What killed my pony?

[mum389276]

I live in France and bought a pony 6 months ago, about 10 years old (no history). She had been well up to the day she died. My son rode here gently on Friday evening and everything was the same as usual. On Saturday morning I found her in the field lying down and it was a real struggle to get her back on her feet. I bought her in to the stable and she was down most of the time. The vet arrived and gave her an injection of cortisone (I think?) He said she had no temperature, no diahorea her blood was very dark and thick (almost black) he thought it was some kind of poisoning. Anyway, she struggled all day up and down but she died later that evening. I havent much experience of sick horses and have no idea why she died. Any ideas please?

[Lucy Thomas]

The best bet is that she was poisoned. Have a look in the field and see if you can see anything that may be the cause. Ragwort will kill horses if they eat it.

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/ragwo rt.htm

My daughter has a 13 year old mare whom we all love dearly. My symathies go out to you and your son.

[Lucy Thomas]

'sympathies'

[Goodsoulette]

My mum breeds ponies and horses and my immediate though was ragwort too. There are many other plants poisonous to horse which o the whole horses tend to avoid eating, but the include bracken fern, oleander, elderberry, yew and the list goes on.... google plants poisonous to horses, look at the images and see if you can find any of these culprits in your field.

[mum389276]

Now I feel so bad. Perhaps I could have done more to avoid her eating the plant. I'm worried about my other horse too, incase the ragwort is in the hay. I am going to check my fields for ragwort now.

[lankeela]

Ragwort will not kill a horse immediately and they will not usually eat it while it is growing. It is most dangerous when cut and baled with the hay, and then builds up in the system, causing liver damage in the long term.

Are you sure some well meaning person has not given her something which could have made her sick? Is there anyone who lives near the field who might have given her something.

Did she have any signs of colic (upset stomach, kicking and biting at her flanks, trying to roll on the ground), asthis is one of the biggest killers of horses, as they roll they twist their gut and are unable to pass anything. Is your vet doing a post mortem, and are there any other horses in the same area as they may also be at risk if it is poison.

[lankeela]

This article gives lots of information. If it is ragwort poisoning it could have been caused before you got her, and just built up in her system, so may not have been anything you did.

http://www.equinescienceupdate.co.uk/ragwort1. htm

[horsestache1]

I agree with Lankeela, if it was Ragwort, it was not your fault, as it does take a while to build up in the system.

I think it more likely to be colic, she probably rolled around and kicking her tummy during the night, causing her gut to twist, again there was nothing you could have done about it, as it happened over night. Did she poo at all whilst she was ill? If not then you can be sure that it was indeed collic.

My sympathies to both you and your son XXXX

[Ice.Maiden]

So sorry to hear about your son's pony. In all probability, one of the answers below could've been the reason for your loss. I hope a post mortem is able to show the true cause - xx.

[mum389276]

Thanks for everybodys sympathy. Whichever way she died it must have been so painful for her. I think when something like this happens, you are just waiting for it to happen again to the next horse. I hope it hasnt destroyed the pleasure side of having horses for me. I'm afraid that where I live they haven't the facilities for a post mortems so will never really know why.