Feeding a veteran underweight laminitic pony

[Stonewood]

Our 27 yr old Connemara/welsh/Arab pony has recently had his second bout of laminitis (last one was January 2011). Since his initial bout, he has been fine, and had access to plenty grass and never looked at all footy or had any symptoms. Whereas now is footy (although no heat or digital pulse) cresty neck and ouffiness above eyes. He is normally out 24/7 as he hates been stabled, so is strip grazed and fed hage (quite dry, like wrapped hay) and was fed a normal sized scoop, 1 scoop 16 plus mix, 1/2 scoop barley rings and handful of Alfa, as he is a fussy pony and not a piggy, and with his age needs help to keep the weight on.
however with this second bout, we will need to be very careful now, and have changed his feed to 1/2 scoop Alfa and handful high fibre nuts, but he is already loosing condition in the last week.
does anyone have any ideas or recommendations on what we could feed him to keep the condition on? But that won't set off a laminitic bout, as he will have to be on restricted grazing now, so worry he won't put that condition back on. Thank uou
ps. He is still ridden @3 times a week, hacked and lightly schooled

 

[amandaco2]

Has he had test for cushings?

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

If he is one his own in the strip then what I would do is leave a medium tubtrug full with beet pulp or alfalfa cubes (or both) soaked and mix linseed into it so it's always available to him alongside what ever else he is getting. Pure fibre and oil so not like your stuffing him full of hard feed. I do it when my oldie is needing a little extra works a treat

Oh and does sound as though he has cushings, I would recommend adding some chaste berry and cinnamon to his feeds if you don't want to go down the prascend route