laminitis - help

[delly08@live.co.uk]

Hello, i have a 12.2 section A who in the past before i got him was crippled with Laminitis, he is totally recovered but i could do with some helpful tips so he does not get it again. He is currently on Laminitic free food, he is not rode as often as i would like as my daughter is growing out of him now so he comes out on on a lead rein when i ride my other horse to gain some excercise.
I herd in the summer to keep him stabled in the day and he can go out at night as the grass is richer in the day ( is this true? )
your help and tips would be grateful x
adele

 

[Wagtail]

How old is the pony? Has he been tested for cushings or insulin resistance? Personally, I would want him in a small paddock where the grass is well eaten down and when he needs hay, make sure it is soaked for 12 hours before feeding it. I would buy a 'tiny pony haynet'. Google it. It is a small net with very small holes which really slow their eating down. Yes it is true that there is less sugar in grass at night.

 

[delly08@live.co.uk]

hello, he is 11 years old the field he is in is massive all the fields on my farm are huge he is currently waiting for his stable to become free in the next couple of weeks so he will be indoors before christmas. then i will be able to control what he eats. He has not been tested for cushins as he is in full health at the moment and is doing great. Just wanted tips to it does not return xx thank you

 

[tango'smum]

i have a laminitic, he also has cushings,.. he goes out through the day in winter, strip grazed or in a muzzle... then hes in at night.. summer hes out over night in a muzzle and stripped grazed, then in by day soaked haylage when he is in... its weighed to so i know how much of everything he is getting.. mine is 12,3hh welsh cross...

 

[AmyMay]

hello, he is 11 years old the field he is in is massive all the fields on my farm are huge he is currently waiting for his stable to become free in the next couple of weeks so he will be indoors before christmas. then i will be able to control what he eats. He has not been tested for cushins as he is in full health at the moment and is doing great. Just wanted tips to it does not return xx thank you

If it's your land, how about sectioning off part of the field, to strip graze him?

 

[Dab]

As above but be very aware that it is not just spring/autumn flush grass that can cause problems for laminitic ponies....my little shetland has to be kept off of frosty frozen grass, he goes footy (sub-clinical laminitis) with just one night of frosty grass. Frozen grass in this stressed state when broken release sugars, and just as many ponies come down with lami in the winter as spring.

Grazing muzzle can be a big help, the shettie is out 24/7 with a muzzle and this really helps with his grass intake. It is on 24/7 because he is very aware if it is taken off, it will be going back on later, so he totally gorges himself and eats more during a very short space of time....

Learn to read the signs that your pony could be suffering from a lamintic episode, i.e. sore feet, reluctant to walk, stiff knees when walking, lying down a lot....and then take immediate action to get him off of the grass, and onto soaked hay.

Read the feed lables, as some feeds that are ok'ed by the laminitic trust still contain no no's like molasses...read and research

And get him testing for cushings and EMS as 90% of horses that suffer from laminitis are diagnosed with one of these conditions.

When you understand the management and what to look out for it can be easily controlled.

Good luck..

 

[Tammytoo]

If you can section off a little paddock area for him, make sure it is quite sparse and don't fertilise it. You can feed extra hay to keep his digestive system ticking over, or even feed it mixed in with oat straw. Oat straw has only half the calories of hay, so you can feed more of it. The recommended amount of feed (that's everything he eats) for maintenance is 2% of bodyweight, so weigh tape him weekly to ensure he isn't putting on weight. Natives are very difficult to keep weight off as they are designed to be little eating machines, so don't be tempted to give anything else but hay/straw. Apples, carrots, etc are full of sugar so not recommended.

Sadly, once they have had lami. they will always be at risk so need careful monitoring.

Good luck!

Just to add - never starve the pony as a way of losing weight (which I am sure you wouldn't) as it can have serious effects.

 

[Tarbs]

I do all of the above plus don't turn out on frosty grass, feed Formula 4 Feet, weigh haynets before soaking, use trickle and eliminets and as my boy has suffered rotation my farrier advised padding his front feet so I use memory foam pads (Little Yellow Tack Shop), keeping them in place with vet wrap and silage tape over the top! I did buy two sets of their relief boots which are great whilst they are sore but don't last once they start moving around more. This works out cheaper than Gamgee as the pads can be washed and reused.

 

[pottamus]

My Welsh D has had laminitis in the past and I control this now to prevent it coming back by:
Keeping his tunout field well eaten down - he is on the same half acre paddock all year and then strip grazed each day in the winter months - a controlled amount extra each day.
Checking his weight weekly.
Stabling him at night throughout the entire year on soaked hay that is a set amount in small holed haynets.
Exercising him as much as my work situation permits - 6 days a week in summer and weekends both days in winter.
No treats at all - no carrots, mints, apples...anything extra
He has a couple of handfuls of chaff to put an all round supplement into twice a day
Check his crest - how it feels and looks weekly - make sure it does not get firm
No rugging at all - even in the worst weather
Check his feet regularly for any signs of sensitivity

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

My Welsh D has had laminitis in the past and I control this now to prevent it coming back by:
Keeping his tunout field well eaten down - he is on the same half acre paddock all year and then strip grazed each day in the winter months - a controlled amount extra each day.
Checking his weight weekly.
Stabling him at night throughout the entire year on soaked hay that is a set amount in small holed haynets.
Exercising him as much as my work situation permits - 6 days a week in summer and weekends both days in winter.
No treats at all - no carrots, mints, apples...anything extra
He has a couple of handfuls of chaff to put an all round supplement into twice a day
Check his crest - how it feels and looks weekly - make sure it does not get firm
No rugging at all - even in the worst weather
Check his feet regularly for any signs of sensitivity

I do almost exactly the same as this with my girl. Cant strip graze but use sheep and other horse to eat out the winter field before she gets on it so there is limited grass (esp after first week or two) and it is all old long bits that other horse left!