ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] Re: Clumsy Horse
[endurance] Re: Clumsy Horse
HorseWorks@aol.com
Sat, 16 Dec 1995 12:19:34 -0500
Has this clumsy horse been tested for EPM - equine protozoal
encephalomyelitis? This test is done by drawing blood or spinal fluid. One
of my horses tested a weak positive on both blood and spinal fluid. However,
my vet said that may only mean that he was exposed at one time. I decided
not to treat until I got further proof.
At one of the rides that he was entered, the veterinarian watched him trot
out and asked me if I'd ever had him tested for EPM because he had the
characteristic wobbly gait often seen in positive-tested horses. His
stumbling always got worse at 4 to 5 weeks after shoeing. He often had a
sore back midway through a 50-mile ride. Caveletti work helped some - he had
trouble figuring out where his feet were. A chiropractor helped some too.
Sometimes, when he feet were obviously not balanced, he'd trip and fall at a
trot. This was really scarey. Another thing, when he places his front feet
to the ground, it is toe first! The farrier that has done so much good for
him couldn't beleive it when I first talked to him. I think that is one
reason he decided to come this far - he'd never seen nor heard of a horse
putting the toe down first.
Re-evaluate the "good" farrier. He may be great with the other horses but
this particular horse he may not be good for. My farrier said he did the
opposite of what my horse's feet would normally require. Sometimes, he said,
the standard rules have to be broken to fix the problem.
I hope I've been of some help. Sometimes it is not worth the struggle to
search for that elusive answer that may not ever be found. I raised this
horse from birth and emotionally could not let him go so I continued to
search for an answer while mostly roding another horse. I'm glad I stuck
with it rather than make him a pasture ornament. It was well worthwhile for
me.