MISTY July 4, 2009

Quick history - When our "Bub" passed on 3 years ago his paddock mate, Misty went into a deep depression. Along with this depression her IR became accompanied by full-fledged Cushings and as of this spring was Dx'd as 'late stage'. We were steeling ourselves and resigning to having her humanely euthanized before this winter (2009/2010) set in as we didn't think she'd make it through. She also got Lymphangitis 1 1/2 yrs. ago (was it really that long ago?) and her RR pastern has never been the same since. It 'froze' and she's not been able to flex it since the initial insult. The leg swelling had gone down (she had stove-piped big time!) but her pastern was still the size of a large grapefruit and she was very sensitive on it.

(I am adding updated photos regularly - please be sure to refresh your browser with each viewing.)


The photo above was a photo I took in March of this year. Misty spent most of her days lying down. She was just not feeling well at all. The ones below were taken mid-late spring.

And here's a photo (below) I took of her today, July 4, 2009, just about 3 weeks after going on her LavenderSage Nutrition Management Program© (although she hasn't even started her herbs yet!):

UPDATE: PHOTO TAKEN 6.8.09 - 4 DAYS AFTER PHOTO ABOVE.
Misty continues to gain weight and strength.
Her belly is rounder and her hind end and withers are filling in.

Still no herbs added to her all vegetable/fruit diet at this time.

July 16, 2009 ... Lookin' and movin' younger every day!
Wonder if raw veggie & herb diet would do the same for me!!! ??

              
June 2009                          July 4, 2009

August 4, 2009

August 4, 2009

Better every day!

UPDATE AUGUST 30, 2009 below:

ok ... Now THIS photo is extraordinary! I took this photo this morning, August 30, 2009. I also took photos of a couple of the ponies which are posted below. I saw this white haze through my camera lens wondering, "What the heck !?!? What is this white haze??" But the lens was clear when I took photos of Tamilyn and the ponies. Then it dawned on me. I wondered if Lisa had done any work on Misty yesterday or this morning. So I called Lisa and asked her without explaining why I was asking. She said, "Yeah, actually I worked on her for about 2 hours last night and asked for a surrounding of protection for her. Why?"  And then I sent her copies of the photos. Every photo of Misty showed this white haze around her yet the others were clear as a bell!  

   
More of Misty taken this morning 8/30/09:
 
Wow, how interesting is this!?  To think one can 'see' the light of protection that has been prayed over someone or some'thing' can be caught on camera.
This is evidence of God's work! (NOT man's work! But GOD'S!)  
I believe we serve an AWESOME God! He WILL reveal His nature to us in unexpected and mysterious ways even when we're not "looking" for them ... and he uses US for HIS work when we are faithful to hear and do His will.  Mysterious ways ...    :)

Looks like we're getting some definition to the hind end and thigh muscles again!  Woo Hoo!
Misty, this morning, looked out at me as I approached the barn, and I saw my 4 year old girl again ... in mind and spirit. Her ambience was light and airy and inviting.  I FELT her spirit and it was all good. :) Her mane and tail are growing again and thickening up. No more falling out in handfuls. Her coat is still thick but so silky - not the coarse wiry coat of a Cushings horse. Almost like her 'old' early fall coat. She's shedding out her summer coat as all of the horses are and her undercoat, instead of getting l.o.n.g. as it did the last few years is getting thick .... she *used* to have a winter coat that was as thick as the finest Persian Rug. Maybe we'll see that again this winter! Those who 'knew her when' and then have followed her healing cannot believe the difference! And so we continue on ... hard to believe this is the same horse in the photo from March of this year (at the top of this page)!!

UPDATE DECEMBER 10, 2009

No photos cause Misty is a MESS! Being allowed to come and go as she pleases, in and out, she pleases to roll in the mud frequently. It's just too cold to bathe her so she gets brushed out somewhat and then goes on her merry way. While she had a few weeks when the cold weather was coming in that really bothered her lymphangitis she seems to have leveled off and is now getting around well. She's bright and alert and happy. Her weight has maintained and her appetite is excellent.  Her coat is long and silky - not at all wiry and stiff as in former years. Her mane and tail have grown tremendously this past year and continues to do so. Her hooves are in good condition (although being the 'cobbler's kid' she's a bit overdue for a trim.) and strong. No issues due to excess mud and water this past season. As a side note, Misty is no longer under Lisa St. John's care but will continue on her diet as all the critters here are now on (Ponies have gotten so tubby they had to be cut back on their allotments!) -- even Dorian, my senior TB is gaining weight and becoming more energized. For him, gaining weight in cold weath is a total enigma!)

So all is well at Penzance this Christmas season.
 

Well, manure stains and all - had to post these from today, Dec. 20th - BLIZZARD 09!

UPDATED PHOTO BELOW: 6/11/2010

OK ... had to post these. Last month I contacted someone on line (with whom, as this revision, we are not associated).  Misty, was on her 'last leg', so to speak and the testimonies and videos on the particular website drew me in as I was desperate to help my girl. .
I had made the decision to have her put down before the next winter comes in.
BUT ... started her on an all veggie diet (NO GRAIN at all; cut out ALL
supplements including her Cushings meds) and well, the photos tell the story
thus far:  (see photos above.)

She gets just a bit less than 1/2 a 5 gal. bucketful --
2 yams, 1 apple, 1 orange, 1 banana, 2 radishes, 2 carrots, 1 avocado, handful
of sprouts, spring mix greens, 1/4 c. of Safflower oil with garlic and rosemary,
1 cup ground flax and if I have some other veggies I'll mix in plus some trail
mix if I have it. I also add a tbsp of Kelp and heaping tbsp of Dandelion herb.

I've also let her go back out onto grass for a little while daily.
She also gets free-choice hay (Tim/grass/alfalfa)

You guys (well anyone who has known me through the years) all know that I've always recommended "Horse Salads" to augment the
regular diet of pellets/grain but I never would have thought to remove ALL the
grain and ALL the 'prescribed' supplements and meds for Cushings. !! The horseworld at large is brainwashed to thinking that horses HAVE to have commercial feeds! But NOTHING
was working for her for her Cushings and Lymphangits that we were doing so I figured if we were going to put her down in a couple of months then why not try out this diet --
and looks like she'll be touting me around in the snow this winter after all!
:) :) :)

NO MORE will I tell my foundered/laminitic/Cushings/Metabolic/IR clients to take
the grass out of their horses' diets. Nope -- take them OFF ALL COMMERCIAL, PROCESSED GRAIN and put
them out to the grass and feed them all veggies and fruits, nuts & seeds. After all - how many years have
we been hearing "no grass!" "no grass!", Pergolide, Thyrol-L, Chaste Tree, no
sugar, low carbs, soak the hay, test your hay, etc. etc. etc. And how many
people are still trying to 'manage' their horses' diseases? IT ISN'T WORKING!
So,

if something isn't working then it needs to be CHANGED!

This change has saved my horse's life - literally.

PLEASE!  If you have a horse that is not thriving and is suffering from Cushings, Chronic Laminitis, Chronic Founder, IR, Heaves, Arthritis or other consider changing the diet to an all raw vegetable, fruit, nut and seed diet. Allow your horse to graze during sunny days so he or she can gain the wonderous benefits of all the nutrients the 'natural' food for horses has for them. And find out about healing herbs to supplement and support the
body's needs.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me: gwen.santagate@gmail.com