Barefoot, EMS and feeding protein

[HappyHollyDays]

Other than thin soles which vet and Farrier think is a genetic problem DP has always had very good feet. Recently I have noticed separation between the hoof wall and white line and Farrier suggested he wasn’t getting enough protein in his diet but nothing has changed so I’m not sure why it is happening now.

During the winter he gets either grass pellets and Honeychop Lite & Healthy or Dengie Grass chaff with kwik beet, salt and a Forage Plus anti lami balancer. He isn’t overweight but does have EMS so I have to keep him on a low sugar/starch diet of less than 10%. Forage wise he has been on the same good quality meadow hay or haylage from the same supplier for 3 years. Due to the Connie going on hunger strike I have just swapped them both on to Pure Easy which has a balancer in it as it seemed to best option for an all inclusive EMS friendly feed. Just to add he can’t have anything with alfalfa in it as it sends him crazy.

Other than Pea Protein is there anything else I can add to his feed to balance out the possible deficiency that won’t add sugar as he just can’t tolerate it at this time of year.

 

[Leo Walker]

I'd put him back on the grass nuts. They have a good level of protein. Oddly enough, just before I came on here I was looking at the protein content of them. For emerald green its 16%. Mine are restricted and permanently dieting in the case of the adult mare. I keep her as though she has EMS to try and prevent her ever getting it. I add vitamin e on top of a similar balancer as she just doesn't get access to green growing grass.

I am not sure that what your farrier is saying is correct, but the change seems to have happened with the change of diet so the first and obvious thing to do is swap back and see if it resolves. The balancer in pure easy is not really comparable to the FP one. Equimins is the one I use and is a cheaper option if that's a factor.

 

[holeymoley]

Is there any sign of anything fungal going on? That would seem a more likely answer as to why it’s separating.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Thanks Leo, looking back the changes started around the time I reduced the grass nuts for beet and as the beet is about to run out I will order some more Emerald Green and swap him back over. I really liked the price of the Equimins but they wouldn’t eat it and B now won’t eat the FP either.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Is there any sign of anything fungal going on? That would seem a more likely answer as to why it’s separating.

Don't think it’s fungal HM, no thrush or seedytoe etc and Mark would tell me off if there was.

 

[paddy555]

Don't think it’s fungal HM, no thrush or seedytoe etc and Mark would tell me off if there was.

is that Mark Johnson? (simply asking as it rules out other causes)
if so you could feed copra and/or micro linseed to boost the protein.
Mine get grass nuts/micro linseed/copra

 

[HappyHollyDays]

is that Mark Johnson? (simply asking as it rules out other causes)
if so you could feed copra and/or micro linseed to boost the protein.
Mine get grass nuts/micro linseed/copra

Yes, Mark has been doing his feet for 4 years and I trust his opinion 100% so if he thinks it is lack of protein then that is what it is. I have been doing some more research this afternoon and Pea Protein has to much iron in it and as we are on a high iron content soil it rules it out so I am going to go back to grass nuts, a bit of low cal chaff, FP balancer and will try some extra linseed.

 

[paddy555]

Yes, Mark has been doing his feet for 4 years and I trust his opinion 100% so if he thinks it is lack of protein then that is what it is. I have been doing some more research this afternoon and Pea Protein has to much iron in it and as we are on a high iron content soil it rules it out so I am going to go back to grass nuts, a bit of low cal chaff, FP balancer and will try some extra linseed.

if that fails there is always this.
https://forageplus.co.uk/product/isolate-whey-protein-for-horses/

 

[Reacher]

Sorry for silly question but are you referring to a stretched white line or something else? Interesting if lack of protein is a contributing factor