Am i going over the top?

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Skippydo

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Following my stinky supplement post, i was making up my old boys dinner last night and thought blimey is this right, i'm using 6 supplements for him, all for the right and obvious reasons, but 6?

1. Garlic Powder
2. Cortaflex
3. Biotin
4. Global Herb Flyfree
5. Top Spec Calmer
6. Top Spec Comprehensive (Vit & Min)

How many do you feed, am i going over the top? When i look at the list there isn't one i would want to stop.
 
Erm why do you feed both garlic and GH flyfree?
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Unless I'm missing something don't they both do the same thing
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I see what you're saying but he is in his 20's and the garlic is supposed to support the immune system and promote healthy circulation and respiration, he suffers terribly with the flies and i thought i'd try the Flyfree to see if we can make things more comfortable for him, it's obviously only for the fly season, do you think this is ok?
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I wouldnt have said there was a problem in feeding both - garlic has been alleged (albeit apparently not proven) to keep flies away, but it also has other properties too which make it good for the respiratory system and circulation. So I wouldnt worry - carry on feeding both if you feel he needs them!
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Six supplements does sound a lot, but if your horse needs them, and you feel they help him stay happy and healthy, I cant see a problem
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He unfortunately does have a few "issues", hence the supplements, and i'd love to cut some out because of the horrendous cost but he seems very happy on what he is given. I love him so much and want to do the best for him, he's a very special boy.
 
The only thing I would say is that when you feed so many supplements how on earth do you know which ones are beneficial and which ones are not really helping in anyway? Makes it very difficult to cut one or 2 out and you could get stuck spending a fortune permanently!

Agree with cutting out the Biotin if he is having the comprehensive.

I know what you mean though, I have an old chap (26/27) and I am always aware of potential needs and have fallen in to the trap of duplicating supps. Its only because we love them and as you say want the best for them x
 
I sound full of excuses, i don't mean to be, and i'm sure you're right.
He's on Biotin because he had his shoes taken off permantently 3 weeks ago (very sad day), and even though he was on the comprehensive his feet fell apart so the farrier recemmended it, unfortunately he hates his shoes being off and just hobbles and trips badly everywhere so he's having them put back on on Wednesday, may just do the front although it's his back feet that have suffered the most, i'll see what farrier suggests.
I've just edited this because i wanted to add that i could stop the Biotin when he has his shoes back on.
 
Yes I would say you are going well over the top, If fed properly then there should be no need for supplements and if you leave your boy to get on with it he will be fine with no shoes too. People worry to much now days I would like to see some more COMMON SENCE and horses left to be horses, they have survived for umpteen years without being molly-coddled!!! Sorry to be blunt.
 
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Yes I would say you are going well over the top, If fed properly then there should be no need for supplements and if you leave your boy to get on with it he will be fine with no shoes too. People worry to much now days I would like to see some more COMMON SENCE and horses left to be horses, they have survived for umpteen years without being molly-coddled!!! Sorry to be blunt.

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WELL SAID!!!
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If he has only just had his shoes off he will take more than a couple of weeks to get used to it - it takes up to 3 months for the feet to harden up and get comfortable so give him some more time. Also you will not see the true benefits of the biotin for at least 9 months - it take that long for a hoof to grow through completely.
 
Actually horses probably would have died out a very long time ago if they hadn't been domesticated and 'mollycoddled'. They only used to live until they were an average of 11 years old in the wild. The horse in question here is much older, and therefore supplements are more necessary.

That's quite a list of supplements but i don't see the problem with feeding them all. So long as your horse eats them!
 
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Yes I would say you are going well over the top, If fed properly then there should be no need for supplements and if you leave your boy to get on with it he will be fine with no shoes too. People worry to much now days I would like to see some more COMMON SENCE and horses left to be horses, they have survived for umpteen years without being molly-coddled!!! Sorry to be blunt.

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Yes you're right that does seem blunt, but i do take on board your comment about his shoe's but it's very difficult to see what was such a happy boy that is now quite obviously in
pain with every step he takes both in and out of the field.

If you read JustHelens post she has hit the nail on the head and because i didn't get him until he was well into his teens i didn't have the opportunity to use my COMMON SENCE and feed him PROPERLY.
 
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Yes I would say you are going well over the top, If fed properly then there should be no need for supplements and if you leave your boy to get on with it he will be fine with no shoes too. People worry to much now days I would like to see some more COMMON SENCE and horses left to be horses, they have survived for umpteen years without being molly-coddled!!! Sorry to be blunt.

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Yes you're right that does seem blunt, but i do take on board your comment about his shoe's but it's very difficult to see what was such a happy boy that is now quite obviously in
pain with every step he takes both in and out of the field.

If you read JustHelens post she has hit the nail on the head and because i didn't get him until he was well into his teens i didn't have the opportunity to use my COMMON SENCE and feed him PROPERLY.

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If he's happy and healthy and you're not going bankrupt buying the supplements...then why not?
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You did use your commonsense (not a c for the person who made up their user name with the incorrect spelling) in seeing and believing that the horse requires some additional help in the form of supplements.

I believe that many domesticated horses have the access to natural herbs etc in the diet removed due to our obsession with perfect grazing. In the wild horses eat far more than plain and simple grass and the minerals/vitamins they can obtain from a wider diet has to be of benefit.

Keep up the good work.
 
Could you try just putting his fronts back on? I recently (last Friday) finally had my old mans back shoes removed (he was finally fully retired a year ago). He's a wussy TB who previously couldn't even bear to be barefoot while the farrier was getting his new shoes ready!!!

We have taken off the backs and he is coping rather well (suprisingly so in fact) but I am doubtful that I'll ever get the fronts off as they are obviously under more weight baring pressure and I just don't think he'd cope - but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Having older ones is such a worry isn't it, just letting you know that there are plenty of us in the same boat
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Could you try just putting his fronts back on?

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That's a good idea and hopefully we'll do that, i'll have a chat with the farrier when he comes on Wednesday.

Thank you everyone for your support and positive thoughts.
 
Hi i managed to get my old tb mares shoes off, she hasnt had shoes for about 5 yrs, i used the keratex hoof paint and it did the trick.
 
All stuff and nonsense, I chopped off my horses feet to save on shoeing and he rides on his stumps just as he would in the wild, he's thin as a rake as he wasn't fed all winter, only natural as there wouldn't be any food in the wild, mind you he cant eat anyway as his back teeth are overgrown as we dont beleive in dentists, well he wouldn't get one in the wild would he so it must be right, he only has one eye as the other one got an abcess and rotted out, totally natural as there are no vets in the wild, too much bloody molly coddleing in this day and age as far as I can see.
 
Just Re Garlic- if fed in 'overdose' quantities- according to a feed talk I went to last month can cause anaemia in horses.
 
Why don't you ring Top Spec and get some advice?
You could also boot him up to help the transition, cheaper that shoes long-term and it would mean you could still have him barefoot.
 
Personally I would never feed my horse Garlic as it can have a very bad effect on the gut causing the natural bacteria needed for effective working to die. The negative effects of garlic far outweigh the 'alleged' fly repellent. I have to say I have never noticed that feeding garlic has any effect whatsoever on the attractiveness to flies. I would also stop the biotin as the top spec has it in and try using keratex hoof hardener on the feet. I have just turned a horse away for 3 months without shoes to try and get some decent growth on them. his shoes have been off for about 2 weeks. Ever other day we paint with keratex. Every day they are wiped with Kevin Bacon. They are filed every 2 weeks and so far things are looking good. he has not been brought in from teh field as walking on the tracks will destroy the field. he is now totally paddock sound.
 
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