The Great Lysine Experiment

I seem to be avoiding writing my 'goals for 2018' post.

Or I am still mulling.

Let's go with mulling.

We are getting hammered with another winter storm. For us it is all rain- no snow. Which is actually more difficult as the ground is frozen and not able to absorb it. I had to make sure that it had a path to flow so that the barn won't flood. I was probably worrying unnecessarily but hey, that's me and I need to go with my strengths. If it makes me feel better to be out in high winds and driving rain sticking a shovel into frozen ground to make the drainage pathways larger who is going to argue?

Not these two.

no more snow, just water running everywhere. 

As long as I'm not late with dinner.

Hiding inside from the weather gives me time to write an update on the red headed wonder: Irish.

Back in August I wrote a post about Irish and his incontinence. I purchased the boots and they worked really well to protect his legs from the scalding. His legs healed nicely and he was feeling perkier. But (why is there always a but?) wearing them 20 hours out of 24 was not good for his legs. He started getting some rubs from the boots. They also became very foul smelling (logical I know) no matter how often I washed them. So I went and purchased the Keratix Mud Shield powder. Now I do a boots every now and then and use the powder a lot. His legs look gross but it actually just rinses right off (unlike before).

Kris at Dancing Donkey suggested that some diet changes might help. She and I exchanged some emails and she suggested lots of things, the key being amino acids. These might be lacking in his diet. I am very careful with Irish's diet - given his history of ulcers and colics I don't make changes lightly. I did a lot of my own research. One issue is that getting supplements here in Canada is difficult , especially if you want a reasonable price.

Fast forward a bit and Cathryn at Two and a Half Horses did a post about her vet recommending Myoplast to help build Annie's topline. Reading that post and all the comments led me back to exploring some options for Irish. I then found a reasonably priced source for pure lysine in Canada (apple saddlery). I purchased it and have had him on it since November 8, 2017. I took some photos to document his progress.

Within a week I noticed something pretty amazing. Irish has always been a 'fussy' eater. In the winter he gets a lot of oats, fat and fibre,  free choice hay, soaked beet pulp and  alfalfa. Essentially he had food available 24/7. Rarely did he ever complete his grain/pellet ration. Nine out of ten mornings I threw out left over feed/beet pulp/alfalfa.

Now he finishes everything and is impatient for his breakfast and supper rations.

Guys this is huge. Irish never finishes his feed or hay.

In six weeks he put on 40 pounds.

Another thing I noticed (although not as quickly) was that his incontinence significantly reduced. It's not gone but it's so much less. I also think I see a difference in his topline- even though he's not getting exercised.

This week I checked him again. He hadn't gained any more weight which I found disappointing until I realized that this is the first time he didn't drop weight when the temperatures plummeted. He's maintaining his weight at 1098 (according to my weight tape).

 I don't know if the photos show anything at all. His topline looks better to me but I also want to see it. A few weeks ago when Shanea visited and Ashley was riding she commented that he looked good compared to the last time she saw him.

I have no idea what the scientific explanation is. My theory is that he was unable to extract the nutrients he needed so wasn't interested in eating. The lysine is helping him to do that. I cannot see it as a coincidence that after 6 years at home he suddenly decides to start eating (and longer than that but he was boarded so I can't swear to it).

Letting him build up weight and topline should make it far easier for him to be worked too.

An Update on the Old Guys

My blog has been a bit heavy on Carmen and Guinness lately so it's time to talk about the more seasoned  (4 legged) residents of Oakfield Farm.

Irish is doing very well this year. He weathered the winter and managed to keep his weight up. The only problem was that with his regular incontinence I couldn't keep his back legs as clean as I would like. I took advantage of every warmish day I could but it still built up to a gross amount. FYI- Dawn soap works really well on gunk like this. But other than that he's been really quite healthy and sound. Well, as sound as a 17 year old horse with a neurological issue that is most likely arthritis in his spine could be.

he is still the one to forge the path through the snow and
takes that job very seriously. 

He has been enjoying his rides this winter as well and I've made reference a few times  to his 'happy face'. Here it is:

He enjoys 'teaching' others and tries very hard for them. Sometimes too hard but that's part of his charm. I'm finding that having a senior horse might be heavy on maintenance but they are so charming that it's worth it. Irish comes up for his face rubs in the pasture and is generally easy to work with. His only issue is that he's getting cranky for not being allowed over into the grass pasture and all of my explanations about waiting for the grass to get established and be growing fall on deaf ears.

Irish and I have been together since he was three years old and understand one another. I love that he's still with me and will do my best to keep him healthy and happy. He knows that he's not going anywhere.

Irish and Steele and I - photo by Kat 

d'Arcy is going to be 13 soon. I've picked him out of a litter and I remember my excitement 

d'Arcy has lived life to the fullest, always doing things 100%. 

Which has led to things like this:

His motto has always been 'it's just a flesh wound' and he can't understand why he can't carry on. This has always been my favourite photo of him because it sums him up perfectly:

And led to him being on a soda bottle:

However, d'Arcy is starting to feel his age. We've also noticed that he's losing his hearing. I was getting so annoyed with him earlier this year when he would be completely ignoring me while 50 feet away. Now I realize that he probably couldn't hear me. I have to make sure that he sees me first. He needs help getting upstairs and doesn't get up with me. I think he doesn't hear me but he notices when Ed gets up. That's okay- it gives me time to get the puppy calmed down before he comes out. This morning Guinness and I were finished the chores and no sign of d'Arcy. I figured he and Ed were sleeping in.
Let's go get the lazy bones up I said.
Lazy bones! BREAKFAST! Lazy bones! BREAKFAST! BREAKFAST! Guinness bounced to the house.

Ed was sitting on the couch and I asked if he let d'Arcy out. He realized that d'Arcy was still upstairs sleeping. He called him down and let him out to pee. We watched from the window as he slowly and stiffly made his way to the barn. He was slow but he had a job to do and he was going to get it done. I had tears in my eyes because, for the first time (to me anyway), he looked like an old dog.

I realized that he was looking for me so I went outside and called him. He didn't look up until I bounced up and down and waved my arms.
Oh, there you are. Everything looks okay here- I just checked. 
I brought him into the house.

d'Arcy is on medication but he's still sore and stiff at night. I know that the vet wants me to really limit his exercise and I sort of do. But I refuse to keep him in the house or tie him to stop him from running. I still throw a ball or stick for him because it makes him happy. And I'd rather have him happy for a short time then miserable for a long time. He has perked up with the puppy because he joins in on the short and frequent exercise and that is probably way better for him.

from a couple weeks ago

So at Oakfield Farm we are mix of young, old and middle aged. Some of us need some medication to keep going while others are young and bouncy. All of us are full of piss and vinegar.  It does keep things interesting- and well stocked with various remedies.