Holistic Horse Rescue Part 2

Healing the rescue horse's whole body is a slow but necessary process

by Hannah Evergreen, DVM

Last month we discussed the immediate needs of a rescue horse, including re-feeding syndrome, nutrition, and parasite and lice control. This month we will take a step back and look holistically at the whole horse. Once the horse has stabilized and is gaining weight, you can start to relax. The horse is not out of the woods yet, however. The horse's body has undergone extreme stress and will need a deeper level of rehabilitation for complete healing to occur. Physical rehabilitation along with detoxification and immune support are keys in this stage.

Physical Rehabilitation

Hoof Care: Many rescue horses have not had proper hoof care in the past and can be difficult to handle for their first trim. If a trim is stressful, wait until the horse has stabilized (2-4+ weeks) as this stress can be problematic early on. Be sure to work with a farrier (and a trainer if needed) who is sensitive to the emotional needs of the horse and willing to go slowly, thinking of each trimming session as a training session until the horse is calm and relaxed for trims.

Resorting to ropes only leads to long term behavioral and emotional problems. Occasionally, sedation should be used to help relax the horse and make a much-needed trim safe for all involved. Rescue horses often need to have their hooves trimmed every three to six weeks for a few months to help reestablish balance and correct pathology from neglect.

Bodywork: Start light exercise at the walk and slowly increase the distance/time and add in a few minutes of trot over the next two to three months. It is important to take it slow due to muscle damage and loss from starvation. Once the horse is at a 4.5/9 or above body condition score (BCS), you can start increasing the trot and adding in canter work, etc., depending on the physical capabilities of the horse.

Having massage work done once or twice a month during this process is very helpful to improve the suppleness of the muscles, address any ongoing problems, and to increase circulation and detoxify the muscles. Chiropractic work is also helpful monthly, as starvation and stress can cause significant subluxations. For painful problems or simply to help the horse recover more completely, acupuncture is also helpful during this process. Work with a veterinarian who is certified in acupuncture and chiropractic to help formulate the best plan for each individual horse. When musculoskeletal problems are not addressed early on, they can turn into long-standing conditions that affect the horse’s quality of life, long term health, and adoptability.

Dental Care: Once the horse has reached a BCS of 3.5/9 or above and has had blood work run showing normal CBC and chemistry levels, she is ready for dental care. Be sure to have a dental exam done by a veterinarian on intake. In cases of extreme dental disease, where the horse cannot eat with out intervention, dental care may be required right away. In severe cases, changes should be made slowly, with dental floats performed by a veterinarian every 3-6 months until the mouth has been re-equilibrated. Soaked hay and beet pulp/hay pellet mashes can be fed during the process so the horse can more comfortably chew her food.

Detoxification and Immune Support

After the stress of neglect and starvation, as well as the chemical lice and parasite treatments, the rescue horse will benefit from a detoxification program. Allowing toxins to build up can affect the horse’s long term health and speed of recovery. I recommend starting the horse on either Dynamite’s Herbal Tonic for one month, or for more sensitive horses, Wendals Herbs Liver Mix for one to three months. These herbal formulas will help support and cleanse the horse’s liver, which is her natural detoxifier. Immune support is also helpful early on in many cases. Horses that have been starved or neglected are often immune suppressed. They can be exposed to viral infections by being rescued and moved to a new location or hospital setting, or they may have an underlying infection prior to rescue. At-risk horses should be put on a vitamin C and/or an echinacea supplement such as Equilite’s GarlicC or Equinacea.

Stay tuned next month for a discussion on the emotional rehabilitation of rescue horses, long term care, and re-homing.

More information on horse rescue and resources can be found at the Northwest Equine Stewardship Center website, www.nwesc.org.