Not sure if Dolly is lame [new video added post 26] [Archive]

farmers_wife

04-07-2009, 01:13 PM

I have a very hard time telling if a horse is limping or lame. I am having a friend come out and look at her. I know she is over weight and I am working on getting her weight off. But if she is lame it is going to be hard. I have a short video but it is not that good. Just take a look and see if you can see anything with the little bit of video
In the vidoe buttercup wanted to play.
Thanks
100_2470.flv video by farmerdolly - Photobucket

WashingtonBay

04-07-2009, 01:48 PM

Hard to tell unless you could get a nice consistent trot out of her where we could really see, but I didn't see any lameness at all in what she did.

What are you noticing that makes you wonder?

She is a founder risk if you don't get some of that weight off.... going into spring grass, it's a high risk time for her to be that heavy. I wouldn't be giving her ANY grain.

vicklynn

04-07-2009, 02:00 PM

Ditto to WB.
Watch that founder hon.

jeezitsjacki

04-07-2009, 02:44 PM

she doesnt look lame from what I could say, but ya I would take her off any grain and maybe cut back feedings to twice a day or something, going into spring is dangerous for overweight horses

Remali

04-07-2009, 03:09 PM

It's too hard to tell from the video. I'd get her trotting consistently on the longe line and look for a head bob.

HeartofSteel

04-07-2009, 03:20 PM

I agree with Wbay. She did seem a little sore but its hard to tell.

cloedoll

04-07-2009, 03:21 PM

I second what WashingtonBay said. Not to be a nag or anything but founder is nothing to mess around with and it's very, very important you get her weight down

Remali

04-07-2009, 05:12 PM

I went thru founder once with Kara, it was horrible, but I was lucky and my horse pulled thru OK. But not after spending a lot of money on farrier visits and radiographs. I would feed Dolly grass hay only and nothing else....and very limited spring grass, if any grass at all (better none at all).

farmers_wife

04-07-2009, 06:00 PM

I know that her weight is not good. Dolly is on dry lot. I do not have a pasture yet to put her in. As for grain she only gets progressive and only 4oz in morning and 4oz at night. So not a lot of grain. I just think that I over fed in the winter.
I just noticed her limping. I did just put her on joint supplement.
I am getting rid of my goats at the end of April and then I am going to seperate my horses. Dolly does not need the hay and Rashad needs the hay.
I worry about her also. I have been walking her and riding her. But I want to make sure she is not lame. I will try and get a better video.
Thanks for all your suggestions.

WashingtonBay

04-07-2009, 06:52 PM

The limping you saw - do you see it also in the video?

farmers_wife

04-08-2009, 04:03 AM

I did not really see it in the video. I have a friend coming out today maybe. I will let you know what she says.

Peggy Sue

04-08-2009, 06:06 AM

That pony is TOO CUTE....

Can you have your friend help you video for us?? Straight away from camera then straight on from both sides??

farmers_wife

04-08-2009, 07:21 AM

My friend was just here and she said she was only limping a little. Nothing big and not lame. But she did say (which I know) that the weight needs to come off.
I feel so bad (to the point I am crying) that I did that to Dolly. I was told to keep hay in front of her all the time because of her loose stools. We thought that her loose stools might of been because I was feeding her once in the morning and at night and she was not getting enough live bacteria (or whatever you call it) in her. I was told horses are grazers and need to be grazing all the time. Well in Dolly's case she can not eat all the time. I was also suggested (which is impossibe because i work) to feed her 1 flake in morning, 1 in afternoon and 1 at night. That way she is not going all day without eating. I do have hay (1st crop which is a lot of stem) that is mostly grass. The other hay i was feeding her is about 30% alfalfa. I have to seperate her no matter what.
Sorry for this being so long.

Fork

04-08-2009, 07:36 AM

shewasmyshadow

04-08-2009, 07:39 AM

farmers_wife

04-08-2009, 07:51 AM

Definitely limit or completely remove her alfalfa hay consumption. It's not good for everyday feeding in any animal.

Hey, it's okay. :) These kinds of things happen. Now that we've figured out what's wrong, the problem will be a lot easier to solve. Do you work her very often?

I have not been working her but I am going to start walking her everyday. When I trot her she does not do it for long. I just put her on joint supplement.
I posted a picture of Dolly in Oct 2008 and One taken just recent.

cowgirlup@idaho

04-08-2009, 07:52 AM

I bought a horse that was as fat or fatter than your Dolly. She was lame in the front w/o shoes (i think the seller knew). So from 8/08 to now she has gotten 4-5 flakes of grass hay/day. Just recently I started giving her vitamins so the lucky broad gets 1/2 cup of oats to blend her vitamin supplement, hehe it's the highlight of her day! She gets her vit once a day at night. She is still a big bodied horse and always will be. I believe she was beginning to founder when I bought her. She is no longer lame and I have ridden her w/o shoes. It just takes time, patience and keep an eye on her for changes. Keeping her feet in good shape, regular farrier visits, will keep help keep her sound. Keep an eye on that cute pony too, they are famous to founder. I've never heard of a pony needing constant hay or more hay than a grown horse. Don't worry too much, it's a slow process dieting a horse, good luck! :)

cowgirlup@idaho

04-08-2009, 08:01 AM

Dolly always looks a little bit "ouchy" when she trots. It's usually not one leg, but just a general look of discomfort. It's not all the time, but just seems to come and go. Does that sound like arthritis?

No, it sounds like a horse recovered once from founder. A vet or farrier could better tell you what's going on. Does she wear shoes? is she lame w/o shoes and with shoes? In the photo her neck is crested (which isn't always a sign of founder) and she is a bit coon-footed (which could be weight or age). How old is she?

farmers_wife

04-08-2009, 08:08 AM

No, it sounds like a horse recovered once from founder. A vet or farrier could better tell you what's going on. Does she wear shoes? is she lame w/o shoes and with shoes? In the photo her neck is crested (which isn't always a sign of founder) and she is a bit coon-footed (which could be weight or age). How old is she?

I get a farrier out every 6-8 weeks. Dolly has no shoes on now but she will when I ride her on gravel because she gets outchie. The farrier says she has flat feet and he said something else but I cant remember. She does not have stong hooves. Dolly is about 17yrs old. I have had dolly for 2yrs and the farrier said nothing about founder. the pony had founder when I got him. He foundered on grain.

WashingtonBay

04-08-2009, 08:16 AM

cowgirlup@idaho

04-08-2009, 06:59 PM

My horse is flat soled also, probably from being obese most of her life (she is 10 this spring). She has shoes on now so that I can ride her in all kinds of terrain at most paces. My farrier says he's seen flatter but doesn't think the coffin bone has rotated much if at all. He says her hooves are 100% healthier from when I brought her home. The hoof walls were ringed quite a few times and that is all grown out now. A rotated coffin bone is also a symptom of Navicular, but either way, it takes an x-ray to know for sure what's taken place inside the hoof. :)

cyb

04-09-2009, 07:14 PM

To me she looked a bit tender on her front feet.

farmers_wife

04-10-2009, 06:30 AM

I have more video I just have to upload it.

vicklynn

04-10-2009, 06:54 AM

I dont think you are feeding her that much Alfalfa and you are fine in feeding it to her on a reg diet. For now, I would take her off it and just feed grass.

DO NOT feel bad, but dont let people tell you to put hay in front of them 24/7. That really depends alot on a horse, like its weight mostly.
As far as feeding twice a day, Ive been doing it for YEARS. Barn owners do it, its a way of life and it does not make a horses stool bad. There had to of been something else. Maybe type of hay, or something internally.

Either way, you will be fine. Nothing wrong with dry lot or a barn fed horse.
((HUGS))
When Myst was a fatty, I fed her 1 flake or 2 light flakes a day, but she was getting just local grass with not much to it but forage. She got 1/2 lb grain and a mineral block. Sometimes she would look hungry, but I couldnt feed her for her own good. She is now down to 1200lbs and looking good. My vet couldnt tell them apart because City finally grew up and Myst finally lost her weight(she was over weight when I got her, crested on her neck a bit)

Remali

04-10-2009, 08:04 PM

Don't feel bad, you are just trying to do what is right for your horse. Most people (including me) feed twice a day, there is nothing wrong with that at all. I would maybe cut out all grain, or just give her a handful as a treat once in a while if you want to, and just feed her 2 or 3 times a day, mostly grass hay if you can (your hay sounds fine tho), I think feeding hay would be more safe than grass tho.....horses can founder on grass so easily due to the sugars, etc. And if she is a bit gimpy I guess I wouldn't work her yet.

farmers_wife

04-11-2009, 05:33 AM

Here is a new video of Dolly. I hope this one works

100_2488.flv video by farmerdolly - Photobucket

100_2487.flv video by farmerdolly - Photobucket

100_2489.flv video by farmerdolly - Photobucket

WashingtonBay

04-11-2009, 06:54 AM

I don't think she looks particularly lame in those shots at first view, though it's possible she's equally tender on both fronts, in which case, it's harder to see, because she wouldn't have a head bobbing limp.

But I think it's important to watch and trust your own instincts there in person. Much easier for you to be sensitive to subtle clues. And if she's sore, quit.

I guess my advice is the same as it was before. Get her shod before doing any compulsory exercise... and then do some walking on trail, stay low impact and easy, for several rides before you ask for much distance, or much trotting.

Start her out easy, be sensitive to how much she's ready to give, and she'll most likely be OK :)

Remali

04-12-2009, 04:51 PM

To me it looked like she had a bit of a head bob in the second video, so I thought she appeared a little gimpy in that video. I would talk to your farrier, ask him what he thinks. Since I had a horse that foundered I am more cautious now....I would maybe even ask your farrier if he could x-ray her feet, just to be on the safe side (not sure of the cost, but back when Kara foundered it wasn't expensive at all). If she has been overweight for a while, you never know. When my horse foundered, they then finally figured out that she had actually foundered some time previous to that time too, and I did recall there was a time before that when she was a bit off and a bit gimpy (she got trimmed too short by a different farrier, and then after that started to pork out when the BO started to over-feed the horses). I'd say Dolly doesn't need any grain at all, and I'd give Dolly hay only, no grass and no alfalfa. Spring grass can be dangerous, lots of sugars in grass, and that can cause founder. Anyway, just my two cents. She sure is a beautiful horse, very pretty! Looks really nice where you live!

HeartofSteel

04-12-2009, 06:05 PM

Agree with the two above me. The first video she did look sorta off but I couldn't decide on which one, it could very well possibly be both but the second video looked a little more on the right front.

Miracle Whip

04-12-2009, 07:27 PM

I don't think that she is sore because she is barefoot. Generally when barefoot horses get sore they are more gimpy. I thought her back end looked a little weak but that could be lack of muscle tone and just plain being old and overweight too. I am old and overweight and I am not that athletic either!!

Were you giving Dolly probiotics at one time? If you were, why would she need hay 24/7? Just curious.

Also, I think WBay used to say, be careful of hoof supplements, they can be high protein sometimes so the joint supplement you mentioned should be checked to see if it is ok for overweight horses.

Good luck. Don't feel bad, honest, its hard to feed horses as a group. I separate mine quite a bit anymore, for grain time and even part of the hay time, so I know that each horse gets a minimum amount of hay and then they can fight for the rest of it. (fighting isn't the right word for it, Whip is too polite and will let Ginger have it) I only have one water source, I might get one of those hang on the fence waterers.

Peggy Sue

04-13-2009, 10:19 AM

amino acids are NEEDED for proper foot growth!!! so yes most hoof supplements are goin to be protien rich... what does protien have to do with her being off???

WashingtonBay

04-13-2009, 10:45 AM

Also, I think WBay used to say, be careful of hoof supplements, they can be high protein sometimes so the joint supplement you mentioned should be checked to see if it is ok for overweight horses.

It's actually Biotin, that anectodally, has been reported to make some horses hot. Not protein.

cloedoll

04-13-2009, 12:16 PM

Agree with the two above me.

Dittooo.

MNHorsegal

04-13-2009, 02:39 PM

If it were a foot issue...., I believe she is tender in her hind feet. But, I would not even start to address that issue until she is down to a proper weight. I can see in the video her lumbosacral joint is under so much strain from her ahem... rather... jolly... belly. I would not be surprised if her tenderness completely disappeared when brought to the proper weight.

I must ask... have I been gone long enough that she is pregnant?

farmers_wife

04-13-2009, 05:15 PM

MN- No dolly is not pregnant. Although she looks like it. I do have them seperated now.

Dolly is not on any probitoics. I have been limiting her hay. And for joint supplement she is on Next level. And In the active ingrediends there is no protein.

I am trying to get the weight off her. Do you think when I walk her I should wrap her legs?