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Re: [RC] tying up - Karen Sullivan----- Original Message ----- From: <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Please Reply to: Rachelle sdarosa@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================Hi, I think my horse may be tying up. I am not sure what to look for, however. You can pretty well figure out the tying up part by doing bloodwork. There is one enzyme (CPK--although it has a new name now) that goes up REALLY fast in tie-up cases, but then also drops off quickly unless the inflamation of the muscles persists. Certain liver enzymes go up more slowly and come back down more slowly. Your veterinarian should be able to have a blood panel run and determine this. Heidi Heidi, your post was terrific but I wanted to briefly adress some of the symptoms of tying up for Rachelle....so she can know right away. Rachelle, there are two very prevalent signs in many cases....one can be horse stops moving;does not want to move, and you also might see trembling legs, and rock-hard muscles, especially in the hindquarters or croup muscles. It is important to cover the haunches if chilly and NOT force the horse to move----get vet. assistance. Often too, a sign of tying up (which is extremely painful), is excessive sweating, especially on the head....if a horse has hard muscles, refuses to walk, and has sweat popping out of his head and around the eyes, you can be fairly sure it is a tie up. Some ways to prevent are an extremely careful warmup and slow down (walking horse at least 20 min), in other words, don't get on and gallop off or even run a horse in a round pen unless warmed up. Over-riding, can cause tie up-asking too much work for condition of horse (over use of muscles and low electrolyte levels ). Or giving a horse some time off, or reducing paddock size and not reducing grain, then taking out to do regular work......Se. levels being too low also has been associated with horses tying up...so you can do a test to check Se. levels. I have noticed sometimes with my horses, that after difficult rides they may not dive into food.....it may be a day or two until the appetite picks up again. Not an issue with my piggy mare, but the picky, hard keeper is definitly off feed a bit after a hard ride..... How much and how hard are you riding the horse; what condition is it in, are you electrolyting? There is much, much info on www.endurance.net, regarding conditioning, feeding, tying up, (both symptons and prevention)...so best thing is to get as educated as you can..... Karen ============================================================ The two best drugs to have in your kit are Tincture of Time and a Dose of Common Sense. These two will carry you through 99.999% of the problems associated with horses and endurance competition. ~ Robert Morris ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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