Re: colicky at rides

["Sandy Bolinger" <bolinger@bigsky.net>]

What do his gut sounds sound like when he's cramping up???
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Brian Ferguson <brianf@northcoast.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Cc: <brianf@northcoast.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 06, 2000 9:23 AM
Subject: RC: colicky at rides


> I'm looking for some feedback on a problem I've had repeatedly with my
> horse on 50mile rides.  It hasn't happened every time, but seems like it
> may be getting worse.  He's mentally very competitive, feels anxious
> when left behind, sweats quite a bit when he gets worked up, and when in
> a group of horses at a ride, does o.k. if following a horse, but when in
> front, his heart rate goes up 30 bpm. Also he has a hard time settling
> down into a nice trot when he's excited, so wastes energy cantering
> alot.  When alone, and into the ride for awhile, he'll finaly trot very
> nicely.  The colicky problem happens after 20-25 miles, usually at the
> lunch stop, after he's had a bit to eat and drink.  His pulse had come
> down, but as he's eating it's gone back up and his stomach tightens up
> in the lower rib/flank area, also across his loins.  He starts grunting,
> and pacing, at which point I immediately start walking him.  He's walked
> out of it at the last two rides, vet gives me the o.k. to go, however I
> do take it easy. Ride before last he finished at the very end, nice and
> slow, but the last ride, after coming out of it at the lunch stop, he
> cramped up on the trail, after a good drink of water, and a small climb
> up a hill (at a walk, with me off him).  I led him into camp (1-2
> miles), and he had come out of it by the time I arrived.  It took awhile
> for him to come down, and after he did, it elevated again while he was
> eating at the trailer.  Another small bout of cramping.  Walked out of
> it again, and since all other signs appeared to be fine, vet gave me
> o.k. to continue, however I decided not to, because he just didn't seem
> to be his usual self, and I especially didn't want this to happen AGAIN
> on the trail!  (Even if I walked the remainder). These are the two rides
> I've done this year.  After the first one, I talked to a vet, who said
> maybe I need to electrolyte him a bit more, perhaps he was dehydrated.
> He had gotten one dose the morning of the ride, and 2-3 half doses that
> day.  Vet at most recent ride thought this may be a horse that can't
> handle electrolytes, and not give him any more. (He had gotten a dose
> Thursday night for the trailer ride, a half dose Fri. morn, a full dose
> Fri. nite, and a full dose an hour before I started the ride Sat.
> morn.). Then no more that day.  The first time this cramping took place
> was at the end of a slow-moderate ride. About an hour after the finish,
> 2 years ago.  The next time was at a ride when he got a minimum of
> electrolytes, and he got treated for dehydration at the lunch stop. He
> had sweated alot at that ride, and drank from a questionable water
> source not too soon before.  The next time he did this was at 3/4
> through the ride, he had a hard time coming down, didn't continue, and
> cramped up about 1/2 hour after he ate and drank some. That ride he also
> sweated profusely, and was very excited, me trying to hold him back, and
> making it worse for him, by getting him very aggitated at all the horses
> that left him behind.  I'm beginning to think maybe this horse has an
> internal problem we haven't found out about yet, and the stress of
> endurance is taking it's toll.  This has never happened on a training
> ride, altho I haven't done extreme training rides. Last year his first
> ride was a pull(the rehydrating one), he completed the next one fine. (A
> local ride).  Then another pull (not local ride).  Then finished the
> last ride of '99 fine. (another local ride).  This most recent ride last
> weekend, I thought I would do the beet pulp thing religiously to get
> fiber and moisture in his gut. I don't feed him any grain because he is
> too amped already. He is in a grass pasture, has been getting 1 flake of
> alfalfa once a day, however beginning Mon. before this last ride, I only
> feed him some supplemental "import" grass hay, since I've heard alfalfa
> can be hard to process when under stress.  He's not at all thin, I'd say
> about right.  At this last ride I had the opportunity to do a weigh in
> before and after the ride.  He lost 60 lbs.  
>      I would love any input on this horse. He's 11 yrs., and this is his
> 4th year. The first year was 25's, and one 50 in the fall. He's
> completed 7 rides, and been pulled from 4.  I'm thinking about taking  
> him to Davis Vet School for a complete evaluation.
>   Thanks for your time.   
> 
>   Berit Meyer
> 
> 
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