This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Musculoskeletal Conditioning » Decreasing Performance and Exercise Intolerence »
  Discussion on Tying up
Author Message

Posted on Thursday, Jan 18, 2001 - 1:17 pm:

dear members

i have a racing filly 4 year old with a tying up problem. When the horse is trotting and cantering there are no signs of any problem with her muscles but after strenious work (gallop)the horse has problems with her hind legs. Please give me any suggestions or ideas concerning this problem if any of you has encountered this kind of problem before.

Thank you

Posted on Friday, Jan 19, 2001 - 7:35 am:

Hello Christos,
We have an article on this condition and you will find it at: The Horseman's Advisor: Equine Diseases: Lameness: Problems of Muscles, Tendons, Ligaments, and Bones: Tying Up, Rhabdomyolysis, and Shivers (EPSM).
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jan 18, 2001 - 3:20 pm:

Christos--Go to www.ruralheritage.com. Then, pick the "Vet Clinic." The veterinarian who hosts that site specializes in horses who have ESPM--tying up. Her treatment, largely diet, is somewhat controversial, but lots of people swear by it. Good luck.

Posted on Friday, Jan 19, 2001 - 7:40 am:

Eva,
Let me make clear for everyone that Equine Polysaccaride Storage Myopathy and tying up not the same thing. EPSM will cause tying up, but not all horses that tie up have ESPM. Though tying up is common in TB's but is frequently not due to EPSM in this breed. When EPSM is confirmed the diet is very effective, the question I think we still have is does it help with the much more common non-EPSM tying up diseases.
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jan 18, 2001 - 10:41 pm:

My mare was diagnosed off the track w/ azoturia. Since I started working her I saw what it was firsthand. I was told to put her on MSM and Equi-flex. I think its the selenium and vitamen -e in these that helps. I also use Source. Since then (though i don't work her as hard, either) I haven't had a problem. I think her old trainer had a hand in it, too. Working her too long, not drying her off properly, those kinds of things, I think added to her propensity for this.

Posted on Friday, Jan 19, 2001 - 2:34 pm:

Start feeding a diet higher in fat, add some corn oil to the feed, and also a DMG supplement...it worked great for my mare...Also, make sure that the horse gets as much turn out time as possible...this is probably the best thing for a horse that is prone to tying up.

Posted on Saturday, Jan 20, 2001 - 8:21 am:

I should note the DMG is a nutriceutical that at this time has no research supporting its use, and several have looked at it in experimental situations. I agree completely with the exercise however and high fat diets work in some situations, this is explained in the article referenced above.
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Jan 20, 2001 - 9:30 am:

Dr. O is right, DMG has not been proven to work...I used it as it was recommended to me by my vet, however, I used it in combination with all of the other things so I'm not sure which really worked...I would guess it was the turn out time more than anything else.

Joy

Posted on Saturday, Jan 20, 2001 - 10:25 am:

I took my mare to a different trainer when she was 10. I have owned her since she was 3 so know her history very well. While in that trainers care, she started tying up which I found out when they asked me how I had handled it in the past. Of course my answer was -she doesn't tie up.
The trainer mostly worked with younger horses and was feeding a high protein concentrate and only alfalfa hay. Once they put her back on coastal and started warming her up more carefully, the problem went away. Its been awhile but I also remember they put her being on a Vitamin e/selenium supplement to help. She's 18 now and never had another problem with tying up.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC