Do you think Willow is in foal?

[Chanda]

Don't soak hay for more than a couple hours (3-4 tops) in cold water to remove sugars, any longer and the sugars start going back into the hay, as the solution is saturated, and it just equalizes between the saturated hay and the water.  [If you use warm water to soak, no more than an hour soaking, or the hay will start to sour.]    Poor the soak water well away from her, so she can't get into (water your plants with it).
She looks like she has wintered well, so doesn't look like she needs any extra calories, but should you need something to get her to eat supplements, a little bit of properly prepared beet pulp is safe.    Beet pulp needs to be rinsed, soaked, and then rinsed again til the water runs pretty clear to remove the residual sugars.  [To carry supplements, she'd probably only need like 1 cup soaked beet pulp, which only about 1/3 cup dry beet pulp.]    If she liked soaked beet pulp before this incident, she might consider it a treat to get it again, now that she is on boring soaked hay.
I can't think of anything else at the moment that hasn't already been said.  Keep your chin up, you and Willow have a long road ahead you.  [It takes nearly a year to grow out a whole new hoof wall.]

[Ryan]

Its great to see her up and standing Carly. You have a very long road ahead of you and plenty of people around you to help give support.

Hayley is absolutely spot on, unfortunately willow will be prone to bouts of laminitis now that she has had it. Especially around the same time of the year. With your hot tropical weather up there all year round ( very jealous) everytime you get rain , you need to be on the look out for heat and pulses in her hooves.

When i was a really young Kid I clearly remember my parents drilling into my head that ponies do not need to be grazing out on lush paddocks all day and night. My parents built me a little corral within the paddock that I had to lock my little pony "jamie" up in every night. He was allowed out to graze during the day whilst I was at school and then he was in his yard with a little grass hay of a night.

When my little pinto mare had laminitis a few years back it was this time of the year too. I thought she was pregnant and had been feeding her mare and foal feed ontop of what she was grazing on.

When the vet came out to see her , she said she looked like a coffee table and asked if she could rest her coffee cup on her back lol.

I know this is really hard for you, to see one of your fur kids in so much pain trying to move around , just about sits you on your bum.

It was the BIGGEST wake up call for me, having had Big horses my whole life made me take some time to do some research into this horrible disease.

I now constantly have people that come over and question me as to why my 4x minis  barely have anything in their pastures. More often than not I bite my tongue as its hard to explain to non horsey people actually what laminitis is . I show them on my old phone how terrible it was trying to watch my little mare trying to walk like she was walking on broken glass.

Im proud to say that I am a lush pasture Nazi , My minis do much better on grass hay and mineral blocks. Throughout winter, I add alfalfa(lucerne) and a clover blend to their diet as they do need extra in the colder months here in Victoria.

The other thing that I did after having a little one with Laminitis was to turn my paddocks into smaller ones. Ones that are much more suitable to minis, easier to maintain, easier to keep grass down at the start of spring and autumn ( when the sugar content is at its worst here)

Hope she continues to improve Carly

[paintponylvr]

O, Carly, WOW.  Sorry to hear this.  You have others here.  The advice is sound.

I have not had a bad case like this myself, since I've always worked my butt off to get my grass lusher. 

But our farrier has dealt with it before and has had almost all of them come sound (many actually came all the way back to riding/driving sound).  She's worked with a farrier that has had several cases where the coffin bone rotated thru the sole and STILL HEALED - so it IS possible.  I do not know all the procedures or costs involved in those cases - may very well be cost prohibitive.  I know that the farrier(s) involved did a lot of work & they had to track part of it with exrays.  Yes, and time to heal.

If you have to make the other decision to let her go, know that we are here and can help you thru that as well.  You do what you can and then make your decision.  If you make that one, don't 2nd guess yourself, as that will drive you mad for no reason at all.  We know that you will work out the best solution for yourself, your herd and your family to the best of your abilities!

And if you have more questions, please ask.  Seems many on this forum have had quite the experience!!

CYBER HUGGS coming your way.

[Rocklone]

Don't soak hay for more than a couple hours (3-4 tops) in cold water to remove sugars, any longer and the sugars start going back into the hay, as the solution is saturated, and it just equalizes between the saturated hay and the water. 

This makes sense, but then any time i have done it i have soaked then changed the water or rinsed it off...

[Rocklone]

I now constantly have people that come over and question me as to why my 4x minis  barely have anything in their pastures. More often than not I bite my tongue as its hard to explain to non horsey people actually what laminitis is .

Same here, but not that they dont know they just dont like that im not managing my land they way they do for their thoroughbreds! When i had TBs i was having them fert and spray my land when they did their own, but now i dont need that...i need NO fert, more weeds (safe weeds only) and NO resting pastures. Even so, my very small paddock still gives more grass growth than my fat ones can cope with, and i need to put them in stables and on the no grass area.

Thankfully Goldie is okay this year only cause shes about to drop, but Thrillers been pulled, Charm is on the verge of being pulled but i know she drops after about 4 months lactating, so i dont mind her having a little weight. Im going to look into splitting my paddocks again to make less space....and i only have  just over 1 acre!

[Chanda]

Computer glitch wouldn't let me quote...
If you are changing the water during the soaking process, then longer periods soaking are likely fine.

[dcwolcott]

Sound advice, all.  We're here for you!!  And praying for Willow!   

[Holly]

Chanda, thank you for sharing your story. That was very well said and full of great information.
In agreement I would much rather have bare pasture and have to Give food . 
Still thinking of you Carly

[dcwolcott]

I was fortunate here in Florida, as all my horses were on dry lots 100% of the time, as there was no grass growing in my pastures.  So, everything they ate came from me feeding them -- which was great for a couple of horses I had here that I had purchased with a history of laminitis.  Since there was no grass, they never had a recurrence even when being fed alfalfa -- which was the only hay I fed.

So, I'm not much use in information or experience, but I'm good at prayers!   

[Ryan]

Thanks Hayley , its good Im not the only one that is questioned more often than not.

Hope willow is making good progress Carly

[Holly]

Yes still sending good thoughts for Willow and Carley

[paintponylvr]

Carly - you could also "double use" that water that you use for soaking the hay.  If you have any type of flowers, veggies, fruit - gardens or trees, soak the hay near them.  Then when you dump the water and rinse the hay, pour the "used" water onto the garden plants.  They can utilize it and they will thank you!  Then you have an empty container to carry the hay back to Willow with - then start again.

Yes, it can/does add another step, but one that works for you with no waste & lots of happy, nodding little plants that become big, happy producing plants for you.

[Carly Rae]

I have been slowly reducing Willows doses over the past few days, as its been over a week, 2 weeks on Wednesday.
We are down to 2mls of Bute and is being reduced every day. I wanted to see how lame she was, but had to take her off the sand to get more room to see her fully walk.
When we were out of her pen, her head was up and all she wanted to do was trot around and stretch her legs. I let her have a bit of a walk, but didn't want to push our luck and have her out running too long, just to be sure, the last thing I want to do is make anything worse. And I don't want to get too excited with her still being on bute, but it shines a bit of light down the tunnel to see her feeling better. 😊

Our farrier was out Friday and gave her a trim too, he also said that he has seen many pony owners in the exact same boat as us lately.
We are looking to buy a few grazing muzzles for her and my other tubby minis, its been a big wake up call.

[Rocklone]

So glad she's doing well

[Silver City Heritage Farm]

Wonderful news Carly Rae! Since you're headed into fall/winter, I'm hoping you'll have an easier time of managing her now. Just don't let her sad expression and your own (possibly) guilty  conscience sway you from keeping to the strict feeding regimen she needs.

Keep up the good work. We're looking forward to continued improvement....and photos. You KNOW we like photos!!