree that this horse’s condition in the photo is deplorable. But I’m not ready to start tying the noose. Maybe the new feeding plan the vet described will have a positive effect. At 32 years old, it doesn’t seem odd for a major change in living conditions to have an effect on the horse. Can someone go back and take new photographs for you in a few weeks to see how he’s adjusting? I can’t imagine the retirement farm owners will be too keen on letting anyone with a camera near this horse now, but maybe…[/QUOTE]
Hi JB,
Since you brought it up. The horse has been chronically anhidrotic that has worsened as the horse aged. In his early years through late teens , One AC , dark beer and acupuncture kept him sweating at least while under saddle a modest amount. Enough to allow the horse to have competitive career.
As he’s aged those have had less and less of an impact but he seemed to be more uncomfortable when taken off One AC so per his life long vet he was left on it.
The Red Cell and Coat supplement (first I’m hearing of that) were additions to his routine during the year he spent outside of our care. That BO says they were initiated by Max’s long time vet.
When he left our care the only supplementation besides Triple Crown Senior that he was getting was Rice Bran and a multi vite/electrolyte supplement over the summer.
Their assumptive nature that the horse’s vices were caused by being kept in a stall are simply untrue and unfounded. If anything his chronic mud fever in the summers was exasperated by our instance that he receive turn out even if it meant only at night when the grass is dewy.
As for overheating I have no idea if anyone has the ablity there to recognize what a hyperthermic horse might look like. For Max he pants and spends an extraordinary amount of time self cooling by splashing in a water source.
The horse came to us as an 8 or 9 year old with all of the vices described. He cribbed , he weaved and paced if he was stressed or not kept in the company of other horses.
He was put on a high forage diet and checked for ulcers and treated even at one point profilactiacally just to see if it might help.
I suspect they were and are remnants of his 4 years on the track.
The horses activity has not increased he’s always been turned out almost 24/7 in reasonable temperatures and only in during the peak hours of the day in the summer.
I am not saying the vets diagnosis of stress/relocation and change in living condition is not the reason for his weight loss. I am saying IT is. Things the facility owners were made aware that they would affect the horse and to be wary of it months ago.
As per their feeding plan. Max is a grain nibbler if they are feeding him 10lbs of senior BID and he lives with another horse un segregated at meal time he’s not eating all of that grain I’d bet life on it. He routinely took hours to finish a grain meal of half that size in our care … I bet his pasture mate is tick fat.
All I have ever wanted or asked for is to be allowed to fill in the holes in the horses history and help them allow him to thrive. I’ve got 20 years of experience and when he left our care he was a vibrant healthy for his age older animal.
He was NEVER kept locked in a stall as they keep repeating or presuming. His vices have been life long issues that wax an wane depending on the environment provided. I don’t doubt for a moment if they threw him in a field alone that he weaved and paced until he was given a companion. It seems common horse sense would put two and two together not make wild assumptions about his past.
I don’t want to vilify anyone I just want Max to be given the best care possible and was willing to take him back and provide it if he was not thriving in their care (which based on the photos’ he has declined)
Prior to reaching out here I emailed and called the facility when I learned about the horses condition and was met with only negative response.
This is a copy of the mail I sent upon learning of his condition. I have NEVER gotten any response from MC and at that point had to believe it was in Max’s best interest to contact the authorities.
There are gaps in their knowledge and history of the horse I’ve always been willing to fill them in provide his records and anything necessary to aid the horse.
Yes I would have preferred that Max had been returned to my care by the BO but since things had progressed beyond that I was and am very grateful and happy to have Mill Creek looking after the horse as long as he thrives in their program. If he’s not I’d happily take him back.
[h=1]"How do we work together for the horse.
[/h][I]Mr. and Mrs Gregory and staff at Mill Creek,
First I wanted to thank you for your on going care of my former horse Max.
As I am sure you are aware it has been brought to my attention that Max is not holding his weight and thriving as we all would have hoped in your wonderful program.
When he was remanded to you 12 weeks ago I contacted you hoping to explain that he simply is a horse that because of his medical history doesn’t flourish a field board situation. He is a unique case being both a cribber and having anhidrosis.
I know you are doing everything you can for him and his history is not well known to you. I am more then happy to release the last 22 years of his medical history to your veterinarian if it would help her understand his conditions , what medications he was on and why and make choices going forward.
I very much appreciate the care you have given Max and want to do anything I can to help you find solutions to combat his weight loss. I can assure you that if he’s able to crib/windsuck in combination with the hot FL summers because of his inability to sweat most certainly have contributed greatly to his weight loss. They are issues we had to manage all 22 years we owned him .
I do want to make it perfectly clear that I would be happy to take Max back into my ownership and allow my team of veterinarians to asses him an see if we can’t get him back on a road with positive gains. Please know that option always exists. Potentially opening up a space for you to take in a horse that doesn’t have anyone to look after him.
Again please let me know, let me work with you to help Max. His well being is all that is important to me. I don’t hold anyone in blame and I just would like to be there to help you and your team.
I hope to hear from you and will be following up soon. "[/I]
