Social Group for those with Metabolic Horses?

[Gypsy Rose]

I'm just wondering how many people would be interested in a group like this.

It would be a place where we could post info or links to information on caring for metabolic horses, and share our experiences.

[walkinthewalk]

I would be for it:cowboy:

It might lessen the blow of discovering one has a metabolic horse by having a starting place to go where there would be a lot of supportive information and links; which could include a link to the Yahoo Equine Cushings Group.

I was a basket case for quite a few weeks while I was trying to research and then sort through viable information vs. mis-leading information.

[Ryle]

There is already a wonderful group available with tons and tons of information on caring for/diagnosing horses with metabolic issues. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings

[walkinthewalk]

There is already a wonderful group available with tons and tons of information on caring for/diagnosing horses with metabolic issues. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings

I made reference to that group in my post above. Yes they do have a storehouse of great information, but the site is difficult to surf thru, and I have seen conflicting information on there.

The point to a metabolic thread on this board would be to have something handy that would include links to other sites, such as the Yahoo Cushings Group, plus immediate and viable information for those newly having to face metabolic issues.

I am a well-organized and not easily intimidated person. I can honestly say when I heard the word "cushionoid" come out of two veterinarian's mouths regarding Duke, I was devastated and thought Duke had just been handed a death sentence.

I spent every spare moment I had the entire 2007 summer researching to find ways to help Duke without having to put him on drugs; something one vet said I "needed to do".

My instinct told me not to put Duke on Pergolide and it was the right decision in his case.

Because of that research and help from three very well qualified equine dieticians, Duke is still very healthy without use of drugs. If the day comes Duke's natural supplements quit doing their job, then I will turn to the Pergolide.

To reiterate, all that is meant by starting a metabolic thread is to raise awareness and to save other folks (that want the best for their metabolic horse) from those initial panic attacks by providing them an immediate starting place to gain productive knowledge.

That, in turn, will help them decide what route to take because each horse needs to be treated differently.

Case-in-point because of Duke, I was able to quickly recognize the signs in my 12 yo TWH who is built exactly like Duke and also an air fern.

While taken aback by the knowledge that two of my four horses are metabolic, awareness at least prevented me from having another panic attack. The 12 yo is also on some of the supplements Duke gets and he is maintaining.

I guess one could call a metabolic thread a "Support Group" comprised of folks who are just discovering they have a metabolic horse, folks who have been there, and professional folks, such as yourself, who have the scientific knowledge and want to help:cowboy:

[Oreos Girl]

I would be interested. My vet has not said anything other than my horse is fat, but having looked at these discussions I am coming to the conclusion that he is IR. I haven't started doing any real research on the topic yet. I would love the advice of others.

[FrogInABlender]

Count me in too. I've got one 17yr old TWH that is IR and several others that are air ferns that I'm feeding as if they were. I think it's a good idea. The Yahoo group is great, but sometimes they don't have a lot of patience for newbies. They tend to say "scan the archives" a lot when somebody just wants some quick information and a lot of people just won't do it or don't know how.

[Gypsy Rose]

That's good to hear that there are some people interested! I'll get together with Walkinthewalk, then, and we'll see what we can get set up.

In the meantime, I'll get the group started, at any rate.

[Gypsy Rose]

Here's the link to the group:

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/group.php?groupid=40

[magayle]

great group idea gypsy rose

[walkinthewalk]

Bumping up so interested folks can find the link in Post #8 :cowboy: