| One day in late March I noticed our mare lying | | | | When the following day rolled around, I didn't see |
| down in the field. This wasn't unusual as every so | | | | our mare lying down, but instead she was |
| often she could be found resting on the ground | | | | standing. She was standing, though, in a very |
| and basking in the sun. I didn't think anything of it | | | | peculiar manner with her weight shifted toward |
| and went about my way. When it was time for | | | | her back legs while pushing back on the heals of |
| her afternoon feeding, she had come in from the | | | | her front hooves. I could see her back legs were |
| field and was eagerly waiting her rations. | | | | very weak from supporting the weight shifted to |
| The following day I looked out and once again | | | | them. |
| saw her lying down. Thinking she was just being | | | | Seeing our mare in this condition, I thought it best |
| lazy, but just to be sure, I took an apple out to | | | | to cancel the field visit by our vet and trailer her |
| the fence and called her. She got up and slowly | | | | to a large animal hospital that would be better |
| walked over to me to take the treat. I thought it | | | | suited to diagnose and treat whatever condition |
| was a bit odd she didn't come trotting as she | | | | she may have. The equine hospital staff where I |
| usually does, but for the most part she seemed | | | | took our mare specialized in "lameness" in horses. |
| to be fine. Since she still had a healthy appetite, I | | | | After watching her walk and taking x-rays, the |
| was not overly concerned. | | | | hospital staff determined she had laminitis and |
| When I saw her lying down in the field for the | | | | began to founder. This is a condition where the |
| third straight day, I was puzzled. This certainly | | | | coffin bone inside the hoof detaches from the wall |
| was not normal behavior, and yet she didn't seem | | | | and begins to rotate downward. |
| to be ill in any way. I walked out to see her, and | | | | In our mare's case, her condition was actually |
| as I approached she got up to greet me. I placed | | | | fairly minor. Though the animal hospital could not |
| a halter on her and started leading her back to | | | | tell me with any certainty what caused the |
| the paddock so I could groom her. As I was | | | | condition, they advised removing her from the |
| leading her, she was a bit hesitant in her walk and | | | | grain supplement I had been feeding. The |
| seemed to have an ever slight limp in her front | | | | treatment was simple. They had me administer |
| leg. I then thought she had injured her leg or | | | | bute for a few days for the pain. But more |
| might have had something lodged in her hoof. | | | | importantly, they provided instructions to our |
| I closely examined her legs and feet for any signs | | | | farrier on how to trim our mare's hooves so the |
| of injury, but could find none. Since she was still | | | | tips were much shorter and more rounded. Much |
| eating normally and didn't appear to have any | | | | like the natural condition of horses in the wild. In |
| obvious injury, I thought maybe she sprained her | | | | about four weeks she was back to her normal |
| leg. I decided I would keep a close watch on her, | | | | self again. |
| but I still was not too concerned. | | | | Shortly thereafter, I began feeding her a sand |
| Once again I found her lying down the following | | | | colic preventative. To get her to eat it, I went |
| day. When I went out to greet her, she remained | | | | ahead and added some grain. After about three |
| on the ground. I encouraged her to get up and | | | | days, our mare began to walk "funny" again and |
| put on her halter. She wouldn't budge when I tried | | | | drag her front hooves. After consulting with the |
| to lead her. I gave her some more | | | | animal hospital who originally diagnosed her |
| encouragement and she began to walk. I could | | | | condition, they immediately had me stop feeding |
| see now that she was experiencing pain in both | | | | the grain, once again stating that a rich grain diet |
| front legs and was walking very slowly and | | | | is believed to be a source that could trigger the |
| dragging her hooves. | | | | onset of laminitis. So after going on an alpha hay |
| Now being concerned, I contacted our equine vet | | | | only diet with more frequent farrier visits, our |
| who would not be available until the following day. | | | | mare has been doing well ever since. |