Last week I told you that Missy Miss was sore… she was sore after her trim, but … truly… she’s been lame (on and off) for a while – and I got the hit that even though she is a very young mare – I think she has IR (Insulin Resistance) issues.

I decided to treat her like I did Mama Tess, and see if her issues subsided.

FUNNY HOW I HAVE FORGOTTEN ALL MY ROUTINES –

I knew what I needed to do, but I had forgotten how to do all of these things efficiently.  How did I stir the wet hay?  What did I give her while the hay was soaking?  Which treatment did I use on her feet when it was only laminitis?

As I fumbled about, making my way and trying to remember, I kept smiling.  How could a routine that was so ingrained in me for 3 years, go away like ‘poof’ less than two years later?!

But, it did.

I had forgotten how to do it all – so I wandered around, going this way and that, remembering bits and pieces… and laughing at myself.

Good thing MM didn’t know… I could mess up and she didn’t know to be angry and disgruntled as MT would be when I stepped out of the sequence during mealtime!  I miss her so much.

Anyway, I’m back into the swing of it.

WHAT I DID (no affiliation with any products)

I now have her on Coolstance laced with Omega Alpha Antiflam, a hoof/coat suplement and Chia seed.

Once I give her that bucket, I race to put a half flake into a small-holed haynet and soak that in a bucket of cold water (with MT, I used hot water… but I don’t have any here).  I stir that around and break up the flake so it is totally soaked.

Then I run back and get her now empty bucket and give her a full bucket of soaked beet pulp pellets (not shreds because they have too much molasses).  It takes her a while to go through that.

Once her bucket if finished, I pull the net out of the water (with MT, I put the water down the shower stall drain but … I don’t have a drain so…) and set it on the grass to drain.  Then I use the water on some of the bushes around here that are begging for it.

Once the hay has drained, she gets to have the haynet full of soaked hay.

HER FEET

The first day, she wouldn’t pick up her feet.  But, after several days of this treatment, she’s much happier and almost totally sound – so she picks up her feet.

Upon the first inspection, I noticed a crack on her right front hoof.  I tried to manipulate it but I couldn’t.  I knew it was probably unstable when she walked, but standing there, it was holding.

Other than that, I really didn’t see anything else that was off, like an abscess or bruise or anything amiss. Of course, you never know about abscesses, but since she is mostly sound now, I think her issue is IR sensitivity triggered by a trim.

I put an Equine Slipper on that foot with the crack – just to be safe.

She tried to take it off.

I doubt she has ever had anything on her feet… but after moving with it on, I think she immediately noticed the comfort and has not messed with it since.  Smart girl.

I didn’t use a SoftRide boot because she is in a larger enclosure – and I wasn’t sure how she would react to a boot.  I didn’t want her to charge off with one foot in a 2″ heel…

Now that she has worn the Equine Slipper with no drama, I will train her to the SoftRides – in case she needs them in the future.

 

WHAT I WILL CONTINUE TO DO

Since MM is responding to the IR regime, I’m going to continue to try to reduce her weight.  I think maybe she has been overweight most of her 5-6 years.  I’m guessing this is the root of her issues.

Today I purchased hay that was tested to be low in all the bad sugars and starches.  She will get smaller amounts, more often, soaked.

She will continue on the Coolstance slurry with Antiflam and a bucket of soaked beet pulp for fiber (and something to do while the others are eating…) until she is 100%.

And, I’ll watch her like a hawk – asking MT to guide me.

Of course, if she slips backwards in any way, I’ll call in a foot specialist.  But, I really think she is on the right track now.  I will keep you posted.