> and hot soaks 2xday as well as a pair of "lilly" pads (they support the
> frog).  Neither the vet nor farrier think this is a severe case, but the
> vet is going to take more x-rays today and run some blood work.  He's a
> little concerned about thyroid levels...
 
> As you all know, Ms. Fiddle tends to be a porker on almost no food...she
> gets almost no grain and grass hay.  But, she stays really chunky on just
> this.  She also has a pretty cresty neck, and the farrier says her feet
> are more like pony feet than horse's...not sure what he means by that.
 
I think this means small feet.
 
 
> I'll keep you posted...she's a lot more comfortable this a.m. after her
> first course of bute, and it's just a relief to me to know what we're
> dealing with and at least have a treatment that seems to be giving her
> some relief.  Both the vet and farrier seem optimistic about her
> recovery, so I won't get hysterical yet.....
 
Don't.. I seem to remember that they've classified three classes of 
laminitis.. mild cases can recover completely.
 
If you want to see bad.. come on out here and look at the Percheron at the 
stable..  he's terrible on the back two.. and started on the front left. It 
was so bad they resected the foot. This is an iffy treatment.. that's not 
proven in clinical tests.. so..  the owner is keeping him as comfortable as 
possible since he's a tad old.. shrug.
 
> If anybody knows of any good articles, etc. on laminitis (founder),
> please let me know.  I've checked the Internet, but our computer is out
> of order at the moment, and I'm finding conflicting information about
> treatment in the things I've been reading.
 
Several good articles in equus over the years.. I'll need to find some spare 
time to try and find them. have you kept the back issues or will I need to 
copy them?
 
 
> Ever have one of those days when you think you should get out of the
> horse business!!!!!!!!!
 
Don't ask.. However after last night's ride, I took Tush directly into the 
the small pen saddled up without taking the edge off of her.. we did some 
"remember this" work about walk and trot.. and then headed for the big 
arena..  She was a charmer..
 
Man what a kid.. she loves to come over and join in the conversations (can't 
stand being ignored), and she watches her Mom getting groomed and saddled so 
she's picking up a lot of CJ's charm.. chuckle.. I've had a couple try for 
two hours this week to buy her.. and I've had three cars stop on the street 
to look at her while we were walking.
 
Heck of a kid. :)
 
If she stays consistent.. we'll be heading towards more trotting in the big 
arena..  Oh yes.. leg yields are in place. ;)
 
And I found my old set of sidepulls.. so I'm using that instead of a 
martingal. Shouldn't need it much longer. I've also pulled her training bit 
(with rollers, etc) and given her CJ's simple Copper snaffle.. it's helped. 
CJ could care less what's in her mouth.
 
Now.. CJ and I were riding with one of the older guys in the stable the other 
night.. it was warm and we were chatting.. it turned into a 45 minute trot 
for CJ.. a slow trot since she wouldn't walk slow enough for the guys TB to 
keep up..
 
Gave her the night off tonight.. but she's also been pretty dynamic.. aisde 
from the rear end problems.. which may go away with the work she's seeing.
 
She slipped on the back end the other night fairly badly.. so I'm letting her 
take it easy for a bit just in case.
 
 
                                      BK
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