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I headed down last Friday afternoon with my daughter Brenna (9),
and my two horses Ashley and Chancey. I was caravanning with my
friend Tammy, and her daughter Kaila, also 9. I felt pretty
prepared and relaxed, the horses were very fit, but not tired,
and I have been busy riding and camping all spring (and the last
few years for that matter!), with absolutely nothing going wrong.
After all, I am always prepared and knowledgeable about this stuff,
right? Disasters happen to OTHER people, ha ha!
First problem was the vet in. Both horses got great scores, but I
had an ofsett shoe on Chancey (THAT hadn't been there when I picked
out her foot). So that got attended to, instead of riding. I had
wanted to get the horses out on a short ride, to show Brenna the
start, and also stretch their muscles. But now, no time.
The morining of the ride I was dismayed to find my camp stove
wouldn't work; even if it had, I forgot my coffee. Darn.
Chancey was half asleep as I tacked her up. Once on her back, her
energy level rose and rose. Some of you have been following my
progress with her; I got her two years ago as basically a give
away, due to her high spirits and ornery attitude. It has been a
lot of hard work. But, I wasn't too worried, after all, I had done
the TEvis fun ride this year, and the 3 day Bridge Ride, both with
big crowds of people. She had been great! Really settled down, and
not too unhinged by lots of horses. Well, this ride was the one she
came unhinged! As we started towards the end of the start, the
girls walked along, chatting, and I cantered in place over the
rocks. I felt like I was on a keg of dynamite!
Let me digress. Tammy and I had heard the ride was rocky and tough.
We routinely ride the Mayacmas and Cow mountain, so we are used to
rocks and climbs. But, we went down in March, where Jessica
kindly took
the time to take us on a ride on parts of the trail. We knew there
was a steep climb relatively shortly into the start, so we knew we
needed to start slow, with the horses warmed up.
Chancey REALLY wanted to tackle that hill, but there were also a lot
of riders, so we took it slow. At the top, had some child
grumbling, so we walked a while, then trotted. Chancey was settling
down, but still doing some cantering in place while everyone else
walked or trotted. Although we cantered towards the trot by, I
convinced her to trot when we got there, everything looked fine.
Onward, then on a very steep downhill, I noticed at the bottom there
was some slight trembling in the hindquarters, near the stifle (sort
of thing I have seen in OTHER people's horses!) I assessed her, as I
always worry about tie ups, since Ashley had tied up in the past
(probably due to weird heat cycles). She seemed fine otherwise, not
sweating excessively, not trembling all over, all muscles seemed
fine. But, I got off and walked a while, afterall, we were not in a
hurry. She seemed fine-we moseyed along, her eating grass. AFter
a while, I got back on. She wanted to take up with another horse,
and everything felt fine. We walked and trotted; caught up with
Tammy and the girls, who had been walking. Into the vet check,
walking in, where Ashley immediately passed P & R with a 40 pulse.
Chanceys was 76. So I set to work sponging her front end and inner
legs, and she started to snarf alfalfa. She had drank at one of the
water troughs on the trail,but did not want any at the check.
I kept monitoring her with my stethescope, and the hearttate was not
comming down. So I had a P & R lady inform the vet, and we got her
looked at. The volunteers at Jessica's ride were wonderful! Very
concerned-one brought a tub of bran mash, one brought apples and
carrots, and they got me down to the vet. Initially the vet did not
seem that concerned, but advised getting her back to base camp,
checking the pulse, and if it was not down THEN, getting the base
camp vets to check her out. While waiting for a trailer ride,
another vet came up, and gave a banamine shot. At this point (45
minutes into the check), the croup muscles were starting to spasm.
All other criteria seemed normal, except the heart rate. She had
not urinated yet, but we were all assumming a tie up. Meanwhile,
poor Brenna has to get Ashley though the vet check without any help
from Mom, who is dealing with Chancey. She did great!
Ashley has lost a shoe, we get that fixed, and I send Brenna off
onthe trail with Tammy.
There was very little wait for a trailer, Jessica got me back to
base camp in 10 to 15 minutes. As an aside, this ride seemed very
well organized and run!
Back at base camp, Chancey drank 1/2 a 5 gal bucket of water and
some hay while the vet prepared. Her heartrate was down to 45.
He ran 10 liters of I.V. fluids with DMSO, and after the I.V., she
was turned out in her electric corral where she rolled, drank more
water, and peed-dark.
After a consultation with the head vet, who wasn't going to be
available that night to run more fluids or monitor her, they
reccomended I haul her to U. C. Davis, about 45 minutes away. AT
Davis, they ran more fluids that day and through the night. The
blood (which had been drawn in the field) was analyzed, and muscle
enzyme levels indicated a tie up. Good news is that due to early
intervention, there was and will be no impairment of kidney
function, or complications from laminitis or colic. The vet thought
there would also be minimal muscle scarring. So, she is home, and
seems fine, muscles are nice and loose and she is her old ornery
self. I AM glad I hauled her to Davis, as it would have been hard
to find a vet and follow through with this at home.
First of all, I can't thank Jessica and her volunteer crew enough.
Due to their efficiency, I was able to get early treatment for my
horse. One volunteer checked on me perodically, and even brought me
a sandwhich, after I had been standing holding the I.V. needle in
the catheter for several hours. They were all so nice and
concerned.
Of course, I go over and over, as to why this happened! Since
Ashley had tied up before, I am aware of con tributing factors and
try to minimize them! My horses are basically on free choice grass
hay and 24 hour access to pasture grass. I feed some alfalfa, but
not much. I supplement mostly with beet-pulp and hay pellets, when
I need to keep weight up. I don't feed sweet feed or grain. I try
to be really careful about warm-ups. When Ashley did tie up on me
on the trail, it was REALLY obvious. She was sweating excessively,
trembling all over, and muscles were hard. Chancey did not have
obvious signs. After one tie up incident I hauled Ashley to my
local vet, who did NOT draw blood, or do any treatment, even though
she had peed myoglobin! He just said she should be fine! I ended
up taking her to the Mendo ride 2 weeks later that year, and
discussing it with Dr. Ridgeway, as far as if I should even ride
her. He said to go ahead,s he should be fine, and was the one who
suggested her tie-ups might be related to her heat cycles. She
was fine on that ride, and after her heat cycles straightned out, I
haven't had a tie up with HER, in 3 years. I was also concerned
that this ride would be hot, and was trying to do everything I could
to keep the horses hydrated, by giving them their usual soaked
beet-pulp mash, and soaking their hay at the ride. They had
Enduralytes the day and evening before the ride.
Davis has reccomended a 6 week rest before riding, so I would also
be interested in any stories about tie ups, and bringing back into
condition.
So, I remain a lot poorer, but not a lot wiser.
Oh, Brenna and Ashley completed the 25 with Tammy and Kaila, and
the ride vet gave the girls a C0-best condition for the junior
riders on the 25. (Course I think they were the only juniors on the
25, but it was still nice!) Ashley looked just fine after the ride-
and SHE was the one I worry about!
Any comments?
Karen
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