Experienced Cushings horse owners ... and New Hay ....

[Eaglestone]

My old boy is a Cushings horse and I have always given him good clean old soaked hay

After speaking to the Laminitis Trust, earlier this year, they said it was ok not to soak it, as I really need to get some weight on him and not leach all the goodness out, as long as the horse was not suffering from COPD (or whatever is the new name

).

I struggle to get any decent amount of hay down him as he is a very small eater .... but would LOVE to scoff all that lovely green grass all day long

Now I am running out of last years hay and have access to hay from my own field, cut and baled in the 2 weeks of our July 'Summer', and was cooked to bits and has no green in it whatsoever (I cannot remember if it was cut am or pm, for those of you who may ask

) ..... now is this ok to feed soaked or even unsoaked

Now I can pay my £1 and minute and have another chat to them, but wondered what you experience peeps, with horses with Cushings and not just ones prone to Laminitis, thought.

Thanks for getting this far

 

[TGM]

I used to have a Cushings pony and I only gave her well-soaked hay or forage with a known sugar level (so things like High Fibre Horsehage or tubtrugs of Happy Hoof). So would suggest you either get your hay analysed or soak the carbs out of it.

Dodson & Horrell do a forage analysis service, costs £5:

http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/helpline/forage/forage-analysis/

 

[Eaglestone]

[ QUOTE ]
I used to have a Cushings pony and I only gave her well-soaked hay or forage with a known sugar level (so things like High Fibre Horsehage or tubtrugs of Happy Hoof). So would suggest you either get your hay analysed or soak the carbs out of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for you advice .... any idea where you get hay analysed ....

 

[TGM]

See edited post above!

 

[K27]

My mare has Cushings, she has her hay soaked for about 5-10 minutes in a big tub that she eats it from. She used to be the greediest pony before the Cushings! For a while I gave her old hay but it wasn't really too good and she wouldn't touch it so she has a slightly better quality hay now, to no ill effect. It's a shame She cant manage to eat as much hay as she used too so I completely understand how difficult it is looking after them!

Maybe you could soak the hay it for 5 minutes before feeding it. Good luck.

 

[gothdolly]

Hi there
Not to steal your post, but just to say Im in the same boat. My cushings mare has poor teeth and needs to gain condition, and is a fussy feeder. Old hay just would not tempt her at all. I have to feed new hay now (no old hay left and the contract with our farmer that we rent stables/field from is that we buy all hay from him) but Im soaking it for 12 hours for my gelding. Apparently its OK to soak for 24 hours if the weather is cold which I do when weather conditions permit.

Cassandra x

 

[TGM]

My mare had poor teeth too, and found eating long forage difficult so she started to drop weight. I found by using Spiller's Happy Hoof as a hay replacer, she could eat more and therefore maintain condition, without having to risk giving her higher levels of carbs. Worked out quite expensive though - not so bad for a little pony but could be costly for a big horse!

 

[Bubbles]

Hey Eaglestone,
I lost my cushings girl in Dec, and I so sympathise everytime I see you post about Motor. My girl was always lingering between slightly too lean and just perfect weight, and she had a good appetite so I could just feed her mountains of soaked hay and I fed her 'this year's hay' as opposed to old. I still soaked it, but only for a couple of hours rather than the safe 24hrs other than when having an attack of laminitis. I think if you build up slowly to using your new hay, and maybe soak it but then reduce the time until you can feed it dry you can't go wrong, you know your pony better than any vet. Also, keep meaning to pm you, I've got at least half a 5l tub of that vitex for equids stuff left over if you're interested, let me know.
Good luck!!

 

[Eaglestone]

Thank you all so very much for your time and thought about my dilemma, it is heart warming that so many of you follow Motor’s progress, but I am biased

TGM
Thank you so much for that information, it is so very much appreciated

Motor hates Happy Hoof and my TB now eats it quite happily, mind you he is a very good doer and needs it more that Mots

K27
Motor has always been a fussy eater, but when he was allowed free access to grass he was in very good condition ….. He went off his High Fibre Nuts early this year and then after a while was quite happy to eat them again …. I am really lucky as his teeth are all good at the moment ….. So if he was allowed grass 24/7 then he would do fine

Cassandrarose
I have yet to answer your PM, but I am having a well deserved break this weekend, weather permitting and the 1st away from my horses in over 4 years … so will reply next week

I think that I will have to soak it for longer and hope that it is ok …. Tbo the hay he is having at them moment, is last years and looks and smells much more nutritious that this years … and I have not worried about only soaking that for 10 minutes ..

Like you I used to soak it for 12 hours, but I then decided that Motor needed more nutrition and decided to play ‘Russian Roulette’ and soak it for less and monitor him like a double hawk

Oh Bubbles
I am so sorry that you lost your Mare last December (<< hugs >&gt and it is so kind of you to sympathise with me and Motor …. . Motor is very lean and half the boy he was, but since giving him last years hay and with little soaking, he has improved condition no end, and I am SO pleased

I have only ever fed Motor Pergolide and Cush X (well a few other supplements go in as well) but have never used the Vitex for eqids ….. Do you think I should try it then …. PM me if you do

So in conclusion, and after everyone’s lovely replies (and so quick too) I think I should mix the old and the new and soak it for a couple of hours and continue to watch him like a hawk