Feeding Advice

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Pasata

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Hi, I'm new here and I was wondering if anyone could suggest something to feed an old pony prone to laminitis cos nothing i've tried seems to work.
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Any advice would be much appreciated
Thanks
 
By nothing seems to work, what are you aiming for the feed to achieve?

There are many Laminitis trust approved feeds around now.
 
well, i'm just trying to make sure that she doesn't get it again. I know that now shes prone to it but i'm currently using happy hoof and i just wondered if there was anything else similar?
 
The second highest ingredient in Happy Hoof is Mollasses....this concerns me in a feed made for laminitics!!
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My advice is to contact Simple System - their helpline is very good
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Spillers Healthy Hooves, I believe is very similar.

Management is the key to making sure she doesn't get it again, along side lami approved feeds. By feeding Laminitis Trust Approved feeds you won't stop lami if shes still on good grazing and a bit over weight
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If shes eating the happy hoof, isn't too fat or too thin, I'd personally keep a close eye on her weight as we head towards spring, and keep her in/muzzled etc as neccassary to control her weight.
 
You cannot feed to prevent laminitis, if anything the opposite as most forms of lami is caused by too much good food.

Happy hoof is fine and if you are only doing a little feed (below the recommended level) perhaps add a general vitamin and mineral powder.
 
The triggers of dietary laminitis are soluble carbohydrates - ie sugars and starches. Starch is most commonly found in cereal feeds such as oats, barley, wheat and maize. Sugars are found in molassed feeds and also natural sugars in grass and hay.

Laminitis Trust approved feeds have to have a soluble carbohydrate content below a certain amount, but some do contain a small amount of molasses to aid palatability. However, the amount in such feeds is usually less than can be found naturally in grass and even some hays (depending on the grass used and time cut). Even if your bucket feed is low in soluble carbs, if the hay you are feeding is high in them, then this can set off a laminitic attack in sensitive animals, so either get your hay analysed or soak it to reduce the soluble carb level.
 
Soak your hay for at least 12 hours in clean water every day before feeding it to reduce the calorie content. If the pony is sound i've found exercise is the best way to reduce weight. I'm not well enough to exercise D at the moment but when D was at risk of lami earlier this year she was exercised 6 days a week for at least an hour and this made more difference than playing around with her feeds had ever done.
 
I would be feeding as little 'feed' as possible and perhaps just feed a laminitis approved chaff and a hoof supplement suitable for laminitics. It is the grass and hay you have to watch...as others have said. Exercise is also the key to good circulation for the feet and keeping the weight off.
 
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