It's not always about the big, dramatic differences!
One of the last few times I spoke about little Fergus, we received some comments stating there was no difference to be seen from his arrival in comparison to the up-to-date photo we used.
While a successful, dramatic Rehab before and after is always really great to see, not all Laminitic and EMS horses/ponies are massively overweight, walking around with crazy crests and lameness 24/7. Infact, you'd be surprised how many owners don't even know about their horse's Laminitis or EMS. So yes, while the dramatic comparisons are great to see, it's also important to be able to see small differences that could mean huge changes in their health. Going back to Fergie, this little guy came to us with sub-clinical laminitis and EMS. The top picture is from October 2020 where you can see a visible hard crest, subtle fat pads above his eyes and a flat upper bum lined with fat pads. In general he was carrying a lot more weight.
The bottom photo is from January of this year. Not only has Fergus's crest softened, he has also lost the fat pads that lined his bum and shoulders whilst also gaining some great muscle definition - I promise it's under that fluffy coat of his!

Whilst this may not be the most dramatic difference we've shown on here, there is a BIG difference in his overall health when comparing the two. It's important to know what to look for and what subtle warning signs are telling you that something about the diet, management or environment is 'off'. Like I said, not all horses need to be massively overweight and lame 24/7 to be struggling with some health issues. Additionally, it's also to important to recognise the positive changes in your horse or pony too. Good job little Fergie.
Comments