| I remember the first time I saw Louie, a grey, | | | | very dehydrated and the impaction was advanced in |
| barrel-racing quarter horse gelding. He had been | | | | severity. He had to spend the night at a local |
| running inconsistently, which was not his usual | | | | veterinary clinic and receive large amounts of pain |
| performance. When I approached Louie he tensed up | | | | killers and IV fluids. |
| and held his head high and rigid. This posture made it | | | | If we had known back then that Louie was a classic |
| hard to evaluate his soreness so I decided to go | | | | example of a Metal horse temperament we could |
| ahead and make a few network chiropractic moves | | | | have taken some steps to prevent the impaction. The |
| and see how he responded. | | | | lungs and large intestine are the organs associated |
| After just a few moves, Louie's attitude changed. His | | | | with the Metal horse type, and these organs often |
| head dropped slightly and he took a shallow breath. A | | | | need extra support. Bran mashes or soaking a pelleted |
| few more moves and he had his head low and was | | | | feed with water are good ideas for any horse who is |
| licking and chewing. Louie did not look my way or | | | | not drinking well, and cutting back on hay when manure |
| acknowledge my presence but he won his barrel race | | | | decreases in amount or water content are steps to |
| the next day and went back to his regular consistent | | | | prevent impactions. |
| performance. | | | | Electrolytes added to the food or given in paste form |
| I saw Louie periodically over the next few years and | | | | will encourage drinking but should not be used if the |
| then he was sold. I did not see him for several years. | | | | horse is already significantly dehydrated. Metal horse |
| Louie's owner sold Louie to a professional with the | | | | temperaments should be watch very carefully for |
| stipulation that he would not be ridden by any kids. | | | | dehydration because they will continue to perform |
| Even without any understanding of horse | | | | even if they are developing an impaction. |
| temperament typing she knew Louie was too strong a | | | | For Metal horses who compete, Equilite's Bleeder's |
| runner and too tough a horse for even an experienced | | | | Blend is a good maintenance product to give for both |
| kid. | | | | lung and large intestine support. The bioflavanoids in |
| Well, as horse trading goes, Louie was resold to a kid. | | | | Bleeder's Blend support the lungs and the mullein in the |
| The new owners tracked down the original owner | | | | formula is a mucilaginous herb that soothes and |
| when it was obvious they had bought a horse they | | | | moisturizes the large intestine. |
| could not handle. Louie was bought back by his original | | | | Louie recovered and went on the win more races but |
| owner and she started barrel racing him again. After | | | | unfortunately he bowed a tendon in his front leg and |
| some tuning to remind Louie he had to respect his | | | | scar tissue from this injury caused him chronic pain. He |
| rider, he began winning again. | | | | continued to eat and limp around, but when it was |
| Louie was amazingly tough and handled the challenging | | | | obvious it would not be possible for him to heal, his |
| rodeo life but he did suffer a serious impaction colic at | | | | owner had him put down so he would not continue to |
| a barrel race in Abilene, TX. He went from the humid | | | | live in pain. Louie was a typical tough, consistent Metal |
| weather in East Texas to the dry climate of | | | | horse temperament. He gave his all every time, did not |
| Northwest Texas, and did not drink enough water. | | | | ask for much, and knew his job well. Please see the |
| Unfortunately, Louie had a very high pain tolerance and | | | | resource box and find a link to pictures of this amazing |
| he did not show outward signs of colic until he was | | | | horse. |