Keeping trim on box rest

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PStarfish

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My Welsh Sec D is currently on box rest due to injury and I am really struggling with her weight. When I got her in Dec she is what I would classify as obese. She wobbled! We slowly built up a gradual exercise and fitness plan and I was really pleased with our progress – my dressage trainer commented about 7 weeks ago how fit and trim she looked. Unfortunately she’s been off work now for 3 ½ weeks and is on box rest and seems to be getting bigger by the day. I was very concerned yesterday as she is now developing a crest. I discussed it with my vet on Monday when they came out to do a check on her lameness but they couldn’t give me anymore advise than I am already doing. Currently she is being fed –
4 lbs of barley straw am, in double netted small hole nets. A couple of handfuls (literally about ¼ section) of hay soaked for a minimum of 24 hrs.
PM she gets approx 4 lbs of hay (again soaked within an inch of it’s life for at least 24 hrs) and about a pound of barley straw.
She then gets 1 kilo Fast Fibre split between two feeds to give her her required vits and minerals for the day
So all in all she is on 5 kilos of forage a day. (vets advise was 6lbs twice a day so 5.4 kilos)

I don’t think I can possibly cut this down anymore with her being in 24/7 can I ??
She’s 14.2 and is naturally a ‘well built’ type (my vet referred to her as a ‘wide load’ lol

I’m getting really worried for her weight. Fingers crossed this will be her last week of jail and we can start walking out next week which will help, but if not I don’t know what I will do.

Anything I’m missing here?
 
My mare was on box rest for a long time (14 months) and she is a very good doer. I fed her old hay and a little happy hoof with which to mix her supplements with. Have to admit that I didnt weigh her hay out so couldnt tell you what amount in terms of weight she was eating. I just used my eye and she had regular small nets. Could the straw be bulking your horse out more than just feeding hay? I kept any eye on her with a weigh tape too and she came out the other end ok.

Good luck with it.!
 
Thanks. Re the straw I gave this as I assumed it would contain less calories therefore she could have more so it would last her longer. Any opinions on this?
I never used to weigh either but now do religiously. I just really don't want a lami risk on my hands.
Oh and also to note she is on shavings bed so not munching on that.
 
I think Ive read before that straw can put weight on as its has more feed value than soaked hay. I may be wrong but if I was in your shoes I would just feed soaked hay and cut down the other feed substantially. Your horse doesnt need it when on box rest and when the time comes to hand walk etc, then you wont have a lively horse in your hands. We tend to feel sorry for them when they are stuck in but we can end up killing them with kindness.
 
When my Welsh D was on box rest for laminitis I was instructed by the vet to give him 4 pads of small bale hay for the day and 3 pads at night...this never lasted very long, which was always a worry to me but on those instructions he did manage to maintain his weight ok...if not loose some...but I can put some of the weight loss down to stress at being boxed up.
The only other feed he had was two handfuls of hi fi lite to put his vit supplement into and bute.
 
Thanks peeps. The amount transpires to pretty much 2 sections of straw during the day (plus her handful of hay) and 1 section of hay and 1 straw at night so it's really not a lot which also makes me worry re ulcers etc but the vet said her weights more important. Re the feed I emailed Allen & Page and they advised the Fast Fibre has the same calorific values as hay and should be fed on a (dry) weight for weight basis. But it also contains the vits and mins she needs. So I have included this in her weight allowance per day. She's not stressy at all being in and actually seems to be quite enjoying all the extra attention!
 
I think you are doing about the very best you can - I read carefully through, with a mental list of suggestions but you have everything I would have challenged sorted!

I, too, have heard that good barley straw can be equal in energy value to soaked hay, but I'd feed her as if she actually has laminitis. To keep you feeling as though you are doing something positive - have a read through the www.safergrass.org website and anything you can on EMS. The fact she was horribly overweight when you got her could have sown some seeds which might be triggered by enforced rest. 'Themetabolichorse' Yahoo Group might also be worth a look.

I wish you lots of luck and a speedy recovery to your horse. She's lucky she has someone so obviously dedicated to her welfare.
 
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