Keeping a laminitic horse with the herd?

[crystalclear]

I don't think it's possible but...is there any way to keep a laminitic pony with a herd? Pony can't be kept on restricted grazing as herd is in a big winter field, with the wind coming from almost varying directions daily it would be tricky to fence off appropriate areas. Said pony jumps fencing, bites posts out of ground and charges through fencing when on own. Pony could be stabled and then turned out for part of day. Of course there is the option to muzzle...said pony needs to be exercised more but one is to big for the little pony. How do you know when it's time to move on? Feeling upset..I think I need to find a home for her with other lami friends!

 

[be positive]

My laminitic is also tricky to keep in any field, in winter he goes pretty much wherever he wants but is in at night and on well soaked hay, I think it is possible for them to be in a big field as long as they are not too fat to start with, they move about far more and the grass is not as rich at this time of year, to exercise a few good lunge sessions each week, leading from another horse, loose schooling or even a brisk walk in hand will help get their metabolism going and reduce the weight.

 

[SO1]

It is totally possible, we have a mixed herd at the yard combination of big competition horses who are not good doers, plus a few native ponies good doer types. They all share the same fields and routine.

My pony is a new forest, he is an very very good doer compared to the others in his field and this has always been the case. He does not do "starvation paddocks" jumps out, goes under electric fencing, stands at gate wanting to come in, etc so he prefers to be in the long juicy grass field with the others but with his muzzle on. He comes in at night and is on soaked hay and is out during the day with his muzzle on until they have eaten the grass down. At the moment he is the only one with a muzzle on as the other ponies are not quite as good doer as my pony but there are a couple of other ponies including one that has had laminitis before in the same field and they have their muzzles on for part of the year as well too.

Exercise is an important part of also keeping his weight under control.

 

[Echo Bravo]

My pony has EMS she's a welsh sec a she went down with laminitis in Feb when she was on very little grazing but it got frozen that's when I found out she had EMS. She is stabled most of the time on very thick bed of straw goes out for an hour per day and fed timothy haylege which is low on sugar and her diet is strictly controlled and although she was very lame for 12 weeks (changed vets) she's now sound and does exercise herself in paddock and lets me know she wants in and she's happy. Tried the soaked hay but it still has a lot of sugar in it, soon as she went on the timothy she started loosing weight weight and her blood insulin went down

 

[crystalclear]

Thanks all you've given me some hope. Pony is 11hh I think would be more suited in a family home so often ridden. I think this is what is needed. We used to take pony out with us when we went on rides but this has become slack as pony is keeping the youngster company. In summer she had a muzzle on and has always been good. Was just wondering if it can be done! Sounds like it can, but they may be in every day?

 

[crystalclear]

Timothy haylage...I'll have a look into this thank you

 

[SO1]

I have to say it easier if they are not out 24/7 but maybe in during the night and out during the day. My pony normally goes out for about 7-8 hours a day. He has spent quite a lot of time living out and then it was harder to manage his weight when he was living out than it is now he is living in at nights. On this method he can have more to eat and as he is very greedy that makes him happier, the majority of the his forage intake now is soaked hay rather than grass - grass definitely being what made him fat!

Thanks all you've given me some hope. Pony is 11hh I think would be more suited in a family home so often ridden. I think this is what is needed. We used to take pony out with us when we went on rides but this has become slack as pony is keeping the youngster company. In summer she had a muzzle on and has always been good. Was just wondering if it can be done! Sounds like it can, but they may be in every day?

 

[glamourpuss]

My little mare has cushings & can be lami prone. She goes out with her herd.
After owning her for 9 years I know her so well & watch her like a hawk. I swear I can feel even microscopic changes to her crest 😂

It takes a combination of stabling, muzzling & exercise but she loves being with out with her gang & is much happier than if she was kept on a starvation paddock on her own.

 

[crystalclear]

My little mare has cushings & can be lami prone. She goes out with her herd.
After owning her for 9 years I know her so well & watch her like a hawk. I swear I can feel even microscopic changes to her crest ��

It takes a combination of stabling, muzzling & exercise but she loves being with out with her gang & is much happier than if she was kept on a starvation paddock on her own.

Thus is fantastic to hear and really well done, it's great. Has anyone else found this grass now richer than usual, is it because it's warmer? is anyone currently muzzling?

 

[SO1]

Yes the grass does seem richer and greener I think than normal as it has been so mild. My forester is currently muzzled and will be until they have eaten the grass down a bit more - they moved fields on xmas eve so are on grazing that has been rested for about 6 months.

Thus is fantastic to hear and really well done, it's great. Has anyone else found this grass now richer than usual, is it because it's warmer? is anyone currently muzzling?

 

[Merlod]

I have a lami prone shetland. He wears a muzzle during the day in the spring and summer months. This is our best option as he hates being out of the herd in his stable or a starvation paddock. Plus I think it's better for them to keep moving in a herd compared to standing miserable in a bare paddock or stable, and I find he is less obsessed with grass as he is still getting *some* just not as much as the other horses!

 

[crystalclear]

Yes the grass does seem richer and greener I think than normal as it has been so mild. My forester is currently muzzled and will be until they have eaten the grass down a bit more - they moved fields on xmas eve so are on grazing that has been rested for about 6 months.

Phew, I'm glad it's not just me, I thought I was imagining things! It's basically like autum grass extended through to our fake winter then!

 

[atlantis]

My mare is out with one other similar doer. I would be muzzling her now if there was any grass in her field. However it is so wet and muddy they are having hay in the field and my ems pony is finally loosing weight. I've had her a year and it's been a combination of the muzzle, soaking hay and some free step lamalert (not sure if it's helped but although privy to buy it lasts ages so worth a punt I thought)!!

However they are moving fields next week because of the mud and the muzzle will go on!! We have daffodils in our garden so it's essentially Spring like growing conditions. I just wish the rain would stop. Those poor people up north who have flooded. Our house flooded 3 years ago but it was a one off not repeatedly like this!!!

 

[brighteyes]

Are you actually addressing the cause of the laminitis, or simply trying to restrict food intake?

 

[elsielouise]

Mine is muzzled. Out 8-9 hours a day with herd in an enormous field then soaked hay and in the yard rest of time. If I had to actually stable her for 16 hours a day I would re home her as hate to see horses in and she is alone but she seems to like wandering about the place and has fully bedded up stable when she fancies a lie down.

ETA she is also exercised daily or at least five times a week

 

[Laurac13]

My mini Shetland has cushings and is currently on box rest with laminitis my vets mentioned the warm weather has caused problems this winter with cushings ponies my lad is on pracend he was also sweating badly and couldn't keep his body temperature down so is now sporting a low trace clip. I struggle keeping a muzzle on him vets suggested duct taping over the clasps so I shall try that when he can go out again
The only good thing at the moment is my youngster had learnt to go out in the field on his own after 5 days in with the pony he said enough I want to be out so has been going out happily on his own during the day.
Good luck with your pony I know how hard it is to manage different needs

 

[Britestar]

Mine is out with the herd. Muzzle on every day, soaked hay at night. He's much happier with them than he was in his little pen with no muzzle on.
I use a dinky muzzle on him, and he puts his head over the door every morning to get it on.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Mine lives out 24/7 with the herd, three minis and two other cobs, they have the run of about 14 acres all winter but the fields are split in the summer so I can keep her restricted but as the others tend to carry weight they still all stay together. She hasn't had laminitis for about 8 or 9 years now. Laminitis is not always caused by grass as I have learned over the years and it is so important to find the cause of your pony's laminitis before deciding on how the pony is kept.

 

[crystalclear]

Thanks all, just caught it in the very early stages. She didn't even react to when they did the frog pressure test thing! Bless her, so glad to have caught it so early. Her issues is lack of exercise, mixed with the warm weather and no muzzle. I restrict her in summer, muzzle her and ensure she's exercised but this weather with the grass, just was not expecting it. Vet has been out, she's on drugs and probably having the time of her life in!

It's so lovely to hear all of your stories, thank you. They sound very well managed. Hopefully with more exercise little pony can live with the herd as she always has done ��