Feeding an RAO laminitic - ideas please

[Rose Folly]

My mare, for the first time ever, got laminitis this winter, and it has just flared up again. Concurrently, she also has flexural dermatitis which is being slow to clear up.

So now she is back on yard rest for the present, but what can I feed her in the forage line? She is TOTALLY allergic to hay, however long it's soaked for, and normally I would be feeding her small amounts of Horsehage or haylage, both of which she's fine on. But thanks to last summer's drought supplies have dried up locally.

I'm hopefully going to source some edible straw for her tomorrow, but otherwise she's just on Happy Hoof and non-molassed beet (which I saw to my amazement on the Laminitis Clinic is OK to feed).

Also., any ideas on how to amuse her? She's a bright, intelligent, company-loving cob, and though her equine companions can actually chat to her and groom her over the dividing railing, and she's right by the house so gets a fair bit of human companionship and plenty to watch going by on the road, the days are long for her. She is ruled by her stomach - what a surprise - so anything edible would be good. (She's frightened of swinging swedes etc so that's out).

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

[bathmat]

Allan and page fast fibre?
Also, check the starch and sugar levels of any feeds you choose and go for the lowest.
I dont understand how she can be allergic to soaked hay. Soaking for an hour removes almost all of the spores, as water makes them swell and stick to the hay so they are eaten rather than breathed in.
Your horse needs a source of long fibre as well as soaked food such as fast fibre or sugar beet. So maybe you will have to do a drive somewhere to buy some haylage if you cant get some locally. Or get a feed merchant to deliver some. Horsehage is available all year round, so someone will have some. The cost is worth it because a laminitic is an ill horse and you can't withold feed from it, its very bad for the digestive system. you still need to feed it for mental health too.

Have a ring round some feed merchants?

 

[Rose Folly]

Believe me Bathmat, she IS allergic to hay (soaked or otherwise). But as she's always been perfectly fine on anything else I haven't pursued the whys and wherefores - I just keep the inhaler mask handy, in case!

I've now located some haylage and oat straw, which she's having one/sixth to five/sixths,have given her a horse ball, (which she's very taken with even if she can't work it) and she's doing fine.