19th May, 2009 Safer Horse Rescues

I jumped at the chance to attend the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service's training day on Safer Horse Rescues and in particular, Josh Slater's lecture on Sedation and Anaesthesia. I now know that both the procedure and the drugs used for Piper's sedation were definitely inappropriate. Of course, it still doesn't bring him back. I would urge any vet at any level to attend a similar course. Josh fully understands the opposing forces of the flight response and sedative drugs, drawing an analogy with a dimmer switch being turned up and down, and emphasising the absolute need not to wind a horse up before sedating it. He also described the synergy between different drugs and how the right combination can ensure a much easier recovery for the horse.

A few nights ago, I also attended a clients' evening arranged by The Barn on the subject of laminitis. They emphasised that the three biggest factors in this disease are (1) overweight; (2) overweight and (3) overweight. Laminitis is so dangerous and so painful for horses and yet we continue to overfeed and over-rug our horses.