Re: Contracted Tendons
This message is from: "Jean Gayle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Just in from a terrific trip to England, Belgium, and Germany. Queen Elizabeth 2 is out of this world as a way to get there without jet lag. Going over 425 emails, one third ads. My very large Trakehner, Charley, was so large at birth that the Vet and I had to pull on him at contractions to clear the shoulders. The Vet could not lift him. Charley had "windswept" right legs as he was too large for the maiden mare's womb and he was down on his hind hooves and walking on his pasterns. Looked like a baby giraffe. The Vet bound his hind pasterns to keep them from being bruised and after about two weeks he was fine. The right legs corrected in short order and he went on to win in dressage to third level until he broke a small piece of bone in his hock at nine years of age. Jean Walters Gayle [Authoress of "The Colonel's Daughter" Occupied Germany 1946 To 1949 ] http://users.techline.com/jgayle Send $20 Three Horses Press PO Box 104 Montesano, WA 98563
RE: Contracted Tendons
This message is from: GAIL RUSSELL <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Odin's problem may have been different. Perhaps an early, correctable, "club foot" which may be a completely different kind of contraction than the ones we have been discussing? I now remember someone pointing out that he could end up with a club foot. (he has not...his feet are fine at three years old). >Gail: This has not been my experience. My experience is after about a >week or two the colts are running around on their own with no problems. >No special shoes or trimming nesicary. >Mark. >It seems odd to me that the symptom of his contraction was relatively >mild, >but it took a long time and considerable maintenance to correct it. >Gail Gail Russell Forestville CA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Contracted Tendons
This message is from: "Skeels, Mark A (MED)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gail: This has not been my experience. My experience is after about a week or two the colts are running around on their own with no problems. No special shoes or trimming nesicary. When born they can't stand on their toes, their feet are folded over and they are standing and walking on their first knuckel. The tendeons are indeed tight. We gave the drug to the first one that was born that had this problem. The next one we just put in splints. The same with this one. I took the splints off today, it has been 3 days, I may put them back on tomorrow for 3 more days if he isn't walking on his toes very well tomorrow. Mark. -Original Message- From: GAIL RUSSELL [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 10:45 AM To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com Subject: Re: Contracted Tendons This message is from: GAIL RUSSELL <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have a question about contracted tendons. Odin was huge, when born to a young, maiden mare. (Vet said of the mare, "If she can birth this guy as a maiden mare, she can give birth to a Jeep!") We noticed nothing odd when he was born (though it might have been therebut subtle). However, after a while (weeks, days, I cannot remember) we realized that he was standing on tiptoe. The vet came and glued on a shoe that would prevent him from wearing down his toesand that would, in turn, force the tendons to stretch. This was a foal who had plenty of exercise...but it quite a while, including a reapplication of a shoe and trimming every three to four weeks to maintain the correct foot angle that would allow the tendon to lengthen. Was this the same as the severely contracted tendons others have spoken of? It seems odd to me that the symptom of his contraction was relatively mild, but it took a long time and considerable maintenance to correct it. Gail Russell Forestville CA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Contracted Tendons
This message is from: GAIL RUSSELL <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have a question about contracted tendons. Odin was huge, when born to a young, maiden mare. (Vet said of the mare, "If she can birth this guy as a maiden mare, she can give birth to a Jeep!") We noticed nothing odd when he was born (though it might have been therebut subtle). However, after a while (weeks, days, I cannot remember) we realized that he was standing on tiptoe. The vet came and glued on a shoe that would prevent him from wearing down his toesand that would, in turn, force the tendons to stretch. This was a foal who had plenty of exercise...but it quite a while, including a reapplication of a shoe and trimming every three to four weeks to maintain the correct foot angle that would allow the tendon to lengthen. Was this the same as the severely contracted tendons others have spoken of? It seems odd to me that the symptom of his contraction was relatively mild, but it took a long time and considerable maintenance to correct it. Gail Russell Forestville CA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Contracted Tendons
This message is from: "Arthur Rivoire" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Good Morning from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia - On the subject of contracted tendons, we've had a few over the years. Out of 65 foals (I think), we might have had six. We've also had a few angular limb deformities. This sounds terrible, but what it means is a foal who comes out with legs that aren't (as yet) correct. In the beginning, we worried extensively about this, and of course, it is something to take seriously. However, I think we were lucky to always have veterinarians with common sense who weren't in a hurry to to anything. -- I remember the first case of contracted tendons. It was BDF Draum, by BDF Torolf, out of the Dutch mare, Uloza. Draum was really huge and all knuckled over, although he could walk. We immediately called the vet who said he'd seen lots like that particularly in big foals. He advised us to do nothing other than turn the colt out in a big area. He also suggested that we take a photo each day and later compare the progress. Draum's tendons loosened, and within a few days he was normal. BDF Jubilee Canada by Gjest out of the Dutch mare, Maryke, was the worst one we'd ever seen. He was so knuckled over at birth he was walking on his knees. He was born outside, and we had to carry him into the stall. But again, within a day he was much much better, and within three or four days he was normal. With Jubilee, because he couldn't be turned out, we started Physical Therapy to help him straighten. With the foal lying in the straw, we took hold of the foot with the left hand on top of the fetlock, and the right under the hoof. Then with downward pressure on top with the left hand, and a pulling stretching action from underneath with the right hand, we "loosened" or stretched the tendon. --- This seemed to us to help a whole lot, so it's what we do now if necessary. --- A couple of years ago, BDF Remco (Gjest x Stine), was born with just one foot knuckled over. Again, the pulling stretching therapy, and within two days there was noticeable improvement, and within five days, he was normal. We've had foals that have been knock-kneed, and ones whose hind legs were rather splayed out. In all case, a lot of exercise has done the trick, and within a few days the babies were strong and correct. --- In the case of knock-knees, it takes quite a bit longer -- several months, in fact. But, in all cases with our horses, turnout in big big pastures with hills has resulted in strong, straight horses. We've thought of splints, but been disuaded by our vets in favor of plain old exercise which has always worked for us. Best Regards, Carol Rivoire http://www.beaverdamfarm.com Beaver Dam Farm Fjords II R.R. 7 Pomquet, Nova Scotia B2G 2L4 Tel:(902) 386-2304 Fax:(902) 386-2149 Carole Rivoire, author of THE FJORDHORSE HANDBOOK, only book in English on the Fjord breed, available from Beaver Dam Farm, $36.95 US includes P&H http://www.beaverdamfarm.com/book.htm
Re: Contracted tendons and buttercup
This message is from: "Nathan Lapp" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Trust your horses to be smart enough to >know what to eat - watch what they really DO eat - and act accordingly. > It can save a lot of work. Now that's back to basics! I like it. And thanks, all, for the good information. Barbara Lyn Lapp
