I’m sorry this is happening. My vet recommended I add InsulinWise to the diet of the laminitis prone horses I care for. I don’t remember if you are using anything like that, or not. There is a newer thread about it. Mine will eat the pellets w no problem. I hope this helps- I have a friend who said it helped her horse a lot!
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Ill look into that.
Im not shocked, we went through it when he was 4 in the spring. No rotation thankfully and he was back to work in about 3 months. Ive treated him like an IR horses since then as well so were used to the…“management style” at least.
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Michigan State/Dr. Jane Manfredi did a lot of the work on InsulinWise. I think one can find the research. Mine haven’t been on it long enough to redo lab work yet.
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I was hoping it wasn’t laminitis. Hopefully you caught it early and can manage it for him. Now that has had a few bouts of it, I would just move to assuming this is the issue when he presents as foot sore esp in spring or fall. It will definitely be a condition to stay on top of going forward for him. Hoping he feels much better soon!
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I’ve heard good things about this supplement from multiple people at my barn.
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I know it’s discouraging and frustrating that Charlie has laminitis again, but please don’t think that this is the result of something you did or didn’t do. You were doing everything right. You have him on a good diet for easy keepers, you restrict his access to grass, and you make sure he gets regular exercise. He’s still a young horse and there was no reason to think this would happen.
Did the vet order a test for PPID/Cushings along with the metabolic panel? I know PPID is usually diagnosed in older horses, but it wouldn’t hurt to get a baseline ACTH just to be sure PPID isn’t part of the problem.
Charlie is very lucky that you are his owner. I think he would be in big trouble if he belonged to someone who didn’t pay as much attention as you do. Keep us updated on Charlie’s progress, and know that we’re all pulling for him.
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I really appreciate that. We aren’t strangers to the “if I die I want to come back as one of FjordBCRFs horses” type of comments, but people don’t realize how important lifestyle management is. Life or death pretty much for these guys.
Unsurprising to me, everyone that does NOT have an easy keeper was a little incredulous at the diagnosis…”how?!?!?” I got a couple times yesterday. Because he’s predisposed to it. Pretty simple.
I’ll admit it wasn’t my first leap given the trail ride we went on…but I had no doubt after seeing him first thing yesterday morning. It took my brain a second to remember that doing everything right is important but isn’t bullet proof.
He seemed much more comfortable on the bute last night, ate his mash with the thyro-L in it and threw his bucket in the aisle to express his impatience of his hay not being ready.
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Look how lovingly he looks at his hay. I told him it weighs more now 
Vet gave me the all clear to use the BEMER on him so he got his legs done and then rubbed down with Sore No More last night and was moving ok. I believe he is just running a metabolic panel, but I’ll ask about PPID. I imagine he will back to check rads in a week or two once we get our results back. Picked up the hay core last night so I’ll get the sample today and get that out tomorrow.
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My late gelding ate his Thyro L just fine and it helped him lose some weight. Jingles for Charlie.
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Well if the vet is happy and you are too I can’t argue with that. The camera adds to their weight too!
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While you certainly cant see ribs, you can feel if you poke LOL.
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That is what I say to the vet about one of our dogs 
He just looks at me and rolls his eyes…
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