Looking Past The Pretty Picture

Around this time last year it began. The little signs. His first "colic" episode ever since I've owned him, not eating as much hay but still eating it, becoming picky with a supplement he had once had no problem eating, & some rides he seemed a little more on edge but nothing I would think too much about. Things were slowly very slowly beginning to spiral out of control without me being aware. The colic was thought to be due to the weather especially since it was a gas colic that resolved easily. The hay was thought to maybe needing his teeth done which were due the month following. The slight increase in anxiety when being ridden was thought to be cooler weather or having an off day as the rides were not always that way, but at the time more good than bad. The supplement was thought to maybe needing a change in flavor because once the flavor changed he seemed to eat it once more. Funny how easily you pass things off on a day to day basis. I would have never in a million years thought those signs were to become a long battle to fight for his health. It's been 7 months since he was first diagnosed with Grade 2 & 3 gastric ulcers with bleeding along with bleeding colonic ulcers. I was never unaware of the ulcer potential & thought I was doing everything I needed to take care of any possible problem. Funny how everything turned out though. Ben was the perfect picture of health when he started showing the "little signs". His weight was beyond perfect & muscle tone was perfection. His coat was shinning like a brand new penny & other than those above issues he appeared fine. Horse with ulcers can appear all sorts of ways. Some looking sick or others looking picture of health. You never know what's truly lurking beyond the surface though you try to do what you feel are the right things.

Ulcers can form in as little as 5 days. Yes you read correctly 5 days! There is always a reason a horse gets ulcers. Figuring out the main cause as to why the horse got ulcers in the first place is what's going to prevent a relapse in the future. Take a step back evaluate your horses entire management including riding & check for any sources of pain that could be causing an issue. After that make changes. With just throwing medications at your horse & not changing anything your setting everyone involved up for a relapse. Give your horse some time off once you've had an official diagnosis of ulcers. Ulcers hurt & just because you mask the signs/symptoms with medications & they start improving does not mean the ulcer injury is fully healed yet because it takes time sometimes months! Ben was treated for 6 months with 3 different medications & changing everything with his management. I am still trying to get that last 50 pounds back on him so he is comfortable with the upcoming winter. Get a gastroscopy done by your vet. Yes its expensive & not always convenient but you need to know the grade of ulcers to start the proper treatment plan. I did the gastrogard for 1 week to see if there was improvement. Did he improve yes but he had another "colic" after a week. Why? Because Gastrogard though a great product is not able to treat the entire stomach so that leaves some of it plus possible colonic issues open & ready to burn literally. Ben was placed on 2 additional medications which one was for covering the areas in the stomach the Gastrogard didn't reach & the other for the colonic ulcers. After you have your appropriate treatment plan in place weaning off medications is a process & takes a long time so they don't relapse & get the gastric acid rebound effect that can & does happen. Evaluate everything your currently doing with your horse. Feed should be low sugar, low starch , & high fiber while being split into small frequent feedings. Alfalfa is your friend as long as your horse tolerates it because the calcium & increased chewing helps decrease stomach acid. Hay, hay, & more hay is very important for your horse to always have available to them adlib ideally in slow feeder nets to help mimic grazing. Turnout the more your able to do the better to keep everything moving. Riding wise take a look at what your asking of your horse then ask yourself if they are coping with the job they are being asked to do if not step it down & take things slow after the ulcers are healed might I add. Support your horses digestive system with a digestive supplement that covers the stomach & hindgut. Don't forget the hindgut! Setting your horse up for success is key. If you plan to show & trailer there is preventative doses of Ulcergard to help keep things cooled down but read the instructions they recommend with starting it before you actually show/trailer & continuing a few days after.

Take home message is listen to your horse they know what they're talking about. Look at the little things but don't obsess over everything. If you have that little twinge in your stomach that's maybe thinking there might be a problem then act now don't wait until it's an even bigger problem. It's cheaper & easier on your horse to act sooner rather than later! Wishing all your horses good health!

THESE PHOTOS ARE WHAT BEN LOOKED LIKE WHEN HE BEGAN HAVING SIGNS DONT LET AN APPREANCE ON THE OUTSIDE FOOL YOU ON WHAT COULD BE GOING ON IN THE INSDE.

Marching Through

Appointments, appointments, appointments, that has what our past 2 weeks has consisted of. We started off with his usual toe trimming which went very well. His toes are in good shape. You can see the ring growing down from when he was very sick back in the winter. The new hoof growing down is tight & strong. As the saying always goes the health of the horse shows up in the feet & that is proof! Next up was his yearly teeth floating. I tried a new dentist this time that had been highly recommended to me from many people. Ben doesn't take to new people very well, but this dentist he checked him over then clicked with him just like that! I was amazed expecting a stressful dental visit, but instead it was very stress free & easy on both Ben & I! He gave me all the info about his teeth & the condition they are in. Ben's teeth are in good shape for his age. He has a few minor issues but they aren't to cause him any problems. After his teeth floating he has been getting more food into his mouth than on the walls which is a big plus! Next was his massage in the lineup. He had a very good report & ate his alfalfa the entire time which helps him stay awake! Last up was the unexpected visit with the Chiropractor. The day after his massage I had went to brush Ben as I always do but instead of just eating & standing there nicely he ran when I went to touch his neck. Not thinking much at first other than him maybe playing games I go to brush again same reaction. I put the brush down & slowly work my hand up from shoulder to the specific spot on his neck that he again pulled away from. Clearly something was wrong. So I put him through the "Carrot" stretch motions to see how he was able to move is neck & when he first bent it I heard two loud pops. He could bend both ways minor popping sounds & he could put his head between his front legs fine. Ok I think nothing too serious but serious enough to make a few phone calls. So after speaking with his massage therapist who had just saw him the day prior when he was perfectly fine might I add we came up with a plan for him! Equioxx for pain relief, liniment for muscle soothing, & urgent message for his Chiropractor to come out. The next morning he now longer ran away from me so that alone was major improvements. Bring us a day later & we come to a very early morning Chiro visit. His Chiropractor came out before his breakfast which led to a "hangry" Ben. Once Ben realized he was getting put back in place he was very accommodating as he usually is & loved his acupuncture! Chiro reported he did indeed knock his what's called an atlas out of place (most likely from his narcolepsy episodes) & a few other areas. All fixed up & feeling like a new man he had his breakfast & for being so behaved an extra alfalfa flake.

I know what some of you may be thinking....that's a lot of things to be doing for a horse that's fully retired right? Think about it he is a calm retired horse who lives out now & things still come up that need adjustments or massages so how good does your working horse feel? When is the last time you had their back done or treated them to a massage? I guarantee they need some type of adjustment because things happen whether you see it or not. You don't ride perfectly every time nor do they behave perfectly every time. Something will come out of whack. You will probably be very surprised how much better they feel & go after some TLC on their working bodies! I'm not saying go crazy but do have it done routinely & often as needed for that particular horse because as we know they are all different & should be treated as such.

Ben has been doing good with things lately after all the above so hopefully he keeps improving. I have added something new to his program, but do not want to share just yet. (Some who know me well already know) I want to give my full review after him being on it for more than just 2 days. I am pleased so far but it is still early. The chia seeds are working out lovely & doing just as I had hoped so far & its been going into 3 weeks with them now! I use them for GI support, Omega 3's, & sand clearance mainly (while still using sand removal supplement). Will give more updates on them as well as he is on them longer.
Thanks for those that support Ben.

Managing The Previously Ulcer horse

Just as the title states I'm going to give an in depth look for all who have been following this blog on how I have been managing Ben post ulcers. Before I get into the major details I would like to make an introduction to the newest feed I have just this past week introduced....the chia seed. Yes I know what your thinking cha cha cha chia....& a whole lot of crazy hair growth on weird sculptures. Did I guess it right? Thought so. Chia seeds aren't just for the crazy hair & sculptures but are considered a "superfood" by some! Why? Well where to begin? Chia seeds provide the highest plant source of omega 3's. It is exceptionally balanced with it's counter part omega 6 being less but still there as it should be. Chia seeds turn to a gel when they come into contact with any water whether that be before or after it's eaten! This is extremely beneficial as it helps clear out sand, debris, & provides a soothing coating type effect on the GI tract. The seeds do not need to be modified in any way to get the full benefits & pose no risk whether you eat them dry or wet! Because of the high omega 3's the chia provides & vitamins & minerals it provides your horse with healthier skin, coat, immune system, hoof growth that's stronger, joint & muscle support along with being safe for any types of horses! At higher dose it can help put weight on & even manage weight depending on your needs. I know I sound like an ad but this seed is truly amazing in what it can do! I personally purchased my bulk supply with Equine Chia & highly recommend them as a company. They answered all my questions & concerns in a timely manner & upgraded my order to have more poundage for the same price! I also received my order within 3 days! If you don't believe me check out www.equinechia.com yourself!

Now this is Ben's ulcer prevention regimen approved by his specialist vet who agreed this should prevent any further problems:

* 1.5 scoops (3 quarts) Cavalor Fiber Force given 3 times a day

* 1-2 flakes Western Alfalfa Hay daily

* Free Choice orchard/timothy hay mix in nibblenets

* 1 packet of Steadfast (joint supplement)

* 1/2 scoop of Assure Guard twice a day (stomach & colonic support)

* 2 OZ of chia seeds twice a day

* 2 scoops Assure Plus once a week of every month (sand clearance)

*24/7 turnout & being fully retired

Ben has been off all medications for almost 2 months now & doing well. Since adding the Chia seeds I have noticed shiner coat & better appetite with regular hay. He has only been on them for a week so I expect more results to follow & will continue to keep everyone up to date!