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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Oct 2008 : 1:41:12 PM
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Ive been given my old mare back to me about 11 weeks ago and whilst she was away she injured her stifle very badly. She now has arthritis in her back legs, the injured oine is particularly bad. Vet has said that she is sound and happy for her to be worked. Vet also said to keep her out all year as moving around will help her joints rather than being couped up.
I started feeding her cortaflex about a week and ahalf ago to help with stiffness but havent noticed any difference in her yet. how long does it take to take effect? i know some people said that it doesn't help all horses.
I went up to feed the horses last night and ellie my old girl could barely walk as her back legs were so stiff, she sort of shuffled towards me to get her dinner and didnt look vey happy.
I put a warmer rug on her and she was fine this morning.
I think because it rained/hailed all night on tuesday night and then did the same on wednesday night and day she must have been stood in the hedge all day/night and her joints must have seized up.
Is there anything else i can give her to make the cold weather more bearable?
If shes going to be stood in one place in the hedge sheltering then am i aswel to stable her over night?
your thoughts would be appreciated
Holly x
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2008 : 2:12:08 PM
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Cortaflex can take several months to see a real benefit so keep going.
Personally I would stable her at night as if she lies down better it is in a nice warm, dry stable than cold wet (or frozen) ground. Mine are stabled at night and I have never had one get arthritis and my old gelding will be 32 next spring.
Barbara |
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nikki
Platinum Member
Wales
4384 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2008 : 2:14:31 PM
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hiya holly, sorry to hear about your old gal, hope the others are good!
my old mare had arthritis, i did use cortaflex it did work, but did stop after a while.
devils claw was good, liquid stuff, cider vinegar or cod liver oil, and you can get glucosamine powder. you may have to try a few to find one that works.xx |
pagey |
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vjc
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4952 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2008 : 5:56:20 PM
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| like has already been said it takes a while to kick in, i found after 6 weeks i saw some improvemen. |
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lulu
Gold Member
763 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 11:05:45 AM
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| Does take a little while to kick in but have to say I use glucosomine powder and it was brilliant. Thea has been on it for a cpiple of months now and is back to her old self. Magnetic wraps or boots may help as well. |
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weirton
Gold Member
873 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 11:14:26 AM
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I can't live without Cortaflex (human kind of course) but did you double dose for the first couple of weeks to get it into the system? Even so it takes a few weeks to see the improvement. I have used it on horses and then began to wonder if it was working after a while but when they are taken off it the difference shows hows good it is. I have also used the Naf equivelant and couldn't honestly recommend it.
Jean |
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Slave 2 Magic
Gold Member
England
1023 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 2:22:27 PM
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A friend of mine has an old arthritic pony who struggles to walk comfortably. I told her about Pernamax a few weeks ago and she decided to give it a try. He had been taking it for 8 days when he rolled in the field for the first time in 2 years! I am now trying the human version. Hopefully I will be rolling soon. |
West Yorkshire
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 4:05:36 PM
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Hi
I did double dose her infact she still is being double dosed. tried to take her outfor a ride this morning and she did not want to leave the stable, she is not a naughty horse so something is wrong. when i turned her back out she was slightly lame/stiff on the back leg with the old stifle injury.
Im not sure what to do? up until this week she hasbeen hacking out alot and enjoying it, really forward, i had front shoes put on her 2 weeks ago as i thought she could beridden all winter. yesterdayand today she wouldntleave the stable! and i mean nothing would budge her.
i took her back as her owner was made redundant and was giving her away and i used to own her when i was a child. Shescosting me a fortune! im not loaded but i could comfortably aford to keep my 2 girls as they are good doers, only fed on chaff and hay in the winter, live out all year and cope really well in the winter.
Ellie my new old is costing me triple the amount of my 2 girls! im having to feed her a senior conditioning mix, showshine molli chaff, cortaflex. Before i tried cortaflexi was giving her glucosamine powder, acodlavine joint supplement and i tried no bute liquid. shedid seem fine in august/sept so im putting it down to the horrid cold and wett weather we havehad over the last week.
I could stable her at night but vet advised to keep her out so she can move around. she has never been stabled through the winter before but the shelter in my field is in the form of hedging and the field is on a windy hill.
Stabling her would be a nightmare for me becaue of 1] COST 2] I work 9 miles away from where the horses are kept and i spend half the week at my boyfriends house which is where i work and the other half at my parents which is where the horses are kept. I work 8-5 so its both dark when i go to work and when i get back and i dont have lights in my stables so it would mean mucking out by torch.
At the moment i feed the horses everynight but don't check them in the morning. But if i had to obviously i would keep her in.
i know old horses cost more but im just really feeling the pinch. im trying to save £15000 deposit to put on a house which i thinkwill never happen.
my moan over. at the end of the day i will be fine and the horses will get the best as usual just wondered if there were any MAGIC CHEAP miracles that i could try for the old mare.
thanks
Holly x |
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emma
Gold Member
816 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2008 : 3:53:38 PM
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To be honest i think i would stable her at night while the weather is horrid as at least she will be warm and dry which will help her body condition. An older horse will generally find it harder to stay warm when outside so use more of their body reserves up and therefore require more feed.
Perhaps putting up a field shelter may be an option to alleviate your travel and time issues? Or could you leave stable doors open for her to come and go as she pleases?
My old girl wintered out last winter and looked just like that, an old girl. However this year she is coming in at night and looks a different horse. However her legs are filling a bit while she is in, something that didnt happen in her younger days, but she now wears magnetic wraps and that has stopped the legs filling.
Make sure if you do get some that you get breathable ones and ideally wicking ones as then you could put them on when she comes in from the field with wet legs.
Another tip if you find yourself in the stables with no lights is to get a head torch so you can still use your hands! Also you can buy lights that stick on the wall and run off batteries, they advertise them on the tv by the same people that advertise all those gadget type things that you think ooh thats a good idea, promptly buy and then never use! |
Emma
Fulmer House Arabians
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Mad arab rider
Silver Member
England
483 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2008 : 01:22:23 AM
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My friend has an old arthritic horse and vet has advised her to keep him out as long as poss. He has been brought in tonight because it's just so horrid and also dispite the horrid weather there are still lots of fireworks about, but hopefully he'll stay out again tomorrow night. Her vet also recommended that she try giving him ginger. Said to get a root of ginger and cut him a few slices off each day, she said it worked on some horses and not on others, but worth a try.
Cherie |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2008 : 12:39:47 PM
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If she's freezing cold and miserable she won't move much anyway if she's head down back against the rain. I would keep her in at night and out during the day, couldn't someone turn her out for you in the morning? Presuming you have someone who checks the others for you in the morning as you don't go down. Could you keep her somewhere else closer by to you so that you don't have to travel backwards and forwards so much?
jen
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2008 : 6:03:37 PM
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Thanks for the adice.
Strangley enough she seemed fine today and stiffness was gone! Im going to tack her up in the morning and go for a short ride if she will leave the stable!! She was chasing my other girls round the field today at feeding time and really going for it.
Im looking into magnetic boots and saving. Do i need to just get a pair for the back or a set of 4 for all her legs? or would the magnetic rug be better?
Im going to make up a bed in the stable tomorrow and i will just keep her in when its raining as thats when she stands in one place getting cold.
ive got a week off work starting tomorrow so lots of time to sort her out.
She even struggles to pick up her back feet so i might try some kind of pain relief like devils claw?
someone suggested giving her 1 bute aday to ease the pain. will vets suscribe a continuous supply bute? can horses beon bute for long periodsof time for example the rest of her life?
thanks
Holly
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emma
Gold Member
816 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 12:55:19 PM
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Hi Holly
If the main problem is the back legs id start off by getting boots for them, then if you think its helping go for the front legs too. Yes a rug would be good but feel the boots are aimed more specifically at the joints in the legs. Id like a rug but its something on my saving for list! Price compare on interent for boots as bargains are to be had. Off the top of my head bioflow, aerborn and equailibrium do breathable ones, avoid neoprene type ones as if her legs are wet and muddy from field when you put them on you will get all type of skin probs.
Yes vets will prescribe bute long term. Discuss this with your vet and im sure if you search on here there may well be threads on it as its one of those things people have different views on. |
Emma
Fulmer House Arabians
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 1:43:00 PM
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Holly, i think that they might well prescribe Danilon for long term use as it's kinder to the liver.
jen
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 8:16:34 PM
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thanks guys.
I rode my other mare and lead ellie from her today and she was happy and sound and didn't complain about leaving the stables! phew! im seeing my vet on thursday as my dogs going in for an op! bloody animals cost me a fortune!
i will google boots now. thanks again |
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lulu
Gold Member
763 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2008 : 7:47:24 PM
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| Theas back legs were the problem. One used to swell after standing in, so only used them on the back. People at Bioflow are very helpful |
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