May 3, 2011. Vet is called out again to take blood for comparison and to discuss another treatment plan for high ringbone. It is recommended I try Equioxx for two weeks instead of bute. Equioxx provides consistent pain relief for 24 hours with just one daily dose. Both bute and equioxx are Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID). I find no improvement in Bailey’s lameness and in fact she seems worse without bute on a daily basis. The vet prescribes going back to 1 gram bute tablet on a maintenance schedule of 5 days on, 2 days off.
BAILEY MOVES HOME!
July 21, 2011. Bailey moved home 1 year and 1 day since buying her. After staying at a few barns and seeing what she needed most, the best thing for Bailey was to come home where I could be sure she had 24 hour turnout, medicine distributed correctly and high quality feed and hay. The barn at my home had existed on the property, but it did require some structural reinforcement and a stall area constructed, as well as some initial fencing. All that was accomplished in three days with some very hard working friends and hired help. Now Bailey would be free to move about and not be in a stall even for a short amount of time. She is never locked in a stall even in rain, snow, sleet, wind, anything. Bailey has free choice to come into the barn stall area or not, and for the most part, she prefers being outside.
July 27, 2011. We meet our new veterinarian! Alfredo Romero, DVM, DACVS Dr. Romero will handle Bailey from this point.
July 21, 2011 – April 15, 2012. We continue with the bute program, 5 days 1 gram bute, 2 days off. I also add topical surpass, although I am not seeing any benefit. It is a cream that is rubbed directly at the joint. It is pretty hard to tell if you are actually getting through the hair to the skin properly. It is a very mild winter, and I ride Bailey a few times a week through winter keeping her moving and in a non strenuous trail riding program of walk only.
April 16, 2012 – May 5, 2013. Trail riding access to my paths change forcing me to have to hand walk Bailey a half a mile down a paved road, then onto a pebble road. This change is extremely painful for Bailey even given bute prior to the ride. My farrier is rolling both Bailey’s front toes, cutting them very short so they leave the ground as soon as possible. I purchase EasyBoot Trail boots with pads inserted in them for protection when walking on the road. Again, as terrific as the boots were, the hard surfaces are her enemy with high ringbone, and she has minimal comfort from the boots. I do use them as they are better than nothing.
If I were a horse... 