horse hypersensitive in summer

[maryk91]

Can anyone offer any suggestions? My Lipizzaner x Anglo-Arab gelding is a dream to ride in winter and right up to April every year and in May turns into a nightmare. He seems to become very sensitive to touch all over his skin, starts snatching at the reins, jogging and threatening to rear and just does not want to go forward at all (or goes like a runaway train). He was difficult all last summer and in October had a bout of laminitis. After spending the whole month off the grass and having the old fashioned treatment of bran mash and Epsom salts he was beautifully relaxed and sound. My vet thought possibly he had had sub-clinical laminitis all summer. I'm wondering now if the Epsom salts corrected a mineral deficiency. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone?

 

[kezimac]

epsom salts are high in magnesium - he may be magnesium deficient - magnesium defiency can cause unruly behaviour. You cant feed epsom salts long term though - go to local agricuatural merchants and ask for cal mag (calcined magnesite) £10 a bag feed 40g a day - will last for ages and helps feet too. He may also be intolerant to grass so see if he can go in field with no grass - or in a menage.

 

[maryk91]

Thanks for that I will give it a try.