Re: Selenium

[heidi sowards <ribbitttreefrog@yahoo.com>]

(Monika - Thanks for the diary idea. Would make it alot easier to
pinpoint when a change may occur.) I think we will do the bloodwork to
see where he stands. (I'm thinking of testing my horse also, he may be
low, but not so low he has visible problems.) We have no goats, but
the two horses do eat together, so we may have to separate them. He's
heavily muscled, likes to sprint at the beginning (when he shouldn't)
but he definitely has a 50+ mile trot when he puts it in gear, and a
heart that won't quit no matter what!!! He gets no pasture, only
grass/alfalfa mix (about 20% alfalfa.) I did notice something the
other day when he tied up, he was trying to reach around and chew on
the stirrup leathers and tried to suck on the shanks of his hackamore.
(for salt I imagine) We also have some dead fir snags 100+ years old,
about 30 feet tall (from old forest fire) and Classy's lips had
sawdust on them the other day, where he was obviously licking or
eating at this old wood. (craving something that he is not getting?
anybody know what it might be?) I heard through a local tack store
that you can buy a selenium block - wouldn't this be a bad thing? You
wouldn't know how much they were getting, or do you assume that their
body is telling them what and how much they need? Sounds too much like
guesswork though.
Thanks for all the input, alot to think about! Good thing he's worth it.

Heidi

---Monika Smith <smithpr@cadvision.com> wrote:
>
> >PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO GUEST@ENDURANCE.NET!!!
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> >
> >From: Heidi
> >Email: ribbitttreefrog@yahoo.com
> >
> 
> Hi Heidi...! Hopefully the vets will weigh in. You'll get good
advice from
> them.
> 
> Here's my read as a gal who has had tying up in 2 horses for various
reasons:
> 
> I had a LATE onset tying up. You could see it coming (hindsight,
anyways!)
> Stressed horse, being ridden too long (but NOT hard) in hot, dry
weather.
> Wouldn't drink, new area, etc. etc. and no electroylytes.
> 
> 2. Then deciding I had a good horse that could be BETTER. I put her
outside
> (instead of stabling) assuming she would get more exercise in a
paddock
> that in a stall and day time pasture combo. WRONG. and the biggy was
that
> she got way to much grain and not consistently (high one day, low
the next)
> due to the stable goat that inspite of incredible amounts of grain,
just
> got fatter. My horse would ignore her feed as soon as the goat came
by, so
> the goat ate it. Try to figure out how much the horse is getting!
Then, the
> goat would sleep and pee on the hay, horse didn't eat that either!!!
So,
> throw more in, not knowing just how much she did eat! Obviously really
> unbalanced diet. Did I understand? NOPE. Anyway, after months of
mild front
> end stiffness. and strange unwillingness to really boogy (of course,
feed
> more grain for energy!) She tied up big time. Took her off grain
> completely, only hay, lots of pasture, and SE and vitamin therapy.
Took 6
> months for that horse to be enthusiastic. I really learnt my lesson.
> 
> I have also got a mare that I watch. She will tie up in an early onset
> tying up,  cause she's an A type personallity but internalizes her
stress.
> Just watch this pony SHAKE when something's going on! Better than
changing
> lightbulbs!
> And a mare that REALLY goes into heat. And I think that she's the
type of
> horse that needs regular salt more so than other horses.
> 
> Watch feed very carefully, If your boy is really a muscled up guy,
then
> you're retraining a sprinter type to be an LD type. Not impossible
(some
> outstanding QHs out there!). Use oil for energy. Make sure he had free
> choice salt every day and electrolyte if there is more than 2 hours of
> riding going on. Make sure the horse drinks!
> 
> I'd keep a diarly for a couple of months. Checking PRs, etc every
time you
> go out. And see what shows up. Check out when and how frequently he
pees!
> Colour, smell (not apples?) and volume. Get an idea of how much
fluids are
> going in, and out! Tying up can be mild...like a stiffness, or very
mild
> lameness, as apposed to the rigid stance. But, sometimes only
bloodwork
> will really show that. And my vet said any large muscle group can
tie up,
> but it's common on the back end.
> 
> On analysis, you might find a goat doing damage :-) or your horse is
not
> hydrated enough to work. That kind of diary really helps you get
sensitive
> to the horse in a scientific way. You can often catch problems way
before
> they are serious.
> 
> My vet has a handy dandy tieing up kit...just a jar of some solution
and a
> dip stick of paper that changes colour if the horse has tied up.
(hummmmmm,
> should get a jar of that!) It looks idiot proof. Blood work is of
course
> that much more accurate, usefull and necessary if you have ongoing
problems.
> 
> Tying up is a metabolic problem...! And you CAN manage it!
Somethings just
> not right for your boy!
> 
> Cheers and good luck.
> 
> Monika, Koko (did not like the vet visiting me in the ladies room!)
And
> Ripp (who me?)
> 
> 
> 


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