Footy on grass at this time of year

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FfionWinnie

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I'm assuming it doesn't bode well??

When I got Titchy he had been stabled for months as his pal had chronic lami. I've had him about a month now and he is definitely footy on hard ground. He wasn't when I got him (ie when he was stabled). I don't think he has ever had full blown laminitis but as he wasn't in work it wouldn't be noticeable if he was footy (he was just a pet).

I put him in a small paddock last night with hay only but its not viable long term as it will be a mud bath. I am wondering if I need to build some sort of turn out pen to keep him off the grass in the summer. Am I over reacting? I just worry if he is affected at this time of year he will be worse in the summer?
 
I think you have to err on the side of caution I'm afraid. Winter can be a high risk time as well as Spring and Autumn. :( Do check for thrush and whether he has thin soles which can also cause footyness.

I have found addressing mineral status also appears to help protect. Getting grass and hay tested is one option or feeding a good balancer and soaking hay too to get overall sugars in diet down. Vitamin E is also helpful when grazing is restricted or in winter. Some balancers contain it but check the levels. Check the barefoot threads for decent balancers with no added iron and sugars.

It may be worth getting him tested for IR and Cushings and possibly feeding a chasteberry (Vitex) tincture in the meantime.
 
Thanks. I had him on a paddock which hasn't been grazed for a few months. As he was fine when I got him I can only assume it is the change in diet. He was far better today with 24hours on hay.

I can blitz the paddock to next to nothing with sheep, would that make a difference?
 
That would be a good idea, and keep them on it! I've had problems with my pony and thrush this year, not comfy at all, having to use boots and pads atm. ( usually fine bf )

Mine are on a track system from April to October, putting one of the big horses to eat it down first!
 
re thrush. There is some anecdotal evidence that link it to mineral deficiency especially copper. I have noticed my mini Shetland who was very prone to severe thrush (and laminitis) has had no problems this winter and has lovely healthy frogs. She has been on a decent balancer for getting on for a year now. Mind you she is off grass altogether so out of the worst of the mud.
 
Its hard when they are on mud all the time :( I do bring mine in for a few hours a day and give the frogs a good clean with steralising fluid.

Re the copper, mine are on magnesium and have been for years, I bought pro balance but neither would eat it, will look at getting some copper, thanks
 
FfionWinnie said:
Thanks. I had him on a paddock which hasn't been grazed for a few months. As he was fine when I got him I can only assume it is the change in diet. He was far better today with 24hours on hay.

I can blitz the paddock to next to nothing with sheep, would that make a difference?
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I would do this has but do bear in mind that the sheep will also fertilise the field so what comes up will be richer so if you go down this route you have to make sure the field is really bare so that there is very little of anything in it, or else get the sheep in (eg every night) to eat any new growth, otherwise you would be better strip grazing on older longer less sugary grass.
 
Its really hard isnt it :( My lami horse is also very difficult to keep and I am seriously thinking about a very little / no grass diet for her in the future.
 
I would definitely be thinking ahead for the summer. You are not overreacting at all. I have been planning turnout arrangements for the two laminitis prone horses for months. They are both going to be turned out for a maximum of eight hours in greenguard muzzles, and come into the sand turnout the rest of the time. I have managed to source some haylage that I have had tested and is only 3.2% combined starch and sugars (less than 10% is okay for lami horses) so I won't have to soak it. I have reserved a lorry load of it to take them through the Spring and summer.
 
Thanks for the replies again. Is there any reason not to just keep him off grass and feed hay and minerals all year round? Being a mini Shetland I could construct quite a spacious (to him!) fun grass free zone and the amount of hay he would eat would be negligible in the scheme of things, if it was better for his health.

Am grazing off the grass with sheep just now and will let him back out in this paddock once its bare and see how we go.
 
I keep all 3 of my minis off grass all year. I do it so the one prone to laminitis has company and they seem to thrive. I am lucky though and have a large yard area that wraps round the buildings so lots of variety. I do occasionally allow them access to an over grown wooded area that has very little grass growth due to being conifers.
 
victoria1980x said:
Hows the little guy doing Ffion?
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He's fine thanks, pee'd off about his dry hay and water diet I think :o. He was walking better after 24 hours off the grass. He has never had laminitis but is obviously sensitive to the grass. The thing is too he has lived with a chronic lami all his life so he has been managed as a lami so I suppose I just need to continue with this.
 
I feel your pain. The lovely calm native type pony I borrowed to keep my foal company became a bit footy at the weekend and I know he had pulses in his feet last year so I have jumped straight into lami management (he is cresty all year and I have never seen him without a pad of fat around his tail) - 1.5% bodywieght of hay, soaked for 12 hours, plus a 'bucketfeed' of balancer and in off the grass 24/7. - all under vets advice. I was so shocked to think it could happen this time of year as have no real knowledge of lami previously. Vet says he should be in for 12 weeks but should see a huge difference in 6 -8 weeks.

At the moment (day2!) it is working well. I have a safe stable yard which is completely fenced in, so I let the laminitic out on the yard at night time,while my foal is in his stable for the night. The foal in his stable keeps the 'uncle' happy to stay on the yard. And then I put the laminitic in the stable for the day and let the foal have the yard and adjoining field.

The foal-sitter pony uncle is knocking on a bit and has indicated he knows all the tricks in the book, how to roll to get the mask off, how to commando roll under any electric fencing, how to barge the fence between the yard and the adjoining field if the foal is in the field, so stabling is the only way that works so far. Trouble is the foal is only interacting over a stable door now, no uncle to police him in the field. The upside is that he seems quite happy to pootle about quietly without uncle!
 
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