Any nutrition experts please?

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Maz55

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Hi there, since stabling my horse overnights her legs have been filling and she’s been quite stiff until has had some exercise. My instructor suggested it could be feed related and I’ve but read protein can be a cause. I have very recently changed her balancer to pure balance. She also has a tiny amount of purabeet, salt and Timothy chop, vitamin e and joint supplement. Could it be the pure balance? I’m feeding at the recommended rate of 100g per kg and it says protein is 19%. Given the low volume of feed is this level high? I’ve thought about swapping to fibre balance as protein is 12% BUT feed rate is 200g per kg so presume higher protein overall? My horse has been the calmest ever since being on pure so I’m loathe to change but obviously don’t want her legs filling! I’ve just started adding marigold and clivers. Can anyone help please? Thanks
 
Thanks for reply. She’s 14 and three years ago had mild inflammation in hocks so arthritis possible. However she’s been fine up to now in fact going better than ever. About three weeks ago she had vasculitis as a result of an allergic reaction and the vet put the leg filling down to her now being more prone to it as a result but given the recent change of feed I did wonder if might have had a role in it. It’s all coincided with her coming in at night. Vets’ view was not to worry about filling legs provided they go down with exercise although stiffness has arisen since speaking to him but I assumed stiffness linked with filling? If it were arthritis what can I do? I’m bandaging legs at night to keep them warm and she’s on a good quality joint supplement. Perhaps i should stop the hard feed for a while?
 
If you think that the feed could be causing the problem, the only way to find out is to cut out the feed. Actually, I think it is more likely to be the fact that she is standing in all night.
 
Yes you’re probably right I bandaged her legs last night and no stiffness or swelling this morning 😀
 
I would also think it's the standing in causing puffy legs rather than the feed, and the stiffness is probably due to the joint inflammation, in winter I used to put an old soft pair of rear travel boots on my arthritic horse, they are longer and go over the hock they kept her legs really warm and I think it helped the stiffness.
 
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