365 Days in Horse Country – Tying Up Syndrome
Also Known as azoturia or exertional rhabdomyolysis, tying
up syndrome is a systemic condition that results when horses are put through
extreme exercise after several days of having little or no exercise, and after
eating grain or another high-carbohydrate feed.
Some horses tie up simply because they aren’t physically fit for the job
they are being asked to perform. Others tie
up as a result of electrolyte imbalance, heat exhaustion, or vitamin E
deficiency.
They symptoms of tying up include sudden hind limb stiffness, lameness, muscle cramping, refusal to move, increased heart and respiratory rates, sweating and colic.
The best way to avoid tying up syndrome is to warm your horse up well before hard work and to gradually condition the horse for exercise.
Feed your horse plenty of roughage and avoid high carbohydrate diets. Once a horse has experienced tying up, it is more susceptible to recurrence. Your vet can tell you the diet and exercise regimen for a horse that has experienced tying up.
Michael