Banjo had never been known for his speed. In fact, instructors at the lesson barn joked that the 15-year-old grade gelding’s favorite gait was “the mosey.” Still, Banjo’s sweet and unflappable nature made him a favorite among students and staff alike.
Because of Banjo’s laid-back disposition, no one was too concerned when he seemed particularly pokey as the spring lesson season began. More noticeable was his change in attitude. Normally friendly and eager for carrots, he now seemed aloof when the kids came to retrieve him from his paddock.
And then there was his peculiar reluctance to cross the parking lot between his field and the lesson barn, something he’d previously done literally hundreds of times without blinking an eye. Now each time Banjo came to the edge of the lot, Banjo balked and the kids had to pull harder and harder on his lead to get him to move forward. Sometimes he braced himself firmly against the lead until an adult intervened.
When Banjo developed a hoof abscess that took him out of work for two weeks, the barn manager figured that might have been the problem. But even after the abscess healed, the gelding’s attitude did not improve. He was still grumpy and unwilling. The barn manager called the veterinarian and set up an appointment for the following week.
The veterinary examination yielded answers. There were no obvious signs of illness or injury—Banjo didn’t have a fever and his heart rate was normal. His gums were a healthy pink color, and his eyes clear. The veterinarian asked the barn manager whether anything had changed about Banjo’s daily routine and she reviewed his medication and care records.
As the veterinarian was finishing her review, barn manager remarked that Banjo had developed an aversion to the gravel parking lot. The veterinarian asked to see his behavior for herself, and a young student was recruited to help. As usual, Banjo walked slowly but willingly until he reached the edge of the parking lot. This time, though, when he braced himself against the lead, the veterinarian exhaled and gave a knowing nod.
Severe cramping of the large muscle masses—often in the loins and hindquarters—tying up can be either sporadic or chronic. A horse with tying up may have gait abnormalities and in more severe cases will be reluctant to move. Other signs include excessive sweating, rapid breathing and heart rate, and muscle tremors.
A progressive neurologic disease characterized by inflammation of the brain and the spinal cord, EPM is caused when horses ingest feed or water contaminated with Sarcocystis neurona protozoa. Most horses who exposed to S. neurona do not become ill, but in some cases the organisms cross the blood-brain barrier and attack the central nervous system, leading to weakness, incoordination and muscle atrophy.
Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), is a painful inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye’s wall. A complex autoimmune disease, ERU can be acute or recurrent and can affect one or both eyes. The damage caused by ERU can lead to vision problems, which in turn affect behavior. In particular, vision loss often makes horses especially wary of variations in footing.
This painful hoof condition is caused by inflammation of the sensitive plates of soft tissue (laminae) within the horse’s foot, caused by physical or physiologic injury. Severe cases of laminitis may result in founder, an internal deformity of the foot. Acute laminitis sets in rapidly, while chronic laminitis is a persistent, long-term condition. (Adobe Stock)
For the veterinarian, the tip off to Banjo’s problem was the gelding’s reluctance to walk over the gravel parking lot—a classic sign of chronic laminitis. Unlike acute laminitis, which typically occurs after a single event—such as grain overload or a severe illness like Potomac horse fever—chronic laminitis comes on gradually, usually as a secondary condition related to insulin resistance, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) or another problem. And the signs of chronic laminitis can be subtle. There’s no tell-tale “rocking horse” stance, heat in the hooves or “bounding” digital pulse as there often is in acute laminitis.
Chronic laminitis does make a horse’s feet sore, however, which accounts for a reluctance to traverse hard or uneven surfaces like the gravel parking lot. On yielding footing, like a sand arena, the hoof sinks deeply enough to provide support to the sole. In contrast, an unyielding surface offers no sole support, and each step pulls on the damaged laminae inside the hoof capsule.In addition, it’s likely that his previously undiagnosed chronic laminitis had contributed to the hoof abscess that Banjo had recently recovered from. The inflammation and tissue damage associated with chronic laminitis create ideal conditions for abscess formation.
Working from these clues, the veterinarian took a series of x-rays. They showed mild but distinct rotation of the coffin bones of both front hooves, indicative of chronic laminitis.
Diagnosis made, the veterinarian and barn manager crafted a plan to help Banjo recover. One of the first tasks was starting him on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication to control his pain. The same day, the veterinarian had the first of many conferences with Banjo’s farrier—bringing him up to speed on the situation and discussing trimming and shoeing techniques to preserve the gelding’s soundness.
Banjo was also tested for insulin resistance and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, Cushing’s syndrome), two conditions that can increase the risk of chronic laminitis. The results showed that Banjo did not have PPID, but he was insulin resistant, meaning his body didn’t respond normally to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Banjo was put on a low-carb, low-sugar feed, as well as a supplement designed to support metabolic function. He would likely remain on this diet for the rest of his life.
Banjo was also, much to his dismay, fitted with a grazing muzzle whenever pastures were lush—especially in spring and early fall. This enabled the gelding to stay with his herd and enjoy the benefits of turnout without overeating. In the winter, Banjo’s hay rations were soaked for 30 minutes to reduce their sugar content.
Perhaps the hardest part of Banjo’s new health regimen was enforcing a “no-sugary treats” policy. Students who had loved plying Banjo with peppermints and apples now offered him only barn-approved low-sugar treats.
Six months after his chronic laminitis diagnosis, Banjo was nearly back to normal. He returned to the lesson rotation and was sound and willing (if not spritely) over any footing. Banjo was once again a sweet, willing and patient schoolmaster. And with vigilant care, he will be beloved by future generations of riders.
