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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Selenium, & B1 saved my horse! Amazing what supplements can do! Plus weight loss accomplished.

Hello all! I hope everyone is doing great this summer! Kaspin is doing well, after his laminitis episode from too much grass and moving to his new barn. Before we moved, I had mentioned I had his selenium tested. Kaspin was sweating so much it was crazy and he would get fatigued. I also mentioned to my vet that Kaspin is always nervous. Almost like an anxiety! I always joked he was like chicken little! Always looking for the sky to fall on him! It drove me nuts actually and I always felt sorry for Kaspin being so worried all the time. Cannot be fun to live like that. He was better when he was with the herd but always nervous with me and away from the safe herd. The selenium was very low so I put him on a selenium supplement per vet. The vet said, I could also try B1 and see if it helps with the nervousness/anxiety? I had Kaspin on the selenium first about a month or so and the sweating like crazy finally stopped! Yeah!! It was soooo nice to not have a horse get sooo extremely sweaty even with light work. Then I added the B1 supplement for about a month. After a few weeks, I realized Kaspin got super quiet. Soooo quiet, that I stopped the B1! Now Kaspin remains on the selenium. Then kaspin got the laminitis pretty quick after I took him off of the B1. So I wasn't sure was Kaspin just quiet from his hooves hurting, or were both supplements doing something?? When Kaspin got the laminitis I moved him to a new barn. So they could help me with his care daily. Today it is one and half months since the laminitis episode and Kaspin is still really quiet like a Haflinger should be. But it is so different, that it is not my horse. I know, I sound crazy complaining of quiet!! But Kaspin changed so much? I question?? Does he have an ulcer or something going on inside that I don't know about?? That is causing him to be this quiet? So I had the vet out again. This time to do a full blood work up. Just to make sure I wasn't missing something else? And to give me piece of mind! The blood work was all normal!! Thank god! I had heard that selenium can also be linked with nuero transmitters and nervous behavior when selenium is low. My vet thinks is was the B1 for that month that leveled him out? Kaspin might have been low on B1 as well and once I got it back to normal the anxiety/nervousness went away? Either way, one or both of these supplements helped Kaspin tremendously! We never changed anything else! And we are both thankful for it!! I have a sane horse and Kaspin has a sane mind now! Here are a few update pics too.


Kaspin was too heavy at the other barn. No hips, fat deposits all over body. I only post so others can watch closer than I did this year, boo. 


Last week at the new barn. Kaspin lost about 120 pounds! Look, he has now to see hips, LOL. Yes, mane is a bit shorter. Kaspin been scratching it a lot, boo. 


Kaspin loves the new outdoor arena. Rolling in it is the best!


And the sand for the hoof rehab is awesome! And notice, I have just started to ride him a bit again! Thanks god!! And fun!!



Storm that came in the other day and got some cool pics! 


Yes, we went in after the pics, LOL! 



Savvy on, Kaspin and J9

Monday, July 14, 2014

Kaspin is slowly recovering


Kaspin is slowly recovering for his laminitis episode over a month ago. I was allowed to start hand walking him about 2 weeks ago for 20 mins a day. Just 2 days ago, we started him on another small pasture with a bit more grass. Where Kaspin wears his muzzle and goes out for 2 hours and day. Then he goes back to his dry lot for the rest of day. The goal eventually is so get him out with other horses again without a muzzle. In a field with very little grass. I hope it works out for Kaspin. Kaspin is doing well with his muzzle but I still hate seeing it on him. This past Saturday there was a schooling show at my boarding barn. I decided to at least take Kaspin in 1 halter class just for fun. I had no idea what I was doing at all. I even used an old leather halter from Enzo, LOL. I don't have one for Kaspin as of yet. Looks like Enzo's fits Kaspin. So maybe time to get new name plate. Anyway we got 6th out of 12 entrants! I was thrilled with that. The judge said, I didn't trot Kaspin big enough when I passed him. That was only reason for 6th. But I didn't know how to do halter and did this tiny slow jog, LOL!! Oh well, all just for something to do. Since, both of us are bored! I also was the ring steward for this show and the last show we had. Very interesting to do and again gives me something to do. While Kaspin is on the mend! I am looking forward to playing with Kaspin on the ground more and eventually to riding again in Aug!! Here are a few pics. Happy Summer! Kaspin and J9







Kaspin and his muzzle.