Grass foundered horse/re occuring, what to do

[skillswife]

Our horse Hank has been know to founder especially on new spring grass. We are not able to keep him from the spring grass as we have him boarded on several acres with no corrals. This spring its really bad and the hoof wall has separated in the toe area. We will be moving next March and don't want to subject him to another long move, but I am at a loss for what to do with him. I am almost positive I couldn't just sell him outright, and I have heard the canner market it pretty much shot. He has such tender feet to begin with that you add laminitis and he isn't good for much but taking the kids around the pasture a few times. Is there any possibility of selling him as a canner? I just don't want him to live out the rest of his life in pain and we can't afford to board him where he would be in a stall or dry pen with full care. Any help would be great as my husband is looking for a solution soon. I am also worried what this will do to his buddy who he has spent most of his life with when/if we sell him.
Thanks,
Christine

[RoperAB]

I would shoot a horse before I would sell him to the canners.

[kolanuraven]

I always call the vet and have my horse buddies put down the humane way with a shot in the vein.

If they've served you well in their long life and are part of the family.....it's just the right and respectful thing to do. Chunking them off to the canner is a sorry option.

[skillswife]

Any suggestions besides euthanizing him? Like are there people out there who would buy him? I understand your opinions on canning, I grew up on a ranch where when the horses got to a certain age/lameness the went to the sale yard. Just what I grew up with I guess.

[Faster horses]

When considering canning a foundered horse, you must think about him being on a semi with many other horses; some mares, some stallions, and all horses you know nothing about. Your foundered horse has to STAND UP and ride and try to defend himself against the other horses.
It's very stressful and of course, their feet are very tender making it painful to stand all that time. Horses that are really foundered badly lie down a lot, because of the pain. They wouldn't dare lie down on that truck and if they go down, the chances are slim they would ever get back up again.

I hope I've made my case. Putting foundered horse down and not on a truck is the only humane option. It is the last thing we can do for an old friend.

P.S. We are in the same boat as you since we just found we have a foundered horse. We've never had one do this, ever, til now. So I do understand. Completely.

[Manitoba_Rancher]

Have you ever tried giving him an antihistamine (sp?). They are known to cool the blood and this helps to reduce the blood temperature at the hoof. This treatment was used on a barrel horse of my moms by a very good equine vet. It worked. And this wasnt just a run of the mill horse it was a $25,000 one..

[katrina]

IF he is really bad uthenize him....But if not dry lot him with as good a hay as you can find and find a good ferrier. Sometimes they can do amazing things.... IF you then can get him half way sound, find a camp for the handicapped that has riding........ A good home and lots of love....

[Faster horses]

Gene Ovnicek has had a lot of success with foundered horses. But it requires some committment on your part. And some special shoes, but he has helped almost 100% of the horses that follow his program. I could give you his number if you like. There are many farriers around the country that study his methods and know what to do. He can recommend one in your area, most likely.

Our horse has more problems than founder. A couple years ago we found he had navicular disease, which didn't bother us too much because we know Gene and can get the proper shoeing done on him. But he also has arthritis in his left hock. So we haven't ridden him since we found this out. He would be okay staying right here, but he got so fat and heavy we couldn't get it off. Gene thought he had a thryroid problem as well. So with this latest news, there isn't much future for our Zip horse. And we will not let him stand around and be miserable for the rest of his life.

Katrina, the handicapped place is an excellent idea for nice older horses. Zip is not a kids horse in that he does pull back on certain occasions. That is something I don't like to have around kids. We are very careful not to tie him or to tie him very high. He's nice enough for kids except for that one thing and that's a bad one for kids in our book.

[skillswife]

Thanks, after much debate I have decided to keep him around as long as he is comfortable and we will do what we can to keep him in comfort. When it comes to the time where he is in too much pain then we will just put him down. We can't afford a lot of expensive farrier work or treatment but we will do what we can to make sure he is not in pain.

[RoperAB]

[Faster horses]

Roper AB, I noted and appreciate very much your concern for the horse as far as kids go. They don't understand and they need to be taught, which doesn't always happen. A good ole horse sure doesn't need to be rammed and jammed around by kids that don't know better.

I always think about that when someone sells an old horse. Sure, he might have meant something to the seller who had him when he was young, but he might not mean much to the people who buy him as an
old horse.

Our good old horses we always say we will own them til the end. That is the least we can do for what they have done for us.

[kolanuraven]

My old Appy barrel horse is now 36 yrs old. I retired him about 10 yrs ago....he's got arthritis and so do I ( knees).....he's had 3 operations for eye cancer.....he's only got 3 teeth left so we have to soak his grain. He hasn't been ridden in those 10 yrs and will never be ridden again.

He leaves little wads of grass and hay around where he just 'sucks' the juice out and spits out the rest!

He has a day lounging stall and a stall for nite time. When it's cold he's got ' jammies' for stable wear and then a heavier blanket for outside. Even got a fly sheet, we call it his muscle shirt, for the summers complete with a face guard/mask.!!

He has a radio and fans in this stalls. He is in no pain and until he lets me know that he's tired of life or is hurting....he stay right where he is and we'll all work around him. He's earned his place here and a good retirement!!!

When the time comes....the vet will come and we'll do ' the shot' in the vein. Nice, quiet and proper and peaceful!