I’ve always had horses who were easy keepers — only taking them off grass would make them lose weight. Isis was no exception. Metabolism? What’s that?

I’ve managed her weight as best I can through nutrition and exercise. It’s not always enough, I can’t get out to the barn as often as I like. The weather does not cooperate either.

Two years ago her weight wasn’t that high, but conditions were right and she had her first laminitic episode in April of 2003. In addition, she pulled her front tendon. She had a classic case: refused to put much weight on her front feet, did not want to walk, severely lame when turned left or right. in addition, her leg was swollen from the tendon. She recovered fully, even though it took 8 months.

In April of 2004, she had her second episode — exactly a year and a week after her first one. We caught the laminitis when it was very mild. She wasn’t completely lame like she had been the year prior. Instead, she would shift her weight from foot to foot as if she couldn’t get comfortable. Again, she also pulled her tendon. This time she only took six months to heal.

Poor kid has had a grazing muzzle on this year. She hasn’t been happy. While it has helped keep her weight down, wearing it has become a battle of wills. She is very good about having it put on her — because she knows she can get it off. No matter what we’ve done, she manages to get it off. She’s gone from a 75% time down to 10%. No matter what readjustements are made, she still manages to get it off. The joys of having a smart “Houdini” horse.

After the last few frosts, we put Isis back out into a regular pasture for part-time turnout. The grass hasn’t been growing. She still is gaining weight. She’s been out for about three weeks now and the weight changes are visible: fat pads on her whithers and rump are back, as is her cresty neck. Other horses have needed her old dry lot paddock. It’s the only flat paddock at the barn. We’re building new paddocks for her, but that takes a little time. Meanwhile, I’m praying and working her more than I ever have in the past.

I just hope it’s enough.

I used to have nightmares about laminitis. I’ve had friends who have had to put their horses to sleep because of this condition. It’s a horrible thing to see a horse who is barely lame one day and then lying down because the pain it so bad the next. I didn’t want this for my kid.

Now that she has it, I’m trying to deal with it the best way I can: knowledge.

Web sites, mailing lists, and articles available online for laminitis:

Laminitis-related

Safer Grass: A Web site by Katy Watts with a lot of information for both the owner and the veterinarian on laminitis and insulin resistance in horses. Excellent site.

HorseShoes.com Laminitis and Founder articles: Wealth of information on this farriery site.

Hoof Project: The Hoof Project (HP) is an electronic journal that is focused on the foot of the horse. The HP seeks to be both an educational and a reference resource for educated horsemen and equine professionals who have an interest in learning more about the foot of the horse. Subscription site.

Laminitis Myths: Debunking myths about laminitis (from a Horse & Rider article)

Understanding Founder in Horses: A veterinarian explains laminitis, a serious hoof condition commonly known as founder, in simple terms — how and why it happens and what it means to you and your horse. By Joyce Harman, DVM, with Kip Goldreyer. This article apeared in the August 2002 issue of Practical Horseman.

Holistic Help for Horses with Laminitis: Virginia-based veterinarian Joyce Harman, who uses traditional veterinary medicine plus acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, and other alternatives to treat a wide array of patients, explains what you can do to help if your horse founders. From the August 2002 issue of Practical Horseman.

Nutrition

Equine Nutrition: Articile from EquiSearch.com about equine nutrition, including descriptions about how the horse’s digestive system works, the latest feeding recommendations, and more.

Fructan in Foods: Sugars in grass and how horses metabolise them.

Magazine articles

"Danger in the Grass" in the April 2004 issue of EQUUS magazine. Talks about how an over-abundance of fructans in grass may be related to an increased occurrance of laminitis.

"A Case of Insulin Resistance" by Susan Kauffman in the January 2005 issue of EQUUS magazine, page 29. How a common but litte-known condition similar to Type II dibetes triggered a painful and frustrating episode of laminitis. Excellent reading and background material. This issue is available on the stands now. Highly recommended.

We’ve had some cold weather, so Isis is in a small pasture with grass. Her grazing muzzle is put on every morning. Her new pasture has only a little grass in it, most of it is that light shade of tan that happens after several heavy frosts. The diet paddock she had been in had turned into a mud pit and she was started to get scratches on her heels.

She has been out for about three weeks on partial turnout (day-time only). She has had her grazing muzzle on her full time. Had it on does not mean that it has been effective.

Miss Houdini Horse has figured out how to get it off almost every day. It doesn’t matter what we do with the muzzle, she still gets it off. She has learned how to catch the muzzle on objects and pull it down so either the emergency release breaks or it comes off over her nose.

Additional smaller paddocks are being built for Isis. Ths field Isis is currently in is being divided into two smaller paddocks where she’ll be able to be turned out with minimal grass. The grass in this pasture is very low as it is, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference.

She is still gaining weight. The weight tape doesn’t incidate that it’s more than 16 pounds (969 to 985). However, her crest is larger as are the fat pads along her neck, back, and rump.

I am making more time to work her. I’ve gone out several times this past week during lunch and have ridden and lunged her. This week she has been worked five times, probably a record for me. I just don’t know if it will be enough. As long as it doesn’t rain, I’ll be out there working her.

Here’s hoping that it’s enough to prevent another laminitic episode…

This month’s Equus has an article on page 29 called “A Case of Insulin Resistance: How a common but little-known condition similar to Type II diabetes triggered a painful and frustrating episode of laminitis” by Susan Kauffmann. Physical signs for horses who might be at risk include abnormally distributed fat: crest, whithers, and croup. The horses they have pictured are strikingly similar to Isis’ shape.

Does this mean that Isis has insulin resistance? I don’t know. It’s worrisome because those pictures of horses with this condition really looked like Isis. I’ve asked my vet if we should test Isis.