Changing diet to an (even more) barefoot friendly one - advice please!

Orchardbeck

Orchardbeck

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I have read lots of reports about Forage Plus/ Pro hoof supplements and I wonder if I am missing a trick with my 14hh, 23yo 400kg laminitic mare. She is muzzled at grass overnight (12 hrs), and mostly in a small bareish paddock during the day, unmuzzled. She is barefoot, her whiteline seems to stretch between trims, a good doer and is quite grass sensitive, and a likely EMS candidate.

If the laminitis app is on red or it is really hot like this week, she has been coming inside during the day with a slice and a half of new decent hay (previously haylage which I was nervous about but it was all we had). This will be soaked once I have had my baby, but have no one to do it for me at min and can't lift right now.

I'd like to see if the Forage Plus balancer will offer a better form of nutrition, plus save me any money -

So feedwise she gets daily:
400g Topspec Antilam - 69p per day
40g Topspec 10:10 81p per day
15g Mag Ox 6p per day
Agnus Castus 22p per day
This works out at £1.78 per day.
I mix a bit of water in to make the Antilam pellets slushy.

So looking at the Forageplus products, there are two that look like they would suit us:

Hoof Health Winter - which is for restricted grazers - would you say she is really restricted based on the 12 hours muzzled/12 hours in a short paddock?
Based on 75g per day, this would cost 86p per day.

Hoof Health Summer - could we get away with this? 61p per day, based on 75g per day.

Aside from a titchy helping of Fast Fibre or Speedibeet to mix it in, would I need to feed anything in addition to this - ie more linseed, Mag Ox, a separate joint supplement etc, particularly as it claims to help arthritics? I would still need to add Agnus Castus, but if it suits I'm still looking at a hefty monthly saving, as long as it would meet her needs. Can anyone advise?
 
You could feed the FP summer balancer and add vitamin e which I get from progressive earth! This works out cheaper, also the summer balancer is on offer atm.:)
 
Pines of Rome - thanks, good idea! Didn't realise vit e was cheaper that way, I get my other bits and pieces from them so will give them a go.

Is it likely I'll still need to add a joint supplement, or does it really help horses with arthritis?
 
The hoof health balancer has more in it than the summer one and is specifically designed for hoof problems. Quote. "In addition optimum levels of the following are also included: methionine, thiamine, biotin, folic acid, pyridoxine"
Having said that it is pricey and the summer one is a great start to try.
You could email Sarah at FP for advice.

For a laminitic I personally wouldn't feed any compound mixed feeds but my pony is very sensitive. She gets unmollassed beet (fast fibre or similar would do) to carry hoof health balancer, micronized linseed (to replace omegas lost in restricted grazing and anti inflammatory effect) salt. She is also very sugar sensitive and has soaked hay always, as I get various supplies and can't get it tested for sugar content. I can't take any risks with her.

I know soaking is hard with a bump but one future tip is to drain the water out first. It's much lighter and water has to be changed each time anyway.
 
AmandaP - thank you. Your regime is the plan I had in mind. Does your horse get any kind of turnout? I was thinking I could try the Summer one as it is on offer, along with fast fibre. My hay supply will be more consistent going forward so I am thinking of having it analysed too.

I totally get it with the soaked hay, and the way I am having to do it right now is not my ideal choice at all. It's tricky to explain but until my new facilities are in place (new stables at home with water supply) I am using a barn at my parent's in law's farm up the road from ours and the only water supply for now is their garden hose - I can't tip hay water over their newly landscaped sandstone flags! I always soaked before on the farm yard, but recent building work on the farm means the routes I used to take to carry nets to the tap are both blocked off and I have to carry them miles which I can't do at the minute, especially with a toddler in tow. Hopefully new stables will be ready in a matter of weeks.

It's bad enough filling straightforward water buckets! Hopefully baby will be born within a week too and I can be independent again.
 
My pony doesn't get any grass turnout (usually) but I have yards with barn access she is in so she isn't ever stabled. We have had a blip as she had to have limited grass a few weeks ago due to hay crisis here. She is very sensitive. :( Most of us can't do our ideal all the time sadly. Life gets in the way.

Great to get hay tested if you have a block supply.

For soaking and draining I put a length of hose into the bottom of the wheelie bin before hay and water and then siphon the water out at end of soaking time. Takes a while to empty but better than trying to tip it or dealing with heavy hay straight of the water. Don't know if you could run a hose anywhere to drain. Others have had drain taps fitted to their wheelie bins for drainage.
Just info for future use if you need it.

Best wishes for the birth. :) A host of new things to juggle will start.
 
Thanks Amandap, I know, exciting yet stressful times ahead... Great tips though. I just can't wait to have proper facilities again instead of everything being such a hassle and feeling like I'm putting on people all the time. My family in law already think I'm neurotic as it is - at least i can be neurotic in private soon! Plus it will be easier to contain two children at home than at the farm.

Can anyone tell me the prices of Pro Hoof from progressive earth? I usually get my mag ox and chaste tree berry from them but they have no listings whilst they are away on holiday so I can't compare it to forage plus. Is there a big difference either way?
 
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