About all those horses with health problems...........

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JillA

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This is an interesting read. https://nakedhorse.wordpress.com/2015/02/09/beware-of-the-bucket/
Apparently even Simple Systems don't source chemical free feeds, possibly because agri chemicals are so endemic, grass crops, cereal crops, linseed, most will have had glyphosate to clear the ground before planting for example, quite apart from selective herbicides to keep crops weed free, and insecticides against any life form that has the temerity to help itself to some.
 
Interesting - I was halfway through the article and was going to come back and say "xx do organic" and hadn't realised it was the lady herself.

I think there is a *lot* in this - some diseases seem to be at almost epidemic levels.
 
Interesting hypothesis. Has anyone got any 'real' peer-reviewed, properly controlled data?

I have always considered myself incredibly lucky having no illness/lameness/lami in my herd of 11. I put it down to them being natives, out 24/7, so naturally quite hardy, and not under any stress, but it is also true to say that they live on entirely non-treated unimproved grassland, and I'm sure that helps.
 
In the past I stabled mine over night, fed hard feed all year round and fields were fertilised and sprayed for weeds etc. Now keep horses out 24/7 all year round, they are only fed hay in the winter and a handfull of chaff twice a day. There are 3 horses and 3 miniatures on about 14 acres which they have access to all winter. In the summer I do split into three and rotate them. The fields are harrowed and topped that's it. Horses have never been healthier.
 
I'm not going to disagree. It has always bothered me that as humans we are being encouraged to eat "real" food, but what we are being told to feed our horses is becoming more and more processed. If you believe the feed companies.

We are lucky here in NZ that it is still relatively easy to buy straight chaff and oats. I got into quite an argument with someone on here last year about hay being sprayed with Roundup to dry it off before baling - she seemed to think it was common practice here. It isn't - I know plenty of farmers, small block holders and contractors who make hay and no one sprays off their hay before baling. It isn't necessary in our climate and no one likes to throw money away.

However, it is common for paddocks to be sprayed off for weeds and the dairy industry has not (IMO) been NZ's best friend environmentally or in terms of managing land and water resources - cows need rich grass, take a lot of water and irrigators don't like trees. And none of that is great for horses either.

I think as consumers we have more power than we realise, but for so many people it is all about the money at the end of the day.
 
Crugeran Celt said:
In the past I stabled mine over night, fed hard feed all year round and fields were fertilised and sprayed for weeds etc. Now keep horses out 24/7 all year round, they are only fed hay in the winter and a handfull of chaff twice a day. There are 3 horses and 3 miniatures on about 14 acres which they have access to all winter. In the summer I do split into three and rotate them. The fields are harrowed and topped that's it. Horses have never been healthier.
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Pretty much my system. They have rough round hay, which is very coarse and nothing else. Lovely shiny coats and good hooves.
 
I must admit I have a programme of spraying off buttercups and clover - so which is worse, mycotoxins from them or selective weedkiller which presumably is gone after the recommended rested period of three weeks. Anyone know whether mecaprop, dicambar or MCPA leave residues, presumably in the remaining vegetation? Anyone at uni fancy an investigation?
 
I think real problem is very simple the vast majority of horses don't need hard food of any sort because they don't do enough work to warrant it .
Horses are being stabled at night then turned out in a postage stamp during the day and being hacked three times a week what we have is a epidemic of horses who are not moving enough and they are getting the diseases linked to that .
I am in complete agreement that straights are the way to go I only have one horse who gets mix and he's the one who lives out he needs a lot of food when hunting and living out and just won't eat enough straights to stay a healthy weight sometimes you do just have to with what the horse wants .
 
There is an art to feeding and most of us don't feed correctly. I know I wasn't feeding my horse enough when I was competing every weekend so rang up the feed lines and got him on a instant energy mix which really made a difference to his demeanor. Before he'd been asleep between classes tied up to the trailer, and being at shows for four hours at a time, he used to just nap. When I started giving him the new feed I noticed he had more energy, but controlled energy. It was more stamina than anything and he was always alert.

After stopping competing every weekend I started just giving him a handful of pasture mix, good doer chaff and he was often in 'doze' mode. I had a terrible period of fizziness and spookiness and got the vet out to check all manner of things, but I put it down to barley water (run off from boiled barley). He hasn't been on it for a few weeks now and he is not half as spooky as he was, so he must have been very sensitive to it.

If I ever get him fit enough to start competing again I will give him the instant response as I feel it made a real difference.
 
Goldenstar said:
I think real problem is very simple the vast majority of horses don't need hard food of any sort because they don't do enough work to warrant it .
Horses are being stabled at night then turned out in a postage stamp during the day and being hacked three times a week what we have is a epidemic of horses who are not moving enough and they are getting the diseases linked to that .
.
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yep. I've done it all ways and mine are so much happier and look so much better being out in lots of space and not flat space either, they have burns, bluffs and steep banks to play on.

Another huge factor is the grazing is unimproved and 1000ft up. Thats not to say there's no grass, in the summer they go out in old meadow thats knee high. I have Exmoors and a Lusitano (who have the metabolism of Exmoors but not the weatherproofing) and while I might muzzle the older one for a short period each year, I've not had any worrying periods with lami since we moved here. When they come in they have large stables or share a byre. I know not everyone can do this and its taken a few years to get my setup right. None of mine are or ever will be in hard work and especially not year round but they do get movement except when weather is really filthy and they might spend a few days with me at home with some hardstanding. They get hay year round as long as they will eat it and some soaked cobs for Pro Hoof. We're also not in an arable area.

It might be different if they were in hard work but I doubt it with either breed tbh.
 
Last weekend I took out driving ponies who have never had hard feed in their life, and are currently quite lean (intentionally). They were pulling heavy carriages for about 10 miles; strong trot with no walk, and a quarter mile canter up a steep hill towards the end. All were very keen, and came back wet from tip to toe, but not blowing or bust.

If that's not 'hard' work, I don't know what is. I'm sure they would need hard feed if they were doing it daily, but would do it twice or three times a week on hay alone, no problem.
 
I love that I have just stumbled across this! The situation with mine at the mo feels like this was sent to me just when I needed it. I have been out and brought some Thunderbrooks hay cobs and intend,to give them a go, thank you to whoever posted this! :)
 
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