Laminitis and supplements

[Hillpark]

Hi all,

My boy had corticosteroid induced laminitis last year and has since been on a very carefully managed diet and plan to help him recover. I have been feeding 'Freestep Superfix' alongside TopSpec Antilam and 9kg of 12hr soaked hay and he is now in a sparse grass paddock now too.

Has anyone had positive experiences with laminitis and supplements designed to support? I am NOT suggesting it will prevent entirely, but I am keen to help him in any way I can - he's been through a lot!

Any input/ thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[missyclare]

I'm from across the pond, so don't know what's in those supplements, but I imagine that they have the ingredients to promote a healthier hoof. The thing is, is that most of your horse's daily intake is hay and its the base for his nutrition. The hay should be analyzed and built upon with the missing ingredients in a balanced fashion, nothing more. Balance is key and is the first move to correcting the life of the IR/Cushingoid horse, after which, supplements like this are not on the menu. For example, the major minerals, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus need to be in balance with each other. If the supplement injects a lot of calcium into the mix, then what has happened with phosphorus and magnesium? (degenerative joint disease in growing horses) They are depleted in the face of it. Iron, copper and zinc are another three that need to be balanced and very importantly for the feet. High iron is real baddie and depletes copper and zinc. Unless the store bought supplement touts low iron, consider it high. The goal is not to add any more iron than the hay already has. A hay analysis will tell you how much zinc and copper you need to add, to balance to the iron that is already in the hay. It means that zinc and copper will be absorbed instead of being wasted. Zinc and copper are real star players. Copper will strengthen the hoof wall, enrich the waxes and oils that protect, but most importantly, will strengthen the connective tissue of the hoof. So a hay analysis and building on that will meet his needs and stay perfectly balanced for him. It doesn't get any better than that. I spent a year with a self-imposed exercise to find any supplement that complimented my hay and not once, was I successful. Start with the hay and a nutritionist will help you....honestly, if they're not selling anything as well.
Another area where balance is key, is in the trim and development of a healthier hoof. He can either take a step and perpetuate the pathology already present, or take steps that rid him of that pathology. A lameness to a compensating hoof is a possible example of the already pathological hoof not being able to take it in the face of compensating for the lame one. I have a horse that had sacro-illiac problems and was 3-legged lame while the vet scratched his forehead. He didn't put that foot down for 6 months. He is fully transitioned to the barefoot trim with rock crushing feets and absolutely no pathological growth happened during that time. See the difference? Getting a perfectly balanced trim, staying on top of it, moving and working that trim with protection if needed and fighting thrush. Joints line up perfectly and stop rubbing each other, hoof mechanism is corrected and starts to flow forward, perfusion is increased, bringing in oxygen and helping to heal the soft tissue....with every step...the horse starts to laugh in the face of it all.
Think balance in both areas of diet and hoof and you'll be right on target and no second guessing. Adding store bought supplements is just plain dangerous to me. They don't know what's in your particular hay, how could they possibly balance to it? To me, store bought supplements add iron and throw the balance up into the air, fall where they may. And things like adding too much selenium total in those multiple supplements can see the whole hoof slough off. Go into this with both eyes open and start with the hay.
As for the pasture with very little grass? If the horse is eating down to the crowns then he has hit the sugar stored by the grass that is waiting to be used when its time to grow again. He has hit pay dirt in the sugar dept. Never longer than 6" and never shorter than 4" is the rule of thumb. Hope this helps.....

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi all,

My boy had corticosteroid induced laminitis last year and has since been on a very carefully managed diet and plan to help him recover. I have been feeding 'Freestep Superfix' alongside TopSpec Antilam and 9kg of 12hr soaked hay and he is now in a sparse grass paddock now too.

Has anyone had positive experiences with laminitis and supplements designed to support? I am NOT suggesting it will prevent entirely, but I am keen to help him in any way I can - he's been through a lot!

Any input/ thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I am using Global Herbs Lami prone