“In June 2009 we bought a 23-year-old Welsh pony, Fergie, for our daughter to start to learn to ride. Fergie had a cresty neck, so needless to say I didn’t take any liberties with her for fear of her getting laminitis.
In Dec 2009 she went down with laminitis in cold snowy weather. We blood tested her, she had an insulin level of 237µIU/ml (normal is less than 40µIU/ml). My vet Claire Devitt said she had insulin resistance and Cushing’s disease. We kept her shut up as part of her treatment.
By Feb 2010, she was still shut up — we weren’t really getting on top of the laminitis. She was having bouts of it about every three weeks. We blood tested her again only to find her insulin levels had gone up to >330µIU/ml. Still in her box, she was getting much worse and gaining weight. We even had a period of about 10 days of her looking extremely laminitic first thing in the morning and walking around her box more easily by late afternoon.
By 25 March 2010 her insulin levels had rocketed up to 873µIU/ml. We were absolutely stuffed. I couldn’t move her out of her box to help her metabolism because of the laminitis. We really needed to find the right button to press to bring the levels down. I had seen an article in a magazine that mentioned NoMetSyn. I spoke to my vet about it and she duly got in touch with Robert Eustace — he advised us to use NoMetSyn, Vitex4Equids and Formula4Feet.
The results of the new regime were spectacular! Eight days after receiving these supplements she started ‘head tossing’ and having a roll followed by a buck! The change in her was so obvious after all the months of her stuck in her box looking half-dead. We blood tested her 38 days after she started her new supplements and incredibly her insulin levels had gone down to 48.7µIU/ml. We had X-rayed her feet and found there to be mild pedal bone rotation: my farrier Jim Hayter provided expert corrective farriery. She was finally turned out on the 15 May 2010 and we started working her gently a month later.
Two years on we still have (touch wood) a sound, slimmer pony that has enjoyed some Pony Club outings this winter. We have kept her on the three supplements, combined with regular exercise and careful management. Long may it last.
14/06/2013; Hi Sue, hope you are well. Thought you might like to see these photo’s of Ellie and Fergie at their first show. Ellie was 2nd in her best rider class and dearest Fergie won the veterans and was joint champion with the hunter in the championship! A great day was had by all. I have told Ellie to make the most of it as you don’t get days like that very often! Fergie’s weight has remained stable; she is very slim but I think she looks pretty good. She has had the most amazing dapples up her neck and shoulders all the winter and my farrier Jim is really pleased with her feet. Best wishes Jane, Ellie and Fergie Gingell.”
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