Tying up or ????? (long - sorry)

[Sarah McIntosh <smcintos@rapidnet.net>]

Hey ridecampers:

I'm having a bit of a problem with my horse, Tiki.  The vet is coming
out on Friday, but i wanted to get your input, in case i'm overlooking
something obvious.

I've posted to ridecamp before, but just to recap:  Tiki is 18 yr old
appy mare.  Previously very healthy.  Did 3 25 mile rides this summer,
first year doing LD.  Did very well, completed all 3 with mostly A's.
However,  problem started during 3rd ride.  First loop was 14 miles, no
problems.  Second loop she quit on me about half way thru.  At the time,
i put it down to 'running out of gas'.  Tiki has a lot of heart, and for
her to stop, i know something is preventing her from going on.  When she
quit, i got off, loosened up girth, let her eat grass and tried to keep
her moving in between eating.  She didn't want to move, so we only went
about 1/4 mile in 15 minutes.  Finally about 7 horses came trotting up
behind us, and she seemed to perk up.  I got back on and off she
trotted.  We trotted most of the way back to camp.  she vetted out just
fine.  I didn't mention to the vet that she had stopped (i know, stupid
me) because i thought she was just tired and then got her second wind.
The only other symptoms i noticed, were a thin whitish discharge coming
out her nose (only when she was working hard, not present back at
camp),  and she kept hanging her head down really low while trotting and
cantering, (which i let her do because i thought maybe her back needed
stretching out).  No back soreness when done the ride.

Episode two happened this past weekend which was 3 weeks past the last
LD Ride.  Have only ridden her twice in the meantime, with no problems.
Took her out on Sunday, walked first 1/2 mile, then started trotting.
She seemed tired, which is unusual, but she does have one or two bad
days a year, so i thought maybe this was one of them.  Mostly trotted
and walked a little for next 3 miles did some cantering.  Almost gone 4
miles and she quit. She had slowed down to a walk and then stopped.
This doesn't sound so bad in itself, or for a different horse, but this
horse is known for not standing still or stopping!!!! I jumped off,
loosened girth,  and tried to hand walk her.  Stop, walk, stop, walk,
stop, walk.  I called around for a trailer, but my friends were away for
the weekend or out for turkey dinners.  I kept handwalking her for over
two miles.  First she was walking very slowly, and then after a while,
she was normal again.  After 2 miles, i couldn't walk anymore (my foot
was hurting) so got back on and asked her what she thought of that.  She
eagerly took off at a trot, and I thought, maybe i'm just imagining that
she doesn't feel well. I let her trot for about 1/2 mile and then walked
her the rest of the way to the barn.  She just seemed a bit tired (but
not too tired to throw her head around when i wouldn't let her trot the
rest of the way).  I gave her 3 lbs of extruded feed 14% as i usually
do, and she only ate about 90% of it, which isn't normal.  Also she had
same two other symptoms as before, nasal discharge, and head hanging
down low.

Food:  she gets all the local grass hay she can eat, 3 lbs 10% extruded
feed, and 1 lb alfalfa per day,  Vitamins and Minerals, Biotin Premix, 1
Tbsp loose salt per day.  Electrolytes when working.

I talked to my vet today, and he is going to do a full blood panel on
her and check her over.  He thinks she tied up twice and that i should
also get another vet to do an EKG to check for heart damage.  I am quite
upset about this and want to know:
Do you guys think this was  a real tye up?
I want to do what's best for my horse, so if she needs to not do
endurance then she won't.  I feel so bad for unknowingly hurting her.

Please send me your advice.
Thanks a lot.
Sarah McIntosh (but Mom, i like going to those rides!)
Abbotsford, BC