Improving a Compromised Metabolism

[Sten]

Hello

I've joined the forum in order to ask for your experiences in improving the health of a horse's digestive system.

One of my horses struggles to maintain weight, particularly in winter. In summer he usually looks fine. On extended box rest in summer he will even start to look slightly overweight. Every winter bar one he has looked poor, however. That one winter he had no grass in the field, but had round bale haylage supplied in the field, and ad lib in his stable, his hard feed did not differ from usual. At times when I've been able to have round bale haylage put in the field, he seems to improve. Any other method of supplying forage ad lib in the field does not have the same results, and I'm unable to put a bale in the field at the current yard.

He always has access to forage, and no hard feed will reliably put weight on him in winter, so I conclude that he must have an impared metabolism. I have tried a few things to improve it's efficiency, without result. They are:

Yea sacc
brewer's yeast
Global herbs restore
NAF d-tox
Coligone
Egusin
Various herbs

He raced, and was at one point neglected in a previous home. He has poor teeth, but his weight does not improve after having them done, or drop off when they're due.

I'm looking for ways to improve the function of his gut, rather than for suggestions for conditioning feed.

Thanks for your help.

 

[touchstone]

I think that fibre itself is probably the best thing to improve gut function, I'd also suspect that something like ulcers could affect absorption of nutrients.

Is he rugged well enough in winter? (sorry if stating the obvious!) but a cold horse is going to use a lot more energy keeping warm.

Have you tried adding micronised linseed or fenugreek? the latter is supposed to help with appetite, also feeding aloe vera juice helps to soothe the digestive tract.

 

[KSR]

I'm sure Slinkyunicorn on here is a distributor for Lifeforce with very successful results..

She'd be happy to answer any PMd questions if you are interested? Or pop on to the Facebook page for Rutland Horse Extras!

I've used Thunderbrook before which was okay.. I still do have it but I can't testify it's effects on poorer horses as my neddies are all very good doing food monkeys.. Whole different set of issues!! Fibre fibre fibre.. And vits/mins if lacking..

 

[Sten]

Hi touchstone, thanks for your reply.

Yes, he's apropriately rugged so that he's niether too cold or to hot. Fenugreek and aloe vera juice are among the herbs I've tried, but have had no lasting improvements. I've tried various conditioning feeds as well as purely fibre feeds and fibre feeds in conjunction with oil - have tried both liquid oil and micronised linseed.

I've considered ulcers, but he has no other symptoms, and had no improvement with coligone (tried liquid and powder) or Egusin.

 

[Sten]

I'm sure Slinkyunicorn on here is a distributor for Lifeforce with very successful results..

She'd be happy to answer any PMd questions if you are interested? Or pop on to the Facebook page for Rutland Horse Extras!

I've used Thunderbrook before which was okay.. I still do have it but I can't testify it's effects on poorer horses as my neddies are all very good doing food monkeys.. Whole different set of issues!! Fibre fibre fibre.. And vits/mins if lacking..

Thanks, KSR. Do you know what is in Lifeforce?

I have considered trying Thunderbrook, but have concluded that this horse has digestive problems and it's not a feed issue. He has free access to forage, and well balanced minerals.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Sten I will PM you

 

[toomanynags]

Could haylage be your problem?
One of ours, although she is a very good doer, just cannot tolerate haylage, it gives her symptoms of ulcers, even though she has been scoped clear. On soaked hay she is fine. Some just find the acidity too much to deal with.
Good luck, hope you find a solution.

 

[Sten]

Thanks slinkyunicorn.

toomanynags - thanks for the suggestion, I've tried haylage and hay in the past, and also fed both at the same time, with no real difference, unfortunately.

 

[touchstone]

I see you already have some recommendations on people to contact, but Jackie Taylor might be worth a try, she is a nutritionist who specialises in horses with metabolic issues, but I'm sure she'd have some valuable input:- http://www.metabolichorse.co.uk/

 

[rema]

My horse is Insulin Resistant and i feed Magnesium Oxide with very good results.

 

[Oberon]

My 26 year old has dodgy teeth and Cushings (so he needs a low starch/sugar diet).

His normal diet in winter is daily turnout (without a turnout rug as he won't tolerate one), a large bucket of haylage at night and a feed of

Fast Fibre
Speedibeet
Pro Balance +
micronised linseed
1000iu vitamin E

Just before Christmas he dropped some weight and looked poor .

I added another feed of the above for a breakfast.

I added Coolstance copra twice a day, Protexin and UL30REX
http://www.stanceequine.co.uk/horsefeedproducts.php?CoolStance-Copra-2
http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Protexin-Bio-Premium-for-Horses-1kg/productinfo/PROTEXBPH/
http://www.ronfieldsnutrition.co.uk/horses_UL30REX.htm

and a scoop of Spiller's High Fibre Cubes per day.

He is doing better on it all (although it's costing me a fortune )

16/12/12 Before

24/12/12 After

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Have pm'd you.

 

[Sten]

I see you already have some recommendations on people to contact, but Jackie Taylor might be worth a try, she is a nutritionist who specialises in horses with metabolic issues, but I'm sure she'd have some valuable input:- http://www.metabolichorse.co.uk/

Thanks for that, I'll investigate.

My horse is Insulin Resistant and i feed Magnesium Oxide with very good results.

I've fed magnesium in the past, but am not currently. I may reintroduce.

My 26 year old has dodgy teeth and Cushings (so he needs a low starch/sugar diet).

His normal diet in winter is daily turnout (without a turnout rug as he won't tolerate one), a large bucket of haylage at night and a feed of

Fast Fibre
Speedibeet
Pro Balance +
micronised linseed
1000iu vitamin E

Just before Christmas he dropped some weight and looked poor .

I added another feed of the above for a breakfast.

I added Coolstance copra twice a day, Protexin and UL30REX
http://www.stanceequine.co.uk/horsefeedproducts.php?CoolStance-Copra-2
http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Protexin-Bio-Premium-for-Horses-1kg/productinfo/PROTEXBPH/
http://www.ronfieldsnutrition.co.uk/horses_UL30REX.htm

and a scoop of Spiller's High Fibre Cubes per day.

He is doing better on it all (although it's costing me a fortune )

16/12/12 Before

24/12/12 After

He looks amazing for 26. Thanks for your PM - I have a couple of questions, so will reply in that.

 

[cptrayes]

Could haylage be your problem?
One of ours, although she is a very good doer, just cannot tolerate haylage, it gives her symptoms of ulcers, even though she has been scoped clear. On soaked hay she is fine. Some just find the acidity too much to deal with.
Good luck, hope you find a solution.

Unless you also soaked the haylage then might it not be the soaking and not the acidity which has helped your horse? Maybe her intolerance is to soluble carbohydrates?