Riley update: The good news is the discharge is either a very slight infection or normal serous discharge from the growth of granulation tissue. He goes back to the clinic for a checkup on Sept. 9. Riley is walking well, eating well, no temperature, blah, blah, blah.
Now the bad news. The barn manager, and now my vet, have noted a loss of body condition. While he gets generous amounts of grass hay, he is not getting grain, only MSM and hoof supplements. And of course, no turnout. He is not ribby, in fact his tummy and neck are robust looking. His topline, though, and his hindquarters look bad. There is a depression on each side of his spine. I'll be honest, has assumed this was just the price you pay for having a horse on stall rest -- but maybe there's something that can be done. We'll be starting him on some kind of low carb high protein feed, at least until the trip to the clinic.
Next Saturday I'm going to the Hilltop Farm GOV inspection in Colora MD. Can't wait! And to get myself geared up I checked out some threads on inspections on various listservs. I read where an arabian mare was accepted in the the Hanoverian stud book/mare book. Not only did this mare get accepted into the mare book, she got a 10 on her head and an 8 on her gaits. Here is the video from the inspection...
There is also a thread on COTH...
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Arabian mare in Hanoverian stud/mare book (video)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Comment on Riley's body condition.. I'm not a nutrition expert hardly, but have you looked into Purina's Ultium? Have you heard anything about it? Maybe ask your vet. Although it's designed for performance horses, I've heard people using it for the purpose of enhancing body condition. Just a thought!
ReplyDeleteRice bran might do the trick, or a high fat food - Ultium or Ultimate Finish. He may loose muscle mass due to stall rest.
ReplyDeletei checked out the video for the arab mare...and i am wondering what is so special about her? i just didnt see anything that remarkable about her that is much different than several that i have ridden in the past.
ReplyDeleteWhy would they accept an arabian into the Hanoverian studbook? I mean really there aren't enough quality hanoverian mares out there. This is how bloodlines & breeds get corrupted. She is an arabian NOT a hanoverian. They have their own registry. They are their own seperate breed. It is very dissappointing that they would allow this. Plus she gets a 10 for her head, no duh everyone knows that Arabians have beautiful heads.
ReplyDeleteDang, Riley! I know Purina has a low-starch food called Well Solve. Don't know if that would help any.....
ReplyDeleteI love that mare!! She is so adorable! I couldn't really point her out as having any Arab in her until I saw the way she held that tail (lovely!) and that bouncy trot. Absolutely gorgeous.
I'm not surprised Riley is losing condition. It can happen pretty quickly with a horse on stall rest. Remember, he hasn't used those muscles in several weeks now.
ReplyDeleteHigh fat, low carb feed might help, but you do have to be careful not to overfeed. You don't want to develop other foot issues...
At this point, I think you'd be best consulting your vet first. I've always been told that a horse not being worked should be fine on high quality hay alone.
Try Purina's Enrich 32. High protein, low cal. We use it on our easy keepers. Ultium, which other people have suggested, has even more calories than Omolene. Also, if you have any nutrition questions, Purina's people are quite helpful and responsive.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an expert but she looks very harmonious to me, balanced, substantive where she needs to be, delicate and feminine. She lacks some of the Arabian traits that warmblood breeders frown upon like the super high tail set, pacy gaits etc. It really shouldn't be a big deal that she's been accepted. Arabs are found throughout the bloodlines of warmbloods, esp trakheners (sp). Hano's are pretty picky about outside breeds I think. I envision this mare bred to a tall, powerful WB (Don Schufro?) and having her ad lightness and her beautiful head. But that's just me :-)
ReplyDeleteI know the woman that had her Arabian accepted into the Hanoverian Stud Book through a forum.
ReplyDeleteIt is incredibly remarkable for an Arabian to get accepted, the number accepted is extremely low. There is a very specific reason they do this. The name Warmblood comes from a mix of hot blood, like Arabian and Thoroughbreds, and cold breeds like draft horses. ALL warmbloods have an (if not more) Arabian in their background. Those Arabians added aspects to all warmbloods such as giving them the hot spark they need to win, the more refined heads, the impulsion etc. The registry only allows Arabians that will improve the breed as a whole by strengthening traits such as movement, refinement, etc. and they only accept them when they think they are needed for the breed. I've heard that a lot of warmblood breed registries are looking for more Arabian blood in their breeds currently.
This is a HUGE compliment for this incredibly well bred mare. If you watch the video you can hear the judges commenting on her conformation. It is very enlightening!