Max and Moritz these two .....
her life is now happier
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
The confiscation of animals is always preceded by catastrophic behaviour. Only attentive, animal-loving people who look and don’t look away can save lives that are discovered in the “dead end” just in time.
Max and Moritz are two brown ponies that obviously lived in a cattle stable. Sometimes there are farms where horses and cattle are kept together, but keeping Max and Moritz brought them illness and a lot of suffering.
They stood in cattle manure and urine up to their fetlocks. Max and Moritz had probably never been out on a sunny pasture and only knew the cattle shed. Their hooves and coats were in a catastrophic state when they arrived at Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf. At first, we could only guess what their horses’ souls were trying to tell us. Today, we can communicate quite well with Max and Moritz in “horse German”.
Max and Moritz's state of health
Max (24 years old) and Moritz (20 years old) both suffer from laminitis and Cushing’s disease, and both ponies also suffer from COPD, a chronic lung disease associated with mucus formation and swelling of the airways.
With laminitis, the suspensory apparatus of the coffin bone is gradually destroyed. This suspensory apparatus is made up of the layers of horn wall and hoof corium, which are closely interlocked via lamellae. If this connection between the coffin bone and the horn capsule becomes loose, the coffin bone may drop. A laminitis is an emergency and until the vet arrives, the horse should stand on very soft ground and the affected leg should be cooled. Ice-cold water or a bucket with ice cubes is suitable for this. Cold relieves the pain and the blood vessels swell. The horse is then given a thick padded bandage and some of our horses with laminitis are given an orthopaedic shoe by the farrier to prevent the progressive sinking or rotation of the coffin bone.Whether Max and Moritz’s laminitis was caused by incorrect loading, too much or too little exercise, high fructan content in the feed, poisonous plants or pesticides in the feed, stress or colic, etc., can no longer be determined.
How are Max and Moritz doing today?
As soon as it arrives in the new For-Always-home in Henndorfthe animal keepers had the impressionponies were very happywith their new surroundings.
Somewhat shy and reserved in behaviour, but quite communicative with the horses in the stable lane and all the donkeys that came to greet them, the ponies Max and Moritz have settled in well.
They are calm and friendly, get the right feed, the farrier visits them frequently, their coats are getting nicer and nicer, the stable is mucked out and always new bedded, they have made friends and enjoy the hours in the fresh air, and: they love their keepers – so far, so good.
What applies to us humans also applies to animals.
Yours sincerely, Gisela
