Just heard yet another pony around our area has been struck with this, its just so awful. My fieldmate's clydesdale died in late 2009 - the first I'd ever heard of the disease after returning to horses. He was four years old, and it was all just so sudden. One morning we were hacking out together and the next I got a text to say he was gone. He'd lived there all his life, no history of EGS at the yard.
I moved my horse into that field. Maybe thats stupid and I'm constantly thinking about it but where else do we go? Its in the area all over. A new horse arrived in my old field. Two weeks later he developed grass sickness and was pts. I kept telling myself we're not in the risk category. My horse is 10, the clydesdale was 4. But the fresian that died was 14. But he had just moved to the area and was stressed. He had just been cut as well.
But then my mate's horse was struck down with something last summer that looked suspiciously EGS like. He's 15 and had lived there all his life. It almost seemed to wipe him out and my mate was seriously considering pts but he rallied at 6am in the morning after 12 hours of hell. We sat in the field with him all night. His immune system seemed all but depleted over the last few months but he's still here.
We went to a lecture on it given by the **** vet. He talked about horses having an immunity for a couple of years but then that goes - its all I can think about. At any minute I might go to my field and find my horse dying. I know I shouldn't concentrate on this but what the hell can we do? Our fields are next to phesants, we have marshland near by. The ground hasn't been disturbed lately. If you move your horse then you're putting them at increased risk because of the stress - I was scared sh!tless last year taking my flipo away for a week's holiday up to aberdeen. I spent that week and the subsequent month back home with my ear stuck to his stomach listening for tummy rumblings.
Its so frustrating. I remember the vet explaining everything they knew - the research they were conducting - but this seemed mainly to do with treatment of those who came down with chronic EGS. At the end they opened up to the floor for questions. Most wanted to talk about prevention. It quickly became apparent that they know practically nothing. Its terrifying.
Its scary that there's no one to blame for this either. How can we get annoyed at the scientists and vets that haven't found a cause or a cure? I just want to lash out at them though when they stand there shaking their head and saying 'we don't know, it might be ....':cry::stomp:
I feel helpless but at the same time stupid for keeping my horse where he is but I don't want to move him. Am I compromising his care? Am I doing the best for him? No one can tell me the answer and I'm not looking for those opinions here. My mate and I have been given permission to have sheep grazing with our horses for no additional livery charge. We just have to reinforce our fencing to protect them. We poo pick manually as mechanical uplift as been found to cause issues. I'm feeding him the best I can find to ensure his gut health. We're just fighting it the only way we know how.
I'm sorry for the vent I just need to go arggggghhhhh. I don't know how I would cope if I lost my horse and just knowing it could happen at any time scares the crap out of me. I'm sick of this, it just hangs over like a black cloud. I couldnt wait until winter last year for the belief that it would mean a respite from worrying. And now this case - it feels so early. It can happen at any time. :banghead::bomb::timebomb:
I moved my horse into that field. Maybe thats stupid and I'm constantly thinking about it but where else do we go? Its in the area all over. A new horse arrived in my old field. Two weeks later he developed grass sickness and was pts. I kept telling myself we're not in the risk category. My horse is 10, the clydesdale was 4. But the fresian that died was 14. But he had just moved to the area and was stressed. He had just been cut as well.
But then my mate's horse was struck down with something last summer that looked suspiciously EGS like. He's 15 and had lived there all his life. It almost seemed to wipe him out and my mate was seriously considering pts but he rallied at 6am in the morning after 12 hours of hell. We sat in the field with him all night. His immune system seemed all but depleted over the last few months but he's still here.
We went to a lecture on it given by the **** vet. He talked about horses having an immunity for a couple of years but then that goes - its all I can think about. At any minute I might go to my field and find my horse dying. I know I shouldn't concentrate on this but what the hell can we do? Our fields are next to phesants, we have marshland near by. The ground hasn't been disturbed lately. If you move your horse then you're putting them at increased risk because of the stress - I was scared sh!tless last year taking my flipo away for a week's holiday up to aberdeen. I spent that week and the subsequent month back home with my ear stuck to his stomach listening for tummy rumblings.
Its so frustrating. I remember the vet explaining everything they knew - the research they were conducting - but this seemed mainly to do with treatment of those who came down with chronic EGS. At the end they opened up to the floor for questions. Most wanted to talk about prevention. It quickly became apparent that they know practically nothing. Its terrifying.
Its scary that there's no one to blame for this either. How can we get annoyed at the scientists and vets that haven't found a cause or a cure? I just want to lash out at them though when they stand there shaking their head and saying 'we don't know, it might be ....':cry::stomp:
I feel helpless but at the same time stupid for keeping my horse where he is but I don't want to move him. Am I compromising his care? Am I doing the best for him? No one can tell me the answer and I'm not looking for those opinions here. My mate and I have been given permission to have sheep grazing with our horses for no additional livery charge. We just have to reinforce our fencing to protect them. We poo pick manually as mechanical uplift as been found to cause issues. I'm feeding him the best I can find to ensure his gut health. We're just fighting it the only way we know how.
I'm sorry for the vent I just need to go arggggghhhhh. I don't know how I would cope if I lost my horse and just knowing it could happen at any time scares the crap out of me. I'm sick of this, it just hangs over like a black cloud. I couldnt wait until winter last year for the belief that it would mean a respite from worrying. And now this case - it feels so early. It can happen at any time. :banghead::bomb::timebomb:
