heartattacks

Question
I recently owned a seven-year-old Arabian/Quarter horse mix. She lived up north at our farm with two other horses. The woman that took care of her recently contacted me informing me that she didn't come up to feed that morning, and so she went back to see what was wrong and found her dead laying in the field. She hadn't been sick or had any injuries suggesting any unnatural form of death. Janette, the woman caring for her, asked around to see if anything was wrong with anyone elses horses in the area and noone had been having any problems but seemed to think it was a heartattack. Are they common among seven-year-old horses in seemingly good health?

Answer
hi Jessie,
im very sorry to hear about the loss of your mare. heart attacks are not common among healthy young horses. they are possible but only if the horse was stress to an extreme point. the mare could have eaten a poisonous weed or could have been bitten but something. also she could have coliced with out the care taker knowing. other then these suggestions i dont know what could have caused the horses death. only an autopsy would tell. this is costly though so i doubt you would want to do it. and by now im sure a truck has already picked the horse up. my best guess would be she ate something poisonous. again im sorry for your loss.
amanda groff