Horse allergic to Hay!

Whizz105

Whizz105

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Has anyone come across a horse allergic to Meadow, Rye and Timothy hay?!! She was allergic to Wheat as well but have had vaccine made up for that but not Hay. Her skin is like bubble wrap, hot to touch on those areas and ichy. Steroids don't seem to help that much and as we have no turn out at the moment I wonder if anyone can suggest an alternative to hay? Perhaps Lucerne?
 
I've never come across a horse with a hay allergy before. Lots of people feed Alfa alfa (lucerne) so I guess that would be your best bet to try that. Hydrophonic 'grass' could be another thing to try.
 
I dont know much about lucerne but if your horse lives out or is turned out most of the day then you can use chaff as your hay alternative, alot of people use it as a hay replacement in horses/ponies that put on weight to easily or are prone to laminitis.

Have a look on the dengie feeds website, they have a large range of chaff products and they are reasonably priced so theres lots of variety to choose from for your your horse!
 
Sadly at the moment due the weather turn out has been cut completely! Also I would find her somewhere to live out for the winter but can't as she is prone to cracked heels and mud fever...!
 
give simple system a call theyve given me some very good advice
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she might not be actually allergic to hay. some farmers now put an additive on the hay as its cut, aids with drying and bailing. so if you find some organic hay she might not have the problem! ask your hay supplier where they get it from they should be able to trace it. if she was allergic to hay then she would be allergic to grass as she isn't then it sounds like the additive is the problem. i only no about this as my farmer i buy off has given a whinge about how mucky the stuff is on the machinery so doesn't use it
 
My mare is covered in lumps at the moment and I'm not sure what's causing it. She is very hot and sensitive to the touch. Picked antihistamines up from vet today so hopefully they will start to disappear. I would be interested to know how you get on with your horse.
 
Mmm interesting

"she might not be actually allergic to hay. some farmers now put an additive on the hay as its cut, aids with drying and bailing."

I will ask him as he does the large bales himself but then on the blood tests results would she show allergic reaction to hay when it may be the additive?

My vet is writing a letter saying that Bella must have some turn out to get away from eating hay all day everyday and that I will be trying alternative to hay (farmer supplies and includes hay costs in monthly rent) so we shall see what he says but not holding my breath! he he
 
Thers so much of this about at the moment, my boys had lumps since November.
His biopsy results came back ysterday to say that it is definatly an allergy. He is only on carrots and hay weve slowly out everything else out of his diet. Hopefully we'll soon know what the culprit is.
Dodson and horrell do an allergy pack, its got some very usefull information in, theyve also sent me a questionaire and some sample bags to send some grass and hay off to them so it can be analised. Take alook at their website, might be worth doing
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Debs x
 
update:

Last couple of days I have introduced Oat straw to bulk out her hay nets so eats less of the hay and just waiting on a delivery for Lucerne bales to replace the hay part. Already the lumps are going down to leave pimples and bald spots but at least it is an improvment!
 
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