07/12/2026
Q&A about Neo and his EPM diagnosis.
I have had a lot of questions regarding Neo and his condition, so I would like to address many of them here. If you have more questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
What are Neo's symptoms?
His most extreme symptom is struggling to stand up in the mornings. He sits up like a dog and looks back at his hindquarters as though he can't get them to cooperate. He has also become more spooky and sensitive to being touched in his hind end. Thus far he has had no symptoms that have affected his movement.
What is EPM?
EPM is a neurological disease that horses get from ingesting food or water that is contaminated with opossum f***s. Symptoms can include loss of balance or coordination, muscle loss, head tilting, tripping, spookiness, and more.
How did he get EPM if you live in Utah where there are no opossums?
We believe he got the disease while he had his start under saddle as a 2 1/2 year old in Texas. EPM can be latent and/or progress slowly. He is currently 5 years old.
Is he rideable?
Yes and no. I rode him a couple days ago (after two weeks of treatment and 4 weeks of rest), and he was uncharacteristically spooky and sensitive to my rear leg position. I made the decision at that point that he needs to be done being ridden for the time being. I do believe he can be ridden again in the future after treatment, especially since his movement has not been affected, but I cannot guarantee a ridden outcome for this horse. He did have 10 months of training with me and when he is healthy he is such a joy to ride!
Why are you selling/rehoming him?
I am a horse trainer, and I bought Neo in September 2025 as a buy/sell project. I planned to sell him this summer as a barrel/rope horse prospect. His EPM symptoms appeared in June, which changed everything. Sadly he will not be sold as the performance horse we planned to sell him as due to his diagnosis. We are planning to keep him and treat him until we can find a perfect home for him where he can continue treatment and hopefully someday become someone's riding partner on the trails or in the arena.
What are his chances at recovery?
Statistics say that 60% to 80% of horses significantly improve with medication, and about 10% to 30% of horses recover completely. We got Neo treated as soon as we noticed him struggling with his hind end, but since the disease was latent for a couple years, I'm not sure how that factors into his chances. I like to think that since his movement is still so good, he probably has a great chance at recovery. I rode a horse years ago that had EPM and he was so uncoordinated and could not find the right foot fall patterns within his gaits. Neo is not that way. He has coordinated movement. When the veterinarian did his movement tests, he said none of those tests showed typical EPM symptoms. He said Neo seemed very coordinated and moved extremely well.
What were Neo's test results?
Neo got the SarcoFluor and NeoFluor serum tests done at UC Davis. He was negative for n. hughessi, a much less common protozoa that causes EPM. The SarcoFluor serum test, which tests for the s. neurona protozoa, shows that a test result of >640 means a horse has a 95% chance or higher that they have EPM caused by s. neurona. Neo's result was 1280 on that test.
What treatment is he on?
He is currently on Toltrazuril with DMSO oral suspension. It is an anti-protozoal drug. We are also adding Natural Vitamin E pellets to his feed to help as well.
What are your favorite things about Neo?
Neo is the quintessential goofy gelding. He picks up all sorts of toys and objects with his mouth, and loves to get extra wiggly with his snoot when you put your hand to his nose. He is the gentlest soul and loves people. Neo has the smoothest lope and can carry himself in a way that feels effortless and flowy.
What are you asking of anyone reading this?
If you know of someone who has the resources for treatment and would want to take a chance on Neo, please send them our way. We are also looking into potential rescues with the correct resources to treat Neo. Lastly, if you can help donate towards his treatment and care as he heals, we would be very grateful. We have put so much of our heart and soul into Neo these past 10 months, and we are sure hoping to help him succeed and find happiness and health in his life.
~ Camri and Larry
www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-give-neo-the-future-he-deserves
