grass/ sensitivity/ barefoot....your experiences please?

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HashRouge

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I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have horses who go footsore when the grass starts coming through - how footsore do they go? How do you deal with it? How long before you notice an improvement? Is it a problem all summer?
I'm getting advice from farrier/ vet, but I'm just feeling a bit down about the whole thing atm so it would be nice to hear from people whose horses have the same problem. Please show me there's light at the end of the tunnel!
 
My horse isnt barefoot but is extremely sensitive to changes in the grass! Im constantly checking for heat/pulses and as soon as there is signs, he comes off grass!
 
Being footsore when the grass comes through is usually the first sign of laminitis, nothing to do with barefoot or shod really. Only difference is shoes sometimes disguise mild signs.
 
HashRouge said:
I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have horses who go footsore when the grass starts coming through - how footsore do they go? How do you deal with it? How long before you notice an improvement? Is it a problem all summer?
I'm getting advice from farrier/ vet, but I'm just feeling a bit down about the whole thing atm so it would be nice to hear from people whose horses have the same problem. Please show me there's light at the end of the tunnel!
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Is the horse fat?

Metabolic (Insulin Resistant/Cushings)?

Are you feeding conditioning mix alongside the grass?
whistle.gif


What is the routine and what work are you doing together?

Is he/she any better in boots?
 
Oberon said:
Is the horse fat?

Metabolic (Insulin Resistant/Cushings)?

Are you feeding conditioning mix alongside the grass?
whistle.gif


What is the routine and what work are you doing together?

Is he/she any better in boots?
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Not fat, no metabolic issues that we're aware of, fed speedibeat only (for mixing supplements), was being ridden 3 or 4 times a week (no boots) on all sorts of surfaces until the weekend when they moved onto summer grazing, which is when the problems started. We don't actually have any boots as she hasn't shown any signs of needing them until now.
She's been moved into the diet field and will be coming in during the day. The vet had a look at her today for me.

What I don't understand is related to what Littlelegs said - you hear all this stuff about grass making them sensitive, but what is the difference between this and laminitis? The vet didn't think she had laminitis, but I do worry about it :(
 
All I meant was its not usually the case that a barefoot horse will become sensitive to grass any more than a shod horse. Just that the first mild symptoms are easier to spot without shoes. And although there can be other causes, its usually the case that its the grass causing the laminitis if there haven't been any other changes to a previously sound horse. Does that make more sense lol?
 
littlelegs said:
All I meant was its not usually the case that a barefoot horse will become sensitive to grass any more than a shod horse. Just that the first mild symptoms are easier to spot without shoes. And although there can be other causes, its usually the case that its the grass causing the laminitis if there haven't been any other changes to a previously sound horse. Does that make more sense lol?
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Yes I think so..ish!

I just feel quite down about all of this. She's been seen by a vet and a farrier in the last two days so I know I shouldn't worry so much - I'm doing everything they suggested. But I can't help it!
 
HashRouge said:
Yes I think so..ish!

I just feel quite down about all of this. She's been seen by a vet and a farrier in the last two days so I know I shouldn't worry so much - I'm doing everything they suggested. But I can't help it!
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https://www.equimins-online.com/search?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=laminator
I have my boy on Fast Fibre and Equimins Laminator as a precaution, I am in to precautionary feeding, Laminator is half price , you get free carriage with orders over £25.00, I also got some lavender wash and 10kg of micronised linseed meal.
A lot of people use their meta balance, but "Matt" recommended I use Equimins Advance for his winter mins and vits.
 
She's been having the Metabalance (I can't afford to have a forage analysis done). I've decided to take her off the grass entirely for a few days because I want to be able to say once and for all whether it is the grass or not. Will see how she get's on!

Also, I don't know if this is relevant, but she has developed a sudden desire to eat dandelions. Maybe they have something that she needs, you never know!
 
HashRouge said:
She's been having the Metabalance (I can't afford to have a forage analysis done). I've decided to take her off the grass entirely for a few days because I want to be able to say once and for all whether it is the grass or not. Will see how she get's on!

Also, I don't know if this is relevant, but she has developed a sudden desire to eat dandelions. Maybe they have something that she needs, you never know!
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They will often self medicate. Feral horses will forage for miles to find the plant they want.

I like taking my old boy for a browse in the hedgerows for stuff he can't get from his field.
 
I win on the 'grass sensitivity' front; one of mine is so allergic to ryegrass that she's had colic surgery (for IFEE), and then another 2 week stay in horspital, only to be discharged on corticosteroids for ever.
She doesn't show any foot sensitivity, but then I try to feed her timothy, alfalfa etc instead.
S :D
 
Strange that yours is also eating dandelions! Mine has chosen cow parsley and dandelions as his preffered forage over grass at the moment, he couldnt care less about the lush grass at the side of the lane when i bring him in, but wont leave the 'weeds' alone lol :confused:

I just assume he knows what he needs! lol ;)

Cant help you with the footyness though im afraid, my boy seems to be coping well without his shoes on, so far, then again its early days and hes on a bareish field! When he moves onto the nice bit, thats when the problems may start xD
 
Oberon said:
They will often self medicate. Feral horses will forage for miles to find the plant they want.

I like taking my old boy for a browse in the hedgerows for stuff he can't get from his field.
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I'm hoping that's what she was doing, I like to think she's quite smart! She seemed to know exactly how much she needed anyway. I wish I knew if there was anything else she needed, but like I said I just can't afford a forage analysis at the moment. Fingers crossed she'll be looking better soon!
 
Same thing is happening with my lad, Oberon will know. It is disheartening, I am thoroughly annoyed about it.

Fwiw, my guy is not fat either, looking very well, only on fast fibre and his supplements, is working daily, but still went terribly footy the day before last, and was even footy, hopping along in gel lined boots! :( :( Kept him off the grass and he came right back fine today. Most frustrating!

I, like you, wonder how long it will last, and will it last all summer?? I thought we were past Spring time flushes now?
 
I bet you will find its the grass. My girl is a Wee bit sensitive right now too. She's getting on with things though and since she has been barefoot it's usually this time of year that she does go a bit sore. Keep your chin up it will pass!

My girl also self medicated. I do the same as Oberon. Take her for walks so she can pick out what she needs. She was eating some white plants today and she also insists on picking at this tree that we have just outside the field. Was only pondering today about whether to plant some herbs in the winter field before they go back down. Horses are so clever.
 
dressagelove said:
I, like you, wonder how long it will last, and will it last all summer?? I thought we were past Spring time flushes now?
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That's what I really want to know, though I bet it's one of those "wait and see" things! The only way to keep her off the grass is stabling, but she's arthritic so that won't do long haul. We have a diet field, but will that make a difference?? Aaaaaaggghhh!!!
 
I've been following this thread with a lot of interest as I've got my newly barefoot lad coming back soon from Rockley and I'm quite nervous about the effect our pasture is going to have on him. I'm trying to limit the risk by turning him out at night and keeping him in during the day but I'm still concerned! So huge thanks from me for all your comments! Hashrouge I hope your girl is feeling better soon. :) x
 
Up fibre feed such as speedi/quick beat or equibeat if u can get it as its nearly half the price! Is a 24hr soak, but low sugar still. Hifi lite molases free versions, hay (soaked if needed). U can feed LOADs of fibre if low sugar and low starch. This will slow down the passage of grass (and sugar) in the gut, allowing the sugars to b absorbed in the correct place in the digestive system. This will maintain the correct oh levels in the gut, so won't kill off the good bacteria, the fibre will also promote tge good bacteria to b healthier!

Suppliment with magnesium if needed as helps settle oh in stomach and acts as an anti inflamatory in some way for feet.

If u can section fields off, strip graze or let tge grass grow longer so tge sugars aren't so concentrated.

Hope info helps :-)
 
Oberon said:
They will often self medicate. Feral horses will forage for miles to find the plant they want
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Really? do they look it up on the net? imagine if other species could do this, like humans. Your need for ulcer research would be negated by the horse taking you to a place in the hedge and plucking the cure.
 
The sugars r more dispersed on the longer grass so less concentrated. Obviously they will b able to eat more in volume more easily so it would need restricting!!! Really sort grass is by far the worst I am told!! I'll double check later for u tho as would hate to give wrong info?! X
 
Hi I have just checked, and unless their is more recent research (?), short grass is often more stressed and grows quicker so is higher in fructans (sugar), longer grass is less dense in sugar, however does depend on type of grass (some store sugar in leaves, others in the stem), time of day/night, amount of sunshine (to name a few factors!! Like to make life easy for us!!).

I understand that longer grass is higher in fibre and protein.

Also, volume of grass available is more with.long grass so may consume more food (therefore sugar) in same space of time, so needs to b.monitored!

I have prob just confused things more - sorry!

Whatever works 4 u I suppose, I try.not to.let my grass get too short and rotate my grazing regularly.
:-)
 
My BF horse is more senestive at the moment but I have been away for three days and he has been out 24/7 I came back last night and expected him to be worse however he's was great today so now we think he's was sore as I has upped the work.
I find this really hard to manage he shows no clinical signs of laminitis ( best F is a vet) so she told it was ok to turn him out while I was away but can lamintis be sub clinical ? And if the grass is causing the issue surely he would be worse today but the rest has made it fine so something else makes him senestive.
He's fine if he wears boots part of the time .
I sympathise with OP, this really difficult to manage when you what a horse to work not to manage.
 
Shy is barefoot, and last year I moved yards, and he went onto some good grazing (with his muzzle on and very limited). Long story, but he spent some time without his muzzle on, not thru him getting it off I add :mad: and within a few days he was very short in his stride, and I just knew. Straight to the vet, and he had the "precurser signs of lami changes ??" (no idea if that's right).

Moved yards (only been there 10 days), box rest for 2 weeks, farrier, bute, etc, and it cleared up no problems. But now he is not grazed at all without his muzzle, and is stabled at night. The shock of how quickly things happened on this new grass has taught me to be very careful.
 
My boy is sub clinical laminitic, hot feet, footy, stretched white line etc etc. Had him in grazing muzzle for a while, and white lines not as stretched, not coming in footy. Definatly more comfortable.
YO has decided he can't wear the muzzle as thinks its the reason why my boy keeps breaking into another field with slightly longer grass, convieniently(spelling?)Forgetting that he kept doing it last year when he was without a muzzle !!!
And wouldn't I rather a happy unhealthy horse than a happy(ish) healthy horse that isn't struggling !!! And big horses don't get lami, so he's at no risk of it, vets only want our money don'tcha know :(, and I'm over-reactive in my management of him.
Anyway sorry for my little rant ....but yes it is possible for a horse to be sub clinical laminitic ie: teetering on the brink.
 
HashRouge said:
That's what I really want to know, though I bet it's one of those "wait and see" things! The only way to keep her off the grass is stabling, but she's arthritic so that won't do long haul. We have a diet field, but will that make a difference?? Aaaaaaggghhh!!!
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I've made my mare a small enclosure inside her paddock where she goes from 7.30 am until 5 pm. Then she's allowed out with my gelding in the main paddock. This seems to keep her stable. Some mornings she has a digital pulse in just one foot (the one she had laminitis in at Christmas due to her Cushings). She is not lame or footy though as I catch it early as soon as I feel a pulse. By 5 pm the pulse is usually gone and she can go out for the night. Grass sugars are highest during the day and so if you have a sensitive horse and you want to turn them out on grass, it is best to do so at night.
 
My mare has been quite footy and scatty off the grass - her droppings were like big green cow pats! That was when she was out through the day and in overnight...

I have now changed her routine.. she is out in the big field overnight with a muzzle on, then I have sectioned off a small area of the field (mini track) and I put soaked hay out for her during the day...

This appears to be working*touch wood* - she's a lot less footy, fizzy (could be the heat) and droppings are back to normal
 
Dandelions are a diuretic. Horses that seek them out are trying to flush out their systems.

My experience with two sensitive horses is that I have/had to keep them off the grass during the daytime when the sugars are highest. If I do not do that, one goes noticeably laminitic and the other could not walk across stones that were usually no problem to him without wincing.

In addition to that I have/had to feed them yeast, otherwise they still cannot/could not cope, as I found out last year when I got a batch of yeast that they would not eat.

I also feed magnesium (spring grass is low in it and it is required for insulin regulation among a lot of other things) so I would consider magnesium an absolute must.


OP laminitis is not the "all or nothing" disease that you might be thinking. It's a spectrum from very mild to very severe. Your mare IS laminitic if the grass has made her feel stones when she does not feel stones when the grass is less active. It does not matter what your vet and your farrier say, if you take her off the grass and that makes her better, then that was laminitis.
 
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