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A chute can easily be built with a few round pen panels and plywood...it's not rocket science nor do you need to have a bunch of money to do so. And if it was done when the filly was a weanling and experienced the first bout of uveitis, it would have been really helpful, and not even need to be as strong, since the filly would have been small.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alagirl
assuming one has round pen panels at hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by jetsmom
See above.
Quote:
I said I was done, but reading I realize that it does seem like this filly has gone recently untreated for a long time. As a foal she had no issues. Half way through her yearling year she had one bout of what the vet felt was uveitis, lasted about 2 days one eye. Since then (18 months) she's had two other bouts. One with one eye, one with both eyes. Both times cleared up within a few days. This last time the filly was fine on Thursday evening. I was in the field scratching her all over. The following day I noticed both eyes were effected and she appeared to not be able to see.
This is not the same as what you posted before. I m sure Misty Blue is correct and that's why the backpedaling/downplaying now. The denials were rather feeble. You need to work on that to make it more credible.
I do feel for you-it's difficult walking that fine line between filly needing sharpshooter or for sale as a nice prospect.
Stop changing your story and do whatever you think is right. You don't need anyone's permission.
You are afterall allegedly a very experienced breeder who has raised 50 foals! .
Is it that hard to imagine one might procure said panels at their feedstore? No? Well how about the one in the next town? No? Then borrow them from a friend? No? Then order those SOBs, pay the freight, and quit yer bitching.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alagirl
I swear, the next excuse will be' but my hands are painted on! I don't have thumbs!!!'
I guess if someone doesn't own a horse, getting horse supplies can seem like an insurmountable obstacle. It's understandable that they wouldn't be able to realize that it just isn't that difficult.Quote:
Originally Posted by katarine
I think you're leaving a bit out there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alagirl
What it comes down to is this: it is our responsibility to provide care for our animals. I'm sure EVERYONE here would agree with that, yes?
With horses, particularly when you are breeding foals, part of "providing care" is generally also training them to accept that care--halter breaking and general handling skills.
With cattle, providing care generally involves chutes and alleys and those squeeze box things.
If you CHOOSE (and yes, it was the OP's CHOICE) to not put the time and effort into training your animals and instead look out on your pasture and say to yourself "okay, that one is a 'wild horse'" then you damned well better have some way of getting it in and getting it handled when the shit hits the fan. Or you better have a nice rifle and be a good shot, because if you can't handle the horse normally and you don't have the facilities to handle it like livestock then you have ONE option left when the horse gets injured or ill.
So yes--if the OP was so unwilling to put the training into this horse so it could be handled normally and safely, then it was her responsibility as an owner to FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY to handle the thing, which in this case would have likely been a chute or a pen or something. And by not having ANY way to handle this horse, she is negligent, and the horse has now paid the price.
I don't think that it's about round panels or otherwise. They moved her, did they not?
I can see why the majority is outraged at the OP. I'm pretty pissed for the poor filly myself. If you aren't 100% confident that you can do well by each animal you bring into the world, no matter what problems that animal may bring with it, you. don't. breed. Period. No questions.
After that first round with UV, it should have been the folding point for the OP to get her butt in gear when it came to handling the filly. There was a problem presented with common sense solution. This isn't just the filly was born crazy... the OP has, essentially, blinded the filly.
DD hates having her medication... it's not fun, it's not pretty, but she gets it. My weanling HATED having her feet done. We still got it done. She got over it.
Why? Because that's just what you do.
I, also, would like to know how Misty knew how the sale ads were for this filly.
I do think that the OP has been properly raked over the coals, I hope that this poor filly is out of her misery, and the OP really needs to reconsider their breeding ventures.
The bouts started half way through her yearling year. That has not changed. However other posters. Like the one above are the ones saying that as a weanling I should have been running her through a chute to treat her uveitis. She didn't have it then! I'm not back peddling. My story has not changed and will not. I have no reason to not be honest with my issues. I want to do what is best.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crockpot
I've had no use for a chute, so no I don't have a chute. However the round pen panels to the trailer are a super idea. Even doing round pen panels to a stall will work (whoever suggested that thank you!).
I've had many good suggestions on here and most likely will try the ace or sedative to sedate her enough. I never seriously thought of that as I do not use sedatives in my barn.
I have no reason to disappear or hide. No one here knows who I am to my knowledge. The ads listed are not for this filly, nor are they my ads. This filly has not been for sale because of the fact she has been difficult to handle. I really wouldn't even care if people knew me because all my other young stock have been well handled and nice quality animals. I got one difficult filly out of 50, 2%. Eventually a breeder is going to get a difficult foal. I've admitted letting her other bouts go was not good. I did treat with banamine and bute feed through. Same as I am now for her. So I'm not just letting her sit in pain. The episodes have been few.
I can take the bashing because I realize that most of the people that are judging have not handled the foals I have, it doesn't bother me. I also realize that euthanasia with my vet is probably going to be the way to go, sedating her first. I hadn't thought of sedating her first. I've never had a filly or horse like this, so that thought just didn't pop into my mind.
Some of her sight has returned today. Maybe the inflamation is going down with the anti inflamatories. So she is not completely blind, permanently. I realize I have to get on top of it, but I do think for this filly euthanasia is the best solution.
Carry on. Don't worry I'm not going to get a sharp shooter out for her today.
People here are hard.
If the OP had kept the poor little bugger stalled, you'd all be saying she was being cruel.
Regardless of the method, it sounds like other than giving some of the folks on here the warm fuzzies (I'm sure the OP will let you catch her, transport her and rehome her) there is really no reason to keep a horse that is unhappy, and unsocial (regardless of the reason) that has zero quality of normal horse life, would not likely last long in the wild, alive, just because if you do all sorts of chute, pen, stall, pad, whatever kind of stuff has been suggested on here, you can.
So no OP, you are not nuts, unkind, unfeeling or anything of the sort. You are looking for a solution that will be the least traumatic to all involved. That said, unless you know a really good marksman who is actually willing to shoot a pretty little horse, (and just because someone works for Fish and Game, does not mean it won't take more than one shot) you will likely have to catch and contain the horse for euthanasia. Yes, it might not be peaceful, but at the end of the day, it's probably the most humane thing to do.
Thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2ndyrgal
I don't think anyone here has said don't euthanize but several have pointed out the weirdness of the story and the odd approach to treatment(not) considering that the OP claims to be a very experienced breeder .
Don't believe everything you read and it is OK to be skeptical .
I don't understand why anyone would start this thread if she was sure she knew what to do.
DO it - Bang Bang- but don;t expect everyone to tell you that you are lovely..
Frankly, I think that this filly should have been euthanized when it became apparent that she was nutty enough to be completely unhandleable. It's not a choice ANYONE wants to make, but if she was so obviously very different and crazy (at least according to the OPs account) then that's a huge "Something Is WRONG Here" sign, and the OP should have acted then.
Waiting until the horse was THREE and BLIND is where the OP fell down here.
Except that the filly isn't blind. At the start of the thread, OP stated she can get close to her unless she is carrying a halter. That indicated she could see. Just a couple of posts ago, she stated she can see. And she lets her pat her. That doesn't sound like a dangerous filly. If went around killing all of the horses that are hard to catch, and would rather be on pasture with their buddies, rather than be separated and trained, there would be an awful lot of dead horses.
So we have a filly that can be petted, but isn't halter trained, that has had 3 episodes of uveitis in 3 yrs. And the OP wants to kill her...Any reason why the filly can't be caught, and sent to training where they own a chute/stocks, or can put her in a stall? I see nothing indicating this horse is ":untrainable". Just that she isn't as attached to people as she is her herd. And an owner that hasn't bothered to get her trained/handled.
If the OP isn't going to get her trained/send her out to get trained, so she can be handled, then she should euth. But lets not pretend this filly is wild, dangerous, or blind.
Well this is the fourth bout of uveitis. First when she was 18 months, then two others. I will admit the first two I thought were simply ulcers. They cleared up so fast and she did have an uncle jimmy's hanging ball in her run in. So part of this is why this went "untreated". Until the 3rd the word uveitis was not used. It is hard to tell the whole story of her life on a forum. When I went out Friday night and she appeared to be totally blind and bumping into the fence I was upset and scared for her and me.Quote:
Originally Posted by jetsmom
This morning she is gaining more sight which makes me more inclined to work with the vet. If I choose to work with her, I have to be 100% committed to keeping her for life as a pasture pet. Financially that is a tall order. So euthanasia is most likely her best option, though I am not against using round pen panels and stalling her with a buddy and trying to work more with her and giving her a chance to be safe enough to treat her eyes. If not then euthanasia before the next episode.
I just have zero empathy for you three years into this mess. Zero. You thought ulcers flared and went away poof? How convenient. Ulcers smulcers. What fruitbattin planet are you on?!
Poor little filly, euthanasia is the kindest thing and I have ZERO sympathy for you! Although, if she can't be caught, can't be examined how on earth do you know it's actually uveitis? And if you know it's uveitis for sure, how on earth could you let her have THREE untreated and painful episodes? And, because I'm fearing the worst, what on earth do her poor feet look like if a farrier can't get near her? :cry:
You say you are "working with the vet..." I'm pretty sure the vet would have been able to advise you by now and if it was best for the horse, I'm sure the vet would have told you to euth.
The only reason I can see that you haven't done this yet is that you don't want to pay for it.
So, pony up for a vet, tranq her through her food and have her put down humanely. Be sure you have a plan for the body, as well.
Just do it.
NJR
Here feet are fine. She has great feet, small, perfect feet. She's not locked in a stall, they were fine. We have great soil and most of the horses the farrier just rasps off. So don't worry, no elf shoes on her.Quote:
Originally Posted by eclipse
My neighbor has a back hoe and will bury for us in the field. Money is not an issue here, it's doing what is right and making sure that everyone is safe while doing it.Quote:
Originally Posted by NJR
Some have asked what the vet wants me to do. The vet is not huge on just euthanizing.
And yes, I've had ulcers in the past that a horse has bumped or gotten something in the eye and they have cleared up quickly. So I'm afraid the first two episodes I did believe it was something in her eye as it was not a horrible looking spot.
So what's happened to the filly as of now? Is she still in the field bumping into the fences, has the flare-up died down, have you done anything to treat her other than dressing some feed with banamine?
Whether you decide to euth or not, if you're making plans to start more in-depth treatment or get more proactive about handling her...she still is (possibly?) in the midst of a flare-up? It's all about the "right now" when a bout of UV is going on...getting the horse out of direct sun at minimum.
I know putting the necessary ointments in her eyes likely isn't going to happen and is she refuses to be haltered a fly mask with UV protection probably isn't in the near future either. Perhaps she could be contained in an area that offers a decent amount of shade during daylight hours? A paddock with a run-in, or small pasture with some big trees? She could maybe be enticed to stay in the shade by offering free-choice hay in a shaded area while the sun is out. I know it's a long shot but is there an indoor arena on the property she could be shut up in during the day? Simply getting her out of the sunlight in addition to continuing the banamine could go a little ways towards relieving her discomfort and preserving what sight she has left after the flare-up is over.
I think everyone else has pretty much sussed out the coulda, woulda, shouldas. Figured I'd throw out a few options that could help immediately while you are making your final decision. Please do something to get her comfortable, any little bit you can.
And WFIW if you do decide to try and work with her, first thing in order would be to get her haltered and get her used to a fly mask. Fly masks with UV protection have been a must for every, every horse we've had at the barn with UV. No matter how infrequent their history of flare-ups they don't go out in daylight without them because as you already know, you don't know when they are going to flare up until it happens. Prevention is 90% of the battle with UV. Every single episode, no matter how small, takes a little away from their vision
I know it would be a long way down the road but she'd also need to get used to you handling her face and putting ointment in her eyes. The banamine only does so much to control the problem, corticosteroid ointments or drops will generally yield much better results when used in conjunction with the banamine. Since she is so young time is of the essence. If you decide not to euth this needs to be addressed now, before she has yet another bout.
Just a note:The OP stated that the Equine Now ads weren't hers, but they sure got deleted quickly! The ads are no longer available.