Atypical Myopathy – Pel – Marie’s Story – A Survivor
I was out riding one morning and as far as I was aware my girl was just fine, I got half way round my ride and she began to feel really sluggish, I instantly knew there was something wrong as she was always on her toes being Spanish and was always forward going. I carried on riding her slowly back home and she began to sweat profusely…. By this time I was nearly home, I got off her and walked the rest of the the way. I just got her to the field and started to take her tack off and she tied up and collapsed.
I ran to the house and called the vet in hysterics and they were brilliant, they were there within 10mins and gave her an injection. We managed to get her to her feet and I called my friend who did horse transportation and he came straight away in his lorry.
We took her straight to Liphook Equine Hospital where she was diagnosed with Atypical Myopathy.. by this time she was peeing what looked like blood! They told me that the prognosis wasn’t good and to expect the worst… I was devastated.
They put her on a drip and asked me to call in the morning. I called first thing and had the best news, she survived the night and was doing really well. She stayed in the hospital for a week recovering, I went to see her everyday and finally she was ready to come home.
Before they discharged her they said that I would most probably never be able to ride her again because of the damage to her muscles, and the best thing to do was maybe put her in foal.
I didn’t want to take the risk as she is my heart horse so I persevered and had bloods taken every year to see how her muscles were healing. That was 11 years ago and I’ve now been riding her for the last seven years, she’s made a full recovery.. she’s now 20years old and still rides out like a 5year old. Feel so blessed… she’s known as the miracle horse at Liphook, they were amazing.
I would also like to mention that the field where she was kept there was not a Sycamore tree in site, even walked it hundreds of times and there was no sign of any seeds either, so all in all it’s a bit of a mystery. It took 4 years for her to recover before I could ride her again but she recovered and she was so lucky even to survive so I feel blessed.