H:: Spice up your life!

So this is little one:

Spice has had arthritic changes in her knees since she was 14, which was attributed to her showjumping at 100mph form an early age and she also did mounted games for some time. We then retired her to a life in the field with the odd hack now and again. The nodules on her knees have been slowly growing since then and she is now quite sore when she trots but is fine in walk and canter - she is happy though and to me, that is all that matters. 

Sun, sea, and a good old roll.

Spice has lived out 24/7 for all the summers I have had her, but due to amount of grazing she had to come at night for the winter. She was always extremely stiff walking out into the field in the morning; we tried Devil's claw to no effect. In the summer of 2013 she put on a fair amount of weight and became quite lame: I put her on a crash diet and Boswelia, but was pressured into putting her onto Previcox. It is a drug used for dogs, but it had not been properly tested on equines (it may have been since). She went onto half a tablet each day and she began to fall over in the field. It was one of the most frightening times with her: she would be trotting down the field and suddenly fall to the floor, it was awful.

So out came the vet again and I said that I was taking her off Previcox without question and she suggested putting her onto Danilon instead (Spice won't eat Bute). The vet said she would perhaps make it to winter - but would suffer in the frost and probably wouldn't make it through. So she lost some weight, went onto the Danilon once a day and she had a hefty scoop of micronised Linseed to see her through the winter and she made it!!

Poor girl unable to stand properly in her stable

So came the summer of 2014! Spice gave me another horrendous scare where she became very sore after spending the night in her stable (we think she may have stiffened up and gone down). She was so sore and I thought she wouldn't make it through the day. Me and Drifter stayed by her side all day and I gave her a feed full of Linseed and Danilon. By the evening she was walking okay again and by the next morning was happily bossing Drifter around the field again: another huge sigh of relief.

The following evening, standing normally again!

And so was the build up to another winter with little one. This was when the best thing happened - Katrina bought Russia and Spice became Mum all over again. She now has the choice of standing in the stable, on a track or of course her favourite place; in the field! She has a new purpose and loves having a new youngster to look after. Russia and Spice have a special relationship built on a mutual understanding of one another.

 

So a move off the yard, meant a move off the Danilon thanks to reassurance from Katrina and back to the natural stuff and so came the Golden paste- time to Spice up her life! I had put her on turmeric for a short time years ago, but I didn't use it in a high enough quantity to notice a difference. She has been on turmeric consistently now for some weeks and she is able to lift her legs up far easier than before even when she was on Danilon; and the best thing about turmeric as a natural healer; it's been scientifically proven. I have no doubt that living out has made a huge difference for her and of course letting her grow the feet she needs to, in order to support those poorly limbs.

I have my dear friend to thank for the lifestyle Spice is now able to lead.

So our next challenge: Grow our own turmeric!!

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