# Horse slipped in snow, stuck on side with legs uphill against tree



## dejavoodoo114 (Jan 22, 2016)

I know he is a horse but I am hoping one of you guys will be able to help. 

Our thoroughbred slipped in the snow in the pasture and ended up sliding down until he lodged against a tree with his legs uphill. DH was working and I was at school. Our neighbor called to tell us that he was dead in the pasture around 1pm. We went to him as soon as we got home around 3:20pm. We have no idea how long he was stuck in that position. My husband got him off the tree and his legs facing down hill and he got his legs under him some but did not stand. He is soaked and shivering, it is about 35 degrees right now, and his head is wobbly, our daughter is holding it up for him. 

That is where we are at Right Now. The pasture is too steep and has too much snow for any vehicle to get down there. He has to get up the hill and to the barn under his own power. He seems very weak. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 22, 2016)

Get him warm; cover him with blankets, offer him warm water and make sure he has a slip free way to stand up.  If he was down a long time his legs might be numb.  Rub them to get circulation going, if possible.  Hopefully, the circulation isn't damaged.

Once a horse is down like that he might be afraid to even try to get up.  Put whatever you have under him  (old carpet, lots of hay...) to keep his feet from slipping when he tries to get up.  

Call in help, you might have to use manpower to get him going.  We had an issue once and actually called the fire department to help.  We live in a very small town and the fire department is volunteers.  They were great!

Hope you can help him!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 22, 2016)

Also, if you can't get him up fairly soon, he might need a vet's assistance.   And, a little molasses or sugar in his water might give him a bit of quick energy.

Good luck!


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## Latestarter (Jan 22, 2016)

Agree, first thing is try to get him warmed up and circulation flowing. Good luck! Hope you can get him on his feet and back to the relative safety of the barn. Let us know the outcome please.


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## samssimonsays (Jan 22, 2016)

I pray he gets up and moving. I am with Frustratedearthmother warm water and anything and everything you can spare that will help him grip while trying to stand up.


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jan 22, 2016)

The warm water and a small amount of grain with molasses that will be mixed with some of the warm water when it gets there is on its way. I also have a comforter in the dryer that will be brought down next. His legs are being massaged and rubbed but he is still wobbly and unwilling to stand yet.

We are fairly new to this area. If the firemen are like the police they wont want to come out in this weather. This snow is also unusual for us and there are a ton of accidents. Our  governor has actually declared a state of emergency... The roads are dangerous. I doubt any help will be able to come but there is one person I will try and call. Also, there are no vets who visit farms in the county or in any of the surrounding counties...


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## Pamela (Jan 22, 2016)

If you have a church congregation, call tour Pastor, Bishop, Minister, whoever to come help. They might know of someone in the area or in the congregation that would be willing to brave the conditions and assist you.


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jan 22, 2016)

I am trying to get a hold of the only one who may be able to help. 

In the mean time, is there any thing else I can give him that might help?


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## promiseacres (Jan 22, 2016)

Anyone have a wench to get him back up the hill?


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jan 22, 2016)

My neighbor may, if he does how would we safely attach it?

I also have a call into my vet.


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## Latestarter (Jan 22, 2016)

Were it me, and I don't own horses, I would consider giving him some aspirin to thin the blood a little (better circulation) ease any swelling (stiffness from being down so long), and ease pain to help him move a bit more readily. When I researched it I come up with this:

"*what is the dose* (in human MG tablets) *for a 1,000 pound horse*...  it is about two to four 240 GRAIN BOLUSES... *how many 325 MG aspirins does it take to equal 240 or 480 grain boluses?*  A grain is equal to 64.799 milligrams, so a 240 grain bolus is equal to 15551.76 milligrams. So of your human aspirin you would be dosing 47.85 human aspirins."

I wouldn't try to get that many down his throat but might try to get him to eat 10-20. Maybe dissolved in warm sugar/molasses water that he might drink?

from: http://myhorseforum.com/threads/human-aspirin-doses-aligned-to-horse-dose.149325/


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## Latestarter (Jan 22, 2016)

I think a winch might work better than a wench but I'd love to watch in the latter case!  sorry, had to.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 22, 2016)

Praying for you all and for your dear horse- I've never experienced anything like this but I am agreeing with keeping them warm. I hate that you don't have any farm vets that will visit. Please keep us updated and I'm wishing you all well- stay warm in the process!


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jan 22, 2016)

Latestarter, thanks! I needed that!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 22, 2016)

I wouldn't give him too much feed- but a little with warm water and molasses will probably do him good. However, if he's warm and well fed where he is - he might not try as hard to get up.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 22, 2016)

I'd be a bit hesitant to medicate him before you get approval from your vet.  But, that's just me...

Really hope to hear good news soon!


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jan 22, 2016)

Just talked to the vet and he told me aspirin as well. So that is what we are doing. He also said that if the aspirin and warmth don't work there is nothing that can be done. There is no way to get him up to the barn and the warmth. Apparently he is behaving as though he is giving up. No longer even trying to keep his head up. He has not been willing to eat or drink anything we have offered him.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 22, 2016)

Hope the aspirin helps.  Good call, Latestarte!  Hope he responds for you - it's so hard when they just give up.


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## norseofcourse (Jan 22, 2016)

I can't imagine how hard it is to be dealing with something like this.  You've had a lot of good suggestions.

Can you take his temperature?  It can tell you how chilled he still may be.  Hay, stray, rugs, warm blankets, massages, all good ideas, keep that going all you can.  Is his coat dry, or still damp?

He's also stressed and his energy reserves are down.  Do you have an old wormer tube you can fill with molasses, karo syrup, applesauce, stuff like that?  Or a big syringe (no needle), just some way to get something into him.  Something to give him energy.  Is there plain water for him to drink? He might not want water with stuff in it, if he's not used to it.

Thinking good thoughts for him and you...


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## GLENMAR (Jan 22, 2016)




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## Bunnylady (Jan 22, 2016)

Prayers, warm thoughts, positive energy - whatever works! Hoping that you can convince him to get up and help you help him. One of my minis got tangled up in a hay net during the night back in November; no telling how many hours she spent in much the same position as your boy. Scared the starch out of me - really feared that I was going to lose her. At least it was relatively warm  . . . . Blondie pulled through, praying your boy does, too.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 22, 2016)

He is probably low body temp and in shock.  Do not try to give him grains/hay as he is in no situation to chew and will possibly choke (another issue).   DO try to keep him warm.  Continue to switch out warm from dryer blankets.  It may take a while to get him to attempt to get up -- right now his brain isn't working well and he's not going to get up.   May take an hr or two.

Next ... how far from the barn?   If you can get him onto a tarp or such and pull him up the hill on such....tractor, truck, etc.  Most things will slide easily on the snow and even a lot of weight can be moved with less effort than you may think.  ANY chance you can move him that way?      IF NOT -- warm and wait.     Keep legs off snow to get warm as that is how he will need to get up.  The aspirin will be bitter. Some molasses will counter that some + add sugar to his bloodstream.   Food is not an issue right now.

Legs are cold and numb from the cold.   They will tingle as they warm -- you've had cold toes??  He may have some frostbite, also.

Keep us updated please.  We care.


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## Latestarter (Jan 22, 2016)

Wow... so sorry for the earlier levity... I know this has got to be tearing you up! I hope that he can find the will to get up. I hope it wasn't all for naught. Let us know please.


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## Baymule (Jan 22, 2016)

Hoping for good news.


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## samssimonsays (Jan 23, 2016)

Hoping for good news today.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 25, 2016)

@dejavoodoo    any news?  We are all hoping that you had a good outcome, but fearing for the worst.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 25, 2016)

@dejavoodoo114 How is it going?

Hoping for a good update.


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## HoneyDreameMomma (Jan 25, 2016)

Goat Whisperer said:


> @dejavoodoo114 How is it going?
> 
> Hoping for a good update.



x2


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