Feeding a lazy laminitic - advice please!

[{108361}]

Looking for something to 'rev' my mare up a bit. She has lost weight, got fit and no signs of lami (at present).

She is a VERY good do-er and only needs to look at food to get fat despite doing about 10 hours work per week.

Im looking for something to rev her up a bit (she can be lazy) without inducing the laminitis but everything I can think of is not good for a laminitic. Suggestions anyone?

 

[AJHORSE]

Found this online-(might help)
Simplyboost Energy is a targeted boost of vitamin B12 to support the production of energy in the body, making it ideal to help maintain energy levels during competition or for horses and ponies that need an extra boost when feeling fatigued after hard work or travelling.

 

[meleeka]

Nafff Pink Powder was like rocket fuel for mine.

 

[catkin]

I presume that she is on a low sugar/ high fibre diet. It may be worth looking at some of the mineral supplements that are made for this to ensure that her mineral needs are met without fillers and empty calories. Some makes to investigate: Forageplus, Equimins Advance (there may be others available).

The other thing is to look at the type of work she is getting - when I brought an EMS pony back into fitness lots of transitions getting the pony sharp off the leg were very effective, so she was really striding out and working each step as her fitness built up. It was a mental attitude as much as physical.

 

[Cortez]

Have you had her tested for Cushings disease?

 

[Coblover63]

Allen & Page Ride & Relax is good for energy without stupidity.

 

[ester]

Allen & Page Ride & Relax is good for energy without stupidity.

you cannot feed a 20% combined sugar/starch product to a laminitic prone pony!!

OP what are you currently feeding if anything? Are you a member of the ECIR groups?

 

[{108361}]

Found this online-(might help)
Simplyboost Energy is a targeted boost of vitamin B12 to support the production of energy in the body, making it ideal to help maintain energy levels during competition or for horses and ponies that need an extra boost when feeling fatigued after hard work or travelling.View attachment 29897

Thanks - not seen this before will look into it

 

[{108361}]

Have you had her tested for Cushings disease?

Yes and EMS - both clear

 

[{108361}]

I presume that she is on a low sugar/ high fibre diet. It may be worth looking at some of the mineral supplements that are made for this to ensure that her mineral needs are met without fillers and empty calories. Some makes to investigate: Forageplus, Equimins Advance (there may be others available).

The other thing is to look at the type of work she is getting - when I brought an EMS pony back into fitness lots of transitions getting the pony sharp off the leg were very effective, so she was really striding out and working each step as her fitness built up. It was a mental attitude as much as physical.

Thanks - she's already on a vitamin mineral supplement since I've restricted her grazing/ hay. You make a good point regarding her work - I've found this is the biggest thing so we do tonnes of transitions etc. If I was to just sit there then we plod around like a donkey!

 

[{108361}]

you cannot feed a 20% combined sugar/starch product to a laminitic prone pony!!

OP what are you currently feeding if anything? Are you a member of the ECIR groups?

Not heard of ecir group?! Assuming it's a Facebook group? She's currently on soaked hay, bit of straw, restricted grazing and carob crumb with added vitamin mineral supplement and handful of zero sugar chaff. I've found this keeps her at the correct weight and she hasn't had lami on this diet. The carob crumb has been great as it fills her up.

 

[ester]

it's a pre facebook group which I find quite complicated but thought might be worth having a nosey around even if she isn't diagnosed.

You might find this page helpful https://www.ecirhorse.org/feeding-recovered-laminitics.php

and this is the group.
https://ecir.groups.io/g/main

 

[Leo Walker]

This might be a stupid question but what i carob crumb? I've honestly never heard of it before!

 

[ester]

It's like cocoa but not

It's high in calcium which can be an issue on UK grazing

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Nafff Pink Powder was like rocket fuel for mine.

I would avoid that like the plague, it made ours footy.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Allen and page power and performance sent mine off his head, it was fed to him by mistake!

 

[holeymoley]

Take everyone's advice onboard but do your own research into each suggestion, a lot of things can contain things that are a big no no for lamintics, and always take into consideration the sugar and starch combination. It should always be lower than 10% combined ideally.

 

[mustardsmum]

I have the same issue, EMS pony with arthritis who has had a bad bout of lami a while back. He is on minimal grass, 6kg of hay a day split over four feeds and a small handful of Fast Fibre mixed with Honeychop simple oat straw (nothing added, just plain, boring old chopped straw...!) and 100g of micronised linseed. The linseed was recommended by the vet when I explained he just had no energy at all and I was worried the arthritis was started to affect him despite having his hocks medicated. Feeding him the minimum amount has given him an energy boost but also his joints seem better to. If I doubled up the amount I fed him, he would put weight on but this is just the right amount to give him a bit of rocket fuel! He is ridden everyday and he has a real bounce in his stride and a bright eye again. He has been tested for cushings and his results came back normal. Reading this back, I wonder why I don't retire the poor boy!! But my vet has advised if I stop riding him the arthritis will get worse and the EMS could also cause problems.

 

[Chianti]

I have the same issue, EMS pony with arthritis who has had a bad bout of lami a while back. He is on minimal grass, 6kg of hay a day split over four feeds and a small handful of Fast Fibre mixed with Honeychop simple oat straw (nothing added, just plain, boring old chopped straw...!) and 100g of micronised linseed. The linseed was recommended by the vet when I explained he just had no energy at all and I was worried the arthritis was started to affect him despite having his hocks medicated. Feeding him the minimum amount has given him an energy boost but also his joints seem better to. If I doubled up the amount I fed him, he would put weight on but this is just the right amount to give him a bit of rocket fuel! He is ridden everyday and he has a real bounce in his stride and a bright eye again. He has been tested for cushings and his results came back normal. Reading this back, I wonder why I don't retire the poor boy!! But my vet has advised if I stop riding him the arthritis will get worse and the EMS could also cause problems.

How big is your boy? I'm trying to get weight off my 13 hand pony but without a bit of something he has no energy.

 

[mustardsmum]

How big is your boy? I'm trying to get weight off my 13 hand pony but without a bit of something he has no energy.

He's a 14.1hh connie. I would say give him a bit less than I am giving, in terms of energy, it really helped my boy