Im sorry im writing on here i knows its a dog forum! But i post on some horse forums and no one ever replies to my posts! so heres a question ive been reading up on race horses and i read that 80% of them have stomach ulcers! so was curious on how much it is for a vet to check them for ulcers! also i wanted to start feeding her grain but how much should i start? how many times a day? and what kind?! i also have another problem. when i ride her she does awesome! but when we head back to her new stable area she will not go in the gate! i used spurs.. no spurs.. my boots and regular shoes and she will not go thru the gate! she just backs up ill make her turn around and walk the way she wants and i turn her and yet she still doesnt go thru she will literally walk backwards! lol its kind of hard for me to jump off and get back on because her back is 6 foot off the ground and im only 5 foot so i need to use a barrel to get on. ( yes i know thats a little bit of a problem ) and since shes a little under weight... should i not be riding her? ive been told its not good but just lunging her around she doesnt get enough exercise! when i take her out walking around she wants to trot around and she literally wants to just trot or run when im ridding her she has so much energy.anyways sorry to bug but i need some info. non of my family has owned horses so they have no idea..
Horse owners!! Question...
- Thread starter Greeneyedlette
- Start date
You just treat and see if they improve. To make sure they have them they scope them which is not easy or cheap and can be rough on them.
My vet would say ride at that weight. Don't lunge wildly. If you are doing it to build muscle fine.
Beat pulp, hay cubes, rice bran, sr feed. Whatever brand you can get is a start. Introduce slowly. May just need some food and then be fine or may be a hard keeper. My gelding can only be on a ration balancer or he's nuts.
Get a trainer.
Going to bed or I'd say more. Tired. Lol.
My vet would say ride at that weight. Don't lunge wildly. If you are doing it to build muscle fine.
Beat pulp, hay cubes, rice bran, sr feed. Whatever brand you can get is a start. Introduce slowly. May just need some food and then be fine or may be a hard keeper. My gelding can only be on a ration balancer or he's nuts.
Get a trainer.
Going to bed or I'd say more. Tired. Lol.
I actually chose to scope my suspected-ulcer horse rather than just treat. The scoping was around $300; a correct, full treatment was over $1000. Since the vet didn't find any ulcers, it was definitely a good investment! I does involve bringing them to a clinic and sedating them, but it wasn't particularly hard, and he came of out of the sedation fine and went home right after.
Scoping isn't perfect - it doesn't see everywhere. But it can be very useful as a diagnostic.
The "ulcer" feed supplements can be helpful for preventing further ulcers, but treating existing ulcers requires more. GastoGard, when I was looking into this, was the only proven treatment for ulcers that already exist. It is costly, but it works.
I wouldn't worry about working her lightly in her condition. Make sure her saddle fits well with her a bit underweight, so she doesn't get sore. I wouldn't work her hard, but slow, muscle building work will help her. My horse is coming back from being very underweight, and lots of walking in the hilly fields has been helping him.
I'd talk to your vet about what sort of feed to start her on. Brands vary by area (my horse gets Poulin Senior, but it is a regional feed I believe), and he is the one who is actually seeing your horse in person. He'll be able to give you a better answer than anyone on an internet board.
I don't think it is a 'problem' that you use a barrel to get on. Mounting from the ground is terrible for their backs. I always use a block, and anyone mounting a farm-owned horse from the ground can expect a lecture from the owner. I do think a trainer is a great idea, even just for a few weeks while you get to know the mare. Does she walk though the gate with her current owner? Does she go through quietly when being led, or is she worried?
Scoping isn't perfect - it doesn't see everywhere. But it can be very useful as a diagnostic.
The "ulcer" feed supplements can be helpful for preventing further ulcers, but treating existing ulcers requires more. GastoGard, when I was looking into this, was the only proven treatment for ulcers that already exist. It is costly, but it works.
I wouldn't worry about working her lightly in her condition. Make sure her saddle fits well with her a bit underweight, so she doesn't get sore. I wouldn't work her hard, but slow, muscle building work will help her. My horse is coming back from being very underweight, and lots of walking in the hilly fields has been helping him.
I'd talk to your vet about what sort of feed to start her on. Brands vary by area (my horse gets Poulin Senior, but it is a regional feed I believe), and he is the one who is actually seeing your horse in person. He'll be able to give you a better answer than anyone on an internet board.
I don't think it is a 'problem' that you use a barrel to get on. Mounting from the ground is terrible for their backs. I always use a block, and anyone mounting a farm-owned horse from the ground can expect a lecture from the owner. I do think a trainer is a great idea, even just for a few weeks while you get to know the mare. Does she walk though the gate with her current owner? Does she go through quietly when being led, or is she worried?
With the gate every horse is different. Might be best to work from the ground, could be best to spend time doing it over and over. I know with my mare making her work is the key. If she is circling side passing, something, I can get her going. My gelding is a different story. If his head goes anything but straight he thinks he has won and you start all over again. Mare can be like this some days to though. For now id start little from the ground and stop when your ahead, end on a good note. Do that after you ride through so she knows you have to go through it.
Could she be getting electrified by it by any chance? Likely not but just throwing it out there. Seen it happen at two barns where horses balk at the fence now.
I thought you avoided the scope because of cost AND it could irritate them more but I can't find anything about it so maybe it was just people who didn't want to do it that said that!
And teeth are very important. Vets here suck with them. They get the same hour long instruction on teeth as they do dog food! Get a equine dentist. Old vet told me my horses teeth were good another year when he was not turning I think right and head tossing. Called her out and his mouth was ulcerated and I felt horrible. He was fine afterward. It's such a differance in what thy do to.
I don't know where you are but if it's cold dont let her loose to much from the cold. First year with our mare she was thin going into winter. Very. I didn't worry about her coat coming in and kept her blanketed. With this one I'd le her get a thick coat if it will come in and then blanket as needed.
Has she been thoughly checked over by a vet for any pain? Many off the track have issues and that can keep them from gaining.
Could she be getting electrified by it by any chance? Likely not but just throwing it out there. Seen it happen at two barns where horses balk at the fence now.
I thought you avoided the scope because of cost AND it could irritate them more but I can't find anything about it so maybe it was just people who didn't want to do it that said that!
And teeth are very important. Vets here suck with them. They get the same hour long instruction on teeth as they do dog food! Get a equine dentist. Old vet told me my horses teeth were good another year when he was not turning I think right and head tossing. Called her out and his mouth was ulcerated and I felt horrible. He was fine afterward. It's such a differance in what thy do to.
I don't know where you are but if it's cold dont let her loose to much from the cold. First year with our mare she was thin going into winter. Very. I didn't worry about her coat coming in and kept her blanketed. With this one I'd le her get a thick coat if it will come in and then blanket as needed.
Has she been thoughly checked over by a vet for any pain? Many off the track have issues and that can keep them from gaining.
My vet just treats and see if you get results. In most cases you know if its working in a few days so you don't need full treatment.
If its not working and you don't know what's up, then maybe I would scope. But if you start treatment and it works then I would say run with it.
Its not just racehorses.. its ALL horses who lived stalled part of the day and esp horses who do the show circuit.
If its not working and you don't know what's up, then maybe I would scope. But if you start treatment and it works then I would say run with it.
Its not just racehorses.. its ALL horses who lived stalled part of the day and esp horses who do the show circuit.