It's the Impar Ligament this time

Lack of blogging due to lack of time, and a frustrating horse situation. But here's an update on my mare Mazzy. After my first (and only) show over fences I was gearing up for another one a couple of weeks later, over Labor Day weekend (I know it was a very long time ago), and Mazzy came up lame. After a vet check, she blocked out to the heel and x-rays showed nothing, so the vet thought it was probably soft tissue damage in the foot and needed an MRI to determine exactly what was going on. An MRI showed a strain to the impar ligament (connecting the navicular bone to the back of the coffin bone). Not a horrible diagnosis, since it could have been loads of other worse things.

Yellow = deep digital flexor tendon

Blue = navicular bone

Orange = impar ligament

Red = intersection of ligament and tendon

So the plan was a Tildren regional perfusion and then IRAP injections. Tildren works by preventing bone resorption by inhibiting the activity of osteoclasts, and it also has anti-inflammatory actions. While it will not have any effect on the impar ligament or other soft tissue in the foot per se, the impar ligament attaches to both the distal end of the navicular bone and the bottom surface of the coffin bone, and these attachment sites often undergo degeneration when the ligament itself is damaged. An intravenous catheter is used to administer a large amount of the drug as an intravenous drip for about an hour.

IRAP was used to inject into the coffin joint to promote healing. She had a total of four injections at 2 week intervals. IRAP is a system that has been developed to stimulate white blood cells to produce anti-inflammatory mediators and enzymes to reduce the inflammatory phase. Blood is taken from the jugular vein and incubated for 24 hours in special syringes which induce the blood cells to produce and secrete therapeutic proteins during the incubation period. After 24 hours the blood is centrifuged and all blood cells are removed. This leaves a protein rich serum which is then split into 3ml doses ready for injection. The main anti-inflammatory protein produced is Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein (IRAP). This has a direct action on the action of Interleukin-1 which other therapies are unable to do. There are a number of other anti-inflammatory proteins produced during the incubation process which work synergistically with the Interleukin-1 antagonist to reduce the inflammation within the joint and stimulate a regenerative response by the cartilage cells. IRAP is different to other treatments available as it has an anti-inflammatory component which other products have but it also induces a regenerative response unseen in other therapies.

During this time I was hand walking her and switched her to bar shoes with Equithane for heel support. After 3 months or so of this and many vet visits, she was sound. I started saddle walking her working up to 45 min/day. After 30 days of saddle walking, I started trotting beginning with 5 min/day after 30 minutes of walking. On day 5 of trotting Dec 23rd....LAME again. I am so frustrated! I had the whole week off of work from Christmas to New Year's, looking forward to riding in the daylight everyday, and back to square one. So at this point I am still saddle walking.

I invested in The Bio-Pulse Iron Foot PEMF Pad. There have been many studies on PEMF shown to provide pain relief, reduce swelling, control inflammation and speed healing time. The PEMF, i.e. (Magna Pulse, Magna Wave, P3 etc.) is a revolutionary medical device that has shown amazing results in the treatment of pain and swelling, wounds, bone fractures, as well as in dramatically improving range of motion in both humans and animals. The PEMF uses powerful pulsed electro- magnetic field that provides natural energy to the cells of the body. PEMF therapy improves circulation, not by increasing heartbeat or blood pressure, but by opening and dilating the arteries and capillaries. This also reduces edema (swelling). PEMF therapy increases the cellular level of oxygen absorption. Studies have shown that oxygen partial pressure can be increased by 200%. This reduces pain associated with lack of sufficient oxygen. Also, insufficient oxygen in the cells causes lactic acid buildup under strenuous exercise. Good information here: http://www.pemf.co.nz/Questions-Answers-about-PEMF

She stands on it for 30 min/day. This thing better work!!!

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A better day

When I went today to see Kylie, she was definetly more herself. And she was HUNGRY. I welcomed the spoiled behavior of pawing for treats or attention when normally it drives me crazy. She is back on the IV drip of Lidocain for pain, which is a step back, but I am happy it is keeping her comfortable.

I took her for a walk and was so happy and content to just be with her. I wish I wasn't so emotionally attached so that I could make clearer decisions, but after being in a relationship for 11 years, there is an attachment that clouds everything. I want what is best for her not just today, but for her future. She deserves a great quality of life, and I am trying to take that into account when making all of these difficult decisions.

I had a long talk with the vet today (it seems like he is there 24 hours a day, seven days a week!) and is happy with how Kylie looks today, so he has backed off the pressure of giving her a second surgery. Thankfully! I learned some interesting things about ulcers and treatment that I did not know before. Kylie developed ulcers that she did not have when she first came in from all of the acid in her stomach. Hers are caused from fasting and all the medication. Horses evolved to graze, eating many small meals frequently. This way, the stomach is rarely empty and the stomach acid has less of a damaging effect. If horses do not eat frequently, the acid builds up and ulcers are more likely to develop. Research has found that an average horse can produce up to 16 gallons of acidic fluid every 24 hours. Thety started her on Zantec (ranitidine) on Friday, but it takes 24 to 48 hours to take effect. This is one possibility for her discomfort on Friday,

It's been well-documented that over 90% of race horses and over 60% of performance horses (hunter/jumpers, dressage, endurance and western) have ulcers. Even small changes in the routine of a recreational horse can cause ulcers in as little as five days. The signs of ulcers in horses include poor performance (often mistaken for musculoskeletal or back pain), behavioral issues (poor attitude, resistance, girthiness), colic and loss of weight or condition.

The part I did not know was associated with the treatment of ulcers. I have had Kylie on ranitidine in the past due to a heavy show schedule and to prevent ulcers, but this vet told me that unless I administer it every 8 hours it does no good. I have also used GastroGard and given just one tube, which I have done during a show, and come to find out one dose does nothing . Good to know because it is expensive! GastroGard or UlcerGard (Omeprazole), requires three to five days to reach a steady level in the body; after the first dose, there is only 25% inhibition of the parietal cells (large oval cells of the gastric mucous membrane) that secrete gastric acid. So, for it to do any good, you have to start at least two to three days prior to stressful situations. Alternatively, you can use an H2 blocker, such as ranitidine, which inhibits parietal cells with the first dose, but this medication must be given three times per day for continued effect.

So basically to treat ulcers you can use ranitidine, which is much more cost effective, but must be given every eight hours for it to work OR GastroGard can be given only once a day for 30 days. Research showed that once treatment stopped, the ulcers came right back. That means you have to do more than just treat the existing ulcers, you have to create an environment in the stomach that makes it hard for ulcers to form. For the prevention of recurrence of gastric ulcers, continue treatment for a least an additional 4 weeks by administrating at the recommended daily maintenance dose.

Here are some diet and management tips to reduce the risk of ulcers in your horse:

■Provide pasture turnout--this is the best method of preventing ulcers!
■Provide constant access to hay—keeping hay in front of your horse is next best
■Provide hay frequently—if free-choice hay is not an option, feeding it four to six times a day is an acceptable substitute
■Use alfalfa hay—the protein and calcium in hay help reduce stomach acid
■Limit fasting periods—keeping food in the stomach at all times protects it from acid which causes ulcers
■Limit grain feeding—sweet feeds especially lead to heavy acid production
■Provide “down time”—heavy exercise is a risk factor for ulcers so include less intense work days and even rest days in your training and showing plan
■Reduce stress—allow social interaction with other horses and keep the feed, turnout, and exercise schedule as regular as possible
■Limit NSAIDS—anti-inflammatories like phenylbutazone have been linked to ulcers, so give the smallest amount necessary for the shortest time possible.

And she got some alfalfa leaves today! She was so happy!

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A step back

What a gloomy Saturday. Kylie has had a rough weekend so far. She doesn't feel well and they aren't sure why. So she is back off of all food and back on all the pain meds. So frustrating. I hope this is just a bump in the road. I spent a few hours with her Friday night. I took her for a walk when I got there and she seemed ok, but as soon as she got back to her stall she layed down and was acting colicky. She rolled and groaned and did not look comfortable. It was heartbreaking. They gave her a round of drugs to make her more comfortable, and they gave her visible relief. Then after they wore off she seemed ok. I groomed her for a couple of hours, and she definetly seemed to enjoy that. Every time I stopped she would take a step closer so I would continue.

This morning I went back and she seemed more comfortable, but she is back on all the pain killing drugs and back on the IV. The vet wants to do more surgery to see if he can find out what is wrong, but I do not want to put her through any more torture than she has already been through. I wish someone would tell me what the best thing to do for her is.

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Day four after surgery

I think I have been home for about 10 hours total, including sleep for the past 5 days. Of course, all of this has happened during the busy time at work, quarter end, so no chance for any time off there. And I still need to get Mazzy out the days my trainer doesn't ride her, so no break there, but I am still managing to make it out to the equine hospital each night, driving 125 miles a day to get it all done.

The reflux stopped, so Kylie was able to graze a little yesterday. I'm talking on grass as long as astroturf, so a very little. It went through but she has diarreah. I guess its good that at least it made it through. However, she was moved to the isolation barn because of risk of Salmonellosis. During a colic episode, your horse's immune system may become compromised and any bacteria or organism they carry in thier gut can no longer be controlled. The salmonella bacterium, in particular, which all horses carry, can flourish and cause severe diarrhea. Not sure if that is what is going on here, but if so, they don't want it to get any of the other horses to get sick.

She's looking brighter everyday. After I grazed her for a few minutes and took her for a walk, we went over to her new home in the isolation barn. I picked her out a stall that had a window so she could watch the baseball game. She was mezmorized. Her face was glued up against the window watching every play. She forgot I was there. I'm glad she has something to keep her busy.

Watching Baseball

Her view

After the first 72 hours, other long-term complications can set in. Scar tissue formation, adhesions and intestinal constriction may decrease the motility of the intestines and cause more colics. Persistent diarrhea from salmonella infections, microflora imbalance or inflammation of the lining of the colon, is a possibility. Horses may become hard keepers and require additional supplements to maintain. Hernias or infections along the incision line on the belly are also possible.

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Post Colic Surgery

Thank you everyone for you concern and kind wishes!!!

The first couple of days after surgery Kylie was really painful. They keep her on drugs to make her as comfortable as possible. She is monitored frequently and I get out to see her daily and get calls from the vet with updates. She spiked a fever Saturday night (about 24 hrs after surgery), but they managed it and were able to get it back down.

On Sunday and Monday, Kylie had gastric reflux pooling in her stomach. She had to be refluxed every 4 hours or so (obtaining stomach contents via a tube, threaded down through the nasal passage). It means slow motility of her system, which is not totally unexpected, but things better start moving along soon. I was there Monday night when they refluxed her and the girl commented on what a great patient she has been. Most horses need a lip chain in order for them to get the tube down thier nose, alot of horses need sedation, but Kylie just stands there and lets them do it. They told me one horse wouldn't let them do it no matter how heavily sedated he was, and he died. After they felt like they got most of it they took her in for an ultrasound, because they said she "hides" it. Hehe. It must take alot of training to read an ultrasound, because as much as they explained what we were looking at it just looked like a blur to me. No food or water yet until the reflux stops.

She still has to wear a muzzle, but she has figured out how to go in the corners of the stall where the straw sticks straight up and finds a piece to stick through the muzzle and eats it! I went and got one of the interns and alerted them to my tricky eater and they said if she tries that hard to get a piece she has earned it :-). My heart breaks when she paws at the straw and then puts her head down to eat and you can hear her lips flapping in the muzzle trying to get it.

I got to take her for a walk Monday night. It was nice to get her some fresh air and not have to breathe in the stench of DMSO. I smell it even when I am not with her. She was alert and more comfortable. There is a baseball field behind the hospital facility and she was very interested in the all the bright lights a screams coming from over there. She whinnied to them a few times cheering them on.

Every hour counts for the next five days. I hope she sticks to the vet's plan for survival.

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Colic continued

Well the good news is Kylie made it through surgery. BUT she has a long, winding, very difficult road ahead of her. She got up after an hour, which the doc said was pretty normal after being in surgery for so long. He removed 95% of her colon (large intestine), which they can live without if they survive all the potential complications from surgery. I feel so awful seeing Kylie this way. Her eyes are swollen from being on her back for so long during surgery. She is still out of it, and has IVs hanging from the ceiling attached to her, huge bandages around her belly, she has a Hannible Lechter leather muzzle on so she doesn't eat her staw bedding, and she stinks almost unbearably of DMSO (smells like rotting garlic and onion). It is overwhelming to see her like this. Just a day ago I was riding and jumping her happy and free. The vet told me that heart rate (HR) at 24 hours after surgery was significantly associated with survival. Thankfully, Kylie's is in the range for survival.

The term "colic" means only "pain in the abdomen" or "pain in the belly". There are many causes for such pain, ranging from the mild and inconsequential to the life-threatening or fatal. One of the problems with equine colic is that it can be very difficult in the early stages to distinguish the mild from the potentially fatal. This is why all cases of abdominal pain should be taken seriously right from the onset. Some horses are so painful on presentation at the hospital that there is no question surgery is needed, this was our case.

Kylie had the most severe form of colic - a twisted bowel, these types of colic cause a total blockage of the intestine and require immediate surgery if the horse is to survive. Not only is gas and food material trapped inside the twisted gut, but blood supply is cut off, causing damage or death to the intestine. As the gut dies, toxins are released into the body, causing severe illness or even death. For some horses, pain medication helps keep them quiet for approximately an hour. But some horses are so painful that the drugs seem to help very little. Horses can die from this type of colic within a few hours. So thankfully my friend noticed there was a problem!!! The cause for this type of colic is poorly understood, so I have no idea why this happened to her.



The large intestine fills a significant part of the abdomen. The total length of the large intestine is about 25 feet, but it holds approximately 30 gallons of material - twice as much as the small intestine. Surprisingly, this large unwieldy structure is tethered to the body wall at only two points: at its beginning (where it joins the small intestine and caecum) and at its end (where it joins the short, narrow small colon which leads to the anus). With only two immobile points, the large intestine lies in the abdomen in a neatly-arranged double-U formation, one "U" stacked on top of the other. This arrangement entails the food making it round a number of 180 bends (known as "flexures") in the intestine. In addition to these problems the only thing that holds the colon in place is bulk. So a hungry horse without access to forage and an empty colon is a prime candidate for a twisted gut.

So many challenges lie ahead...

The first 72 hours after surgery are the most critical. This is when the intestines are trying to reorganize themselves from being manipulated, cut open, et cetera. As a result the intestines sometimes stop moving, which is very painful for the horse. Also, if the circulation to the intestines was cut off for too long, the lining of the intestines sometimes reacts by becoming inflamed, or dies, resulting in severe diarrhea. If the horse had intestine cut out, the site of reattachment may fail, causing either another blockage or rupture at the site. After surgery the horse’s immune system is compromised from stress, and infection is a concern. Laminitis, may also occur.

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The Dreaded Colic

I know I have been gone for a long time. It is due to a horribly long commute which is eating up all of my spare time. Commuting 17 1/2 hours a week + riding every night = no time for blogging. It actually doesn't leave much spare time for anything. No time to make jewelry either :-(. But I wanted to document this awful event I am trying to live through.

I got a call on Friday afternoon from a friend who said Kylie didn't look right. She got up and down a few times and was lifting her lip. She took her out and walked her for a while. I asked her to show her to the barn manager and get her feedback. The barn manager took her vitals and they seemed normal. I called my vet and she was a couple of hours away so she told me to give her 10cc of Banamine IV and if she still didn't seem right to get another vet out. The Banamine seemed to make her content for about an hour, and then she layed down again right at feeding time. My friend recognized this as a red flag and notified the barn manager, who said as long as she wasn't rolling that she was fine. NOT TRUE. Thankfully, my friend followed her instinct and decided to start walking her again. At this point I was trying to get there, but friday rush hour traffic in LA is brutal. Within a half an hour Kylie started going down hill fast. I got another call as I sit stuck in traffic that she was now trying to lay down while my friend was walking her. She told the barn manager, who apparently had something far more important to attend to becasue she got in her car and left. This I find to be a HUGE problem, since the horse was getting worse and the girl walking her was just being nice and had no responsibility to the horse, but I will deal with this later. I had a vet on the way and I was trying to brave the traffic and get there as soon as I could. By the time I got there around 6, Kylie was in bad shape. Her legs were buckling and she was trying very hard to lay down. The vet showed up soon after and gave her some sedatives to make her more comfortable. He oiled her and palpated her. I continued to walk her for a while hoping things would work themselves out. The vet said as soon as the drugs start wearing off in 20 min, if she is still uncomfortable I needed to get her to the hospital. He gave me another shot to give her right before she got on the trailer to keep her comfortable for the ride there. When the drugs started wearing off she was even worse, and I could tell in major distress. We had to kept her walking for a while until my husband showed up with the truck. That was a challenge. I am so grateful my friend was there to help me and to have noticed there was a problem to begin with. She saved her life. I gave her the shot and she reluctantly loaded on the trailer. By the time we hit the end of the driveway the shot wore off and she was not a happy traveler. It was the worst trailer ride of my life. She thrashed the whole way there, and I could hear her trying to go down. Nothing we could do but get there as fast as possible. Luckily the hospital is only 30 min. away. When we pulled in I was afraid I was going to open the trailer to a pile of body parts. It wasn't that bad but when she got off the trailer she wanted to go down BAD. They gave her some more drugs to ease the pain but they wouldn't hold for more than 2 min. The vet said I needed to make a choice right then, put her down or surgery and I didn't have 5 min to decide.

Surgery....
After a few hours, the surgeon came out to talk to me. It wasn't good news. On a scale of one to ten, it was a ten. Her large intestine was twisted like a wrung towel. He needed to do a colon resectioning to remove most of it. The chance of survival was 50/50 if that. Oh boy! Not what I wanted to hear. I looked around for second wondering if someone could pinch me and wake me up from this nightmare. Then I looked through the window to my precious baby upside down on the operating table with all of her guts outside her body. I said ok do whatever you have to do.

to be continued....

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On the road to recovery

Mazzy was lucky enough to receive treatment from Dr. McIlwraith this weekend. He flew in for the weekend, and I spoke with him early Saturday morning and he told me to bring her down and he could squeeze her into his schedule. Thank goodness I have a trailer! I was on the road as soon as I hung up the phone. He did some work on her, and he seems very hopeful for a good recovery. Wow, if this is not an example of why you should get a second or third opinion, it is an example of the amazing things the very best can accomplish. In the past few weeks I have gone from possible euthanasia to an optimistic future. I am fairly certain the doc does not know how great the words "I have good news" was to hear today. What an emotional roller coaster this has been.

There is still a long road to recovery, and of course, I understand nothing is certain, but I now have hope. I actually have another big thing to be thankful for, very good friends. My friend that made this whole thing happen with the world renowned joint doctor also hooked Mazzy up with an awesome rehab facility. Mazzy isn't going to want to leave this place, especially after a swim in the aqua tread! No fly mask or sheet needed here! So clean and peaceful. I just hope she stops eating the knee deep straw she is bedded in. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight now that my baby is safe and well cared for.

Mazzy is actually staying at a farm I am proud to spotlight, even if it is only temporarily.

Aquatread

Good friends are truly a blessing. I am extremely grateful for the ones that have carried me through this whole ordeal, and I am also thankful for the ones that have left me alone. Some people just understand that if I wanted to talk about it I would, and some people just don't get that I don't want to be the subject of today's hot gossip discussion. My business is not something I want to spread around the barn like wildfire, I don't want insincere sympathy and I don't want to discuss it with everyone. Unfortunately the reason some people want the details is so they can have information to blab about. So if you are one of those people that loves to gossip and thrives on others misfortune, and who's horse is the latest tragedy, please do not ask me how my horse is doing, and do not tell me I am not alone because so and so's horse has problems too. That's private and that's not your business to tell me or anyone! This is not directed at any of my wonderful caring blogging friends or any of my friends who are genuinely concerned. Sorry for the rant, but some of my recent stress is about how to avoid all the questions from people at the barn. Whew, feels good to get that off my chest!

No dirt pathways here! All rubber pavers.

beautiful track at the rehab facility

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A glimmer of hope

I'm not any closer to an answer as to Mazzy's future, however, a good friend of mine connected me with the best in the field of joints (thank you Jennifer!). And I am talking BEST. C. Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, PhD, DSc, FRCVS, Diplomate ACVS. He is the director of Colorado State University's Equine Orthopaedic Research Center, the most prominent and largest of the handful of such facilities in the country. He has led the veterinary profession in the development of its most important tools for treating joint disease.

Dr. McIlwraith is a world authority on equine joints. He has performed surgery on more than 10,000 horses. He is a Past-President of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and a recognized leader in the field of equine orthopaedic research and surgery. He consults worldwide as a specialist equine surgeon and has received national and international media attention for his contributions to joint research. Dr. McIlwraith is the author of four textbooks: Techniques in Large Animal Surgery, Equine Surgery: Advanced Techniques, Arthroscopic Surgery in the Horse and Joint Disease in the Horse. He has authored or co-authored over 250 refereed publications and textbook chapters, and has presented over 350 seminars both nationally and internationally to equine practitioners, veterinary specialty meetings and human orthopaedic meetings. His honors and accolades would easily fill the screen.

It doesn't take away the horrible situation, but it surely makes me feel that if there is anything that can be done, he is the man that can do it!

Managing Joint Disease in the Sport Horse Webinar by Dr. McIlwraith - very interesting, great information, but extremely scientific. Lots of studies
Growing Problems - TheHorse.com

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Poor Mazzy Girl

Perhaps I have been in denial that there is a problem with my young horse Mazzy, but I am fairly certain there is at this point. I guess by finally posting about it I am admitting it. She has been under saddle for just about a year now. From the beginning there has been a weakness behind which we at first attributed to her being young, very large, and having no fitness or muscle. Her training has progressed well, she wants to learn and enjoys working. She is really quiet, so I never have to lounge her, thankfully. I really look forward to riding her everyday because she just keeps getting better and better. Since I've raised her from birth I have a very special bond with her.

Due to her size and growth spurt at a young age I have kept her on monthly Adequan injections and a joint supplement (Recovery EQ with HA). She has always been stiffer going to the right, it is harder for her to bend that way, but don't all horses have a better and worse side? There are some other young horses at the barn that seem to be progressing faster, but I wasn't necessarily concerned with that because I didn't need my three year old jumping 3 foot courses if I want her to last more than a couple of years. I am perfectly happy with the slow pace she has been brought along at. She gets two professional rides a week which has worked out great. She gets to keep learning and I try and reinforce what my trainer teaches her. In March she seemed to have a sore back and was not quite right behind, taking shorter steps. I wasn't concerned because babies go through alot of changes and things get sore as they develop and learn to use different muscles. We gave her some time off. She was fine for the month of April and then the beginning of May was off on her right hind. Gave her a few days off and she seemed fine again. Meanwhile she was consistently hacked and wasn't working terribly hard. The end of May she came up sore again, so it was time for the vet to come out and look at her. She was quite positive to the stifle flexions and dragging her hind toes. We had already assumed her stifles were what was was bothering her, so it was no huge surprise. My vet evaluated her and gave me some options. 1) Injection of anti-inflammatory medications such as hyaluronic acid and corticosteroids directly into the joint OR 2) The use of bone marrow or Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP).

When a joint is inflamed, it creates an unhealthy environment for healing. The inflammatory process can create a less-than-optimal chemical mix in the joint fluid. While non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications block production of PGE2 to effectively obstruct pain, cartilage breakdown continues. Corticosteroids prevent production of PGE2 to block inflammation and pain, but they also inhibit synthesis of the cartilage matrix and increase risk of infection. Traditional anti-inflammatory injection treat the symptoms. Mazzy is so young, so I really wanted to do the least invasive treatment.

And since IRAP treats the cause, we decided on IRAP. Also, because the IRAP serum is derived from the animal’s own blood, the possibility of adverse allergic or anaphylactic side effects is drastically reduced. The cost is quite high for IRAP, but I wanted to do what was best for my young horse. Many horses that do not respond to traditional anti-inflammatory injections respond to IRAP, so I figured I would go what works best. It really stinks having to even make this decision so early in her career!

IRAP uses the body's own protective mechanism to produce autologous conditioned serum (ACS) from your horse's own blood. The ACS counteracts the destructive effects of inflammation within the diseased joint. The procedure begins with drawing blood from your horse into a special patent syringe. The syringe contains chromium-coated glass beads which enhance production of anti-inflammatory proteins including IRAP. The blood is incubated for 24 hours at which point the blood is spun down and the conditioned serum is extracted and processed into individual doses that can be injected similar to a routine intra-articular joint medication.

Good article from The Chronicle of the Horse:
http://www.equinepi.com/links/IRAP.pdf

Post IRAP treatment:
Mazzy was hand walked/saddle walked daily for a week and then walk-trot for a week and now she is back to normal hacking. I have had some of the best rides on her since the IRAP, she has felt soft and light and her canter is so much more coordinated. It really has been such a pleasure feeling the improvement. And then...three weeks after the IRAP treatment, lame. So frustrating. I have the vet coming back out tomorrow.

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Horse Dentist

The horses had a visit from the horse dentist today.
Horses' teeth grow continuously until some time between the ages of 25 and 30. Horses in heavy work or horses that are stabled and fed concentrates will need more regular examination as this can cause them to chew differently affecting the way the teeth wear. Raised edges may appear along the edges of the molars; typically along the outside of the upper set and the inside of the lower set. When these "unground surfaces" get large the horse cannot rock his lower jaw laterally as he chews due to his teeth being locked between the opposing ridges. Thus the problem self propagates, the ridges slowly appear larger as they are no longer being worn down, and as the horse rubs these ridges when chewing, he's actually wearing down the sides of these ridges into sharp points. The frequency of floating a horse is variable and is related to the individual horse. I get mine done about twice a year.


Horses generally shed caps 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 years of age. Caps are baby teeth. Some shed them on their own, some need to be removed to allow the permanent teeth to come in easier. Between Horses erupt 44 permanent teeth and shed 24 baby teeth or "caps." You can greatly increase your horse's comfort and promote future good dental health by having the equine dentist pull adhering "caps" at the right time because sometimes the cap loosens and does not come off OR a cap breaks off leaving a hard piece located between the permanent tooth and the gum. Mazzy had to have two of her caps removed:

Kylie's teeth weren't in too bad of shape since they were just floated about 5 months ago. The dentist removed sharp edges and small hooks and ramps from the cheek teeth.

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Hello Sun!

We finally got a break in the weather, but the rings are way too wet to ride. I have been handwalking the horses in between storms this week. Kylie has been fine, but this morning Mazzy didn't want to behave very well afer a week of being cooped up in her stall - silly and young. She had a few outbursts today while I was walking her due to some other even wilder horses setting her off. It was a crazy day at the barn with all the owners showing up to handwalk thier horses who have barely left thier stalls in a week. Luckily I got there early and avioded most of the commotion. As I was a leaving there was a horse that got loose from its owner. Not the most relaxing day.

Poor Kylie had another huge outbreak of hives. I just can't seem to get a handle on them, and have no idea what is causing them. The only thing left is her hay (unless it is airborne) since she is off everything else, her stall has changed (completely different shavings, and it is dry and clean), blankets & brushes washed. I started her back on the antihistamine Hydroxizine 2x/day.

Kylie looking out her stall door, wishing the rain would go away.

Backstroke in ring 1, anyone?

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Mazzy's progress & Kylie's hives

It is always something with horses isn't is?


Mazzy's football sized hematoma that required two vet visits (and no treatment) is gone. Still no explaination of what caused it, but at least it is gone. She is finally getting back into a productive work schedule now that my trainer is back from the busy year end showing schedule and all of the awards banquets and holidays are behind us. It is really nice to get on Mazzy after my trainer and feel a HUGE improvement. I guess if I didn't I wouldn't need the the help! Some days her trot is rhythmic and it feels fantastic. She is getting the hang of bending and softening and when she relaxes her neck and back it feels great! Her transitions are improving. Her canter is also coming along. I'm starting to be able to regulate it, a little bit, but it still feels disorganized and strung out. I am sure it will be years before she feels connected. I wish I kept a journal of Kylie's progression as a baby to compare. I do have alot of videos of her training which I am going to dig out one of these days.



"Your horse is telling you there's something wrong; the problem is, it's in Braille." Poor Kylie has hives, referred to as urticaria. Inflammation induced by allergens causes small veins to dilate and increase capillary permeability in the skin. “Fluid” leaks into surrounding tissues to form wheals or plaques of edema (fluid swelling). Hunting down the cause of hives is often a challenge. Because hypersensitivity reactions take weeks to months or even years to develop, a sudden onset of hives is not necessarily a result of a recent change; this makes it difficult to pin down the actual source of the problem. I did what I could to eliminate anything that could be causing it anyway. I dug out her stall just in case there was lurking bacteria (which I am sure there was plenty of) that was irritating her. I took her off all of her goodies (supplements) so she is just getting hay and beet pulp....blah. Washed all her clothes and pads, scrubbed her boots, cleaned my tack (which I should be doing anyways). The causes are limitless as I read in an article on thehorse.com:

Many different medications, such as antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or topical agents can be the culprit. Other causes range from a rapid change in temperature, stress, or an autoimmune disease. Santoro also noted that allergies can play a role as well; "a horse could be having an allergic reaction to food, flies, mosquitoes, or something in its environment." Of course, just as in humans, horses can have a seasonal reaction to pollen or molds.

This has been going on for a few weeks now. They have gotten so bad that I have had to give her Dexamethzone, because I am concerned about her airway closing up. Thankfully, the Dex clears them right up.....only to return again a few days later. Argh! She doesn't appear itchy or bothered by them which is good. The only other suspicious factor is that she is not the only horse at the barn who has developed them lately so it could be something in the hay. I have my fingers crossed that there are no hives left on her tonight, that will be four days hive free.

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Another frustrating injury!

I got a call from the barn manager on Friday while I was at work about a bump on Mazzy's thigh. I was told that the groom decided to lunge her to see if she was lame, which really isn't a decision the grooms would normally make (I find out later that he either he did not notice it before he decided to lunge her or she slipped while lunging and got the "bump" and is afraid to say that). It didn't sound terribly serious from what they told me on the phone, so I figured they would do what they thought best to treat her. I called a friend of mine who happened to be at the barn at that time and asked her to take a look and give me her opinion. She is very knowledgeable with loads of experience. I would trust her more than anyone with the care of my horses. The "bump" was really a nearly football sized swelling. She sent me a photo and videos over the phone (can't figure out how to post the videos)....Mazzy was put back in her stall without wraps, so my wonderful friend wrapped her legs to prevent the swelling from settling down in her legs and causing more problems. She also gave her 2 bute to help with the swelling and pain. I was so grateful she was looking after her, since I was stuck at work. I do not know exactly what happened because I have heard a couple of different versions of the order of events. I do know there was quite a bit of swelling on Friday and it dissipated by Saturday morning, and then more so by Sunday. There is still quite a bit of swelling, but it is not as centralized. She is sore at the walk, and isn't thrilled when you palpate the area. There is a knot in the middle of the swelling which is sensitive to her, and there are a few small scratches/scuffs over the area which may be related. I have been cold hosing, hand walking, using Surpass (topical anti-inflammatory cream), and giving her 2 bute a day for the past couple of days. I really wish I knew if she fell down lunging, got cast in her stall, or got bit by a spider. If it doesn't get better by tomorrow, I'm going to be calling the vet AGAIN for another visit to see Mazzy. All of these injuries are really getting me concerned about her safety.

Puncture Wound

Cast in the turnout

Skinned hair off both hips

Gashes on both sides of her face

Swollen back leg, probably from getting cast in her stall (now there are permanent lumps there)

The horses consumed most of the day on Saturday and Sunday, but I did go to a fun costume party Saturday night...

Sunday afternoon we went to Olvera street for the Day of the Dead celebration (All Souls' Day). It is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the US focusing on family and friends praying for and remembering friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on Oct 31, Nov 1st & 2nd in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints' Day which occurs on Nov 1st, and All Souls' Day which occurs on Nov 2nd. Olvera Street is the oldest part of downtown LA, which was converted to a colorful Mexican marketplace in 1930. People paint their faces to look like skeletons, there is music, dancers, lots of alters and shrines are set up for people who have passed, and everyone is selling candy skulls. It was interesting...

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