Barefoot and diet

[Randonneuse]

My pony has been barefoot for 8 years and has never had a problem with his feet until few months ago.
He has never had supplements and was kept on a track system until August.
I have had to move him from the field I rented mid August due to the land getting poached where he and his companion walked (!) on the track and the landowner not liking it.
He is now on grass livery 24/7 and since having moved there he has been lame on and off with white line disease.(he was fine when the weather was dry for a month and the WLD had started to grow out but the wet weather has made him worse again)
He was very ill in the Spring/Summer with Imha and it has affected his whole body/feet and weakened his immune system.
I have ordered Winter hoof health supplement and micronised linseed from Forage plus, looking into buying a gut balancer and also need to find a "carrier" to put supplement etc in.
What would you all suggest for gut balancer and carrier please?
He puts on weight just looking at the grass (Haffy x angli arab) and it has to be low in sugar/molasses. (And barefoot friendly)
Any advice welcome as I am all new to the supplement world!
Thanks

 

[dianchi]

Fast Fibre is an easy carrier- low calorie and low sugar.

I know a lot of people like protexin but my sensitive mare had a massive reaction to it and given the company attitude when i contacted them i cant recommend them.
Pink Powder as always been a firm favourite for me!

 

[Landcruiser]

Bilto? If not, ignore that, but I think I know who you are

I have used Honeychop oat straw chaff for a couple of years which is literally that, no additives. Can't get it from my local feedstore any more so have switched to Topchop lite. Have used Baileys balancer for years but am switching to Top Spec Lite balancer next time, as it's lower calorie and seems better ratios. Horse barefoot for 6 years with me, and is a rock cruncher. Also gets brewer's yeast, salt, and MgO.

 

[JCW]

I feed my barefoot horse dengie healthy tummy, which has protexin in it, micronised linseed and top spec balancer. I was going to change his balancer to pro hoof or one you mentioned, however the farrier has been so pleased with his hooves, I haven't dared to change it.

I would ask forage plus whether or not their balancer has pre and pro biotics in it before getting a gut balancer as well.

 

[saddlesore]

Molichaff hoof kind is a hoof friendly complete feed for good doers. My BF cob gets this and protexin. As for the White line are you 100% that's what it is? I ask as my last farrier was convinced and wanted to go down a resecting route as it wouldn't shift/ changed farrier who opened the crack to a u shape and it grew out. It wasn't wld at all!

 

[Greylegs]

My barefoot boy is on Happy Hoof with Baileys Lo Cal Balancer and a bit of unmolassed beet to damp it down a bit. Been wondering about micronised linseed or a bit of linseed oil for the winter as well, but he's a highland and gets fat on fresh air, so don't want to add many more calories!! Co-incidentally, a farrier recommended the Forage Plus supplements to me as well, but my boy seems so well settled on the above mix that I'm reluctant to change over so am going to stick with it for a bit. I have to say, said farrier did speak very highly of the FP products, so I would make the change if I needed to.

Reading with interest to see what others think ...

 

[Randonneuse]

Thanks everyone, landcruiser...I know who you are too
Saddlesore..yes sure it is white line disease
Not sure how to put pictures on here as I am on my phone but he has it on 3 feet..
Forage plus recommended several "carriers" included Fast fibre.
Someone on a facebook page recommended Just Chop which is made of meadow hay and oat straw so I'll have a look at all the suggestions!
What a minefield!

 

[Goldenstar]

If you are just looking for a handful of something to feed his supplements in fast fibre is a simple one bag solution .
For gut health I would give protexin .

 

[spookypony]

I use Speedibeet with a bit of Simple Systems Lucie Fibre Cubes as a carrier. Some horses don't cope with Alfalfa, though, so possibly experimentation is needed.