Laminitis worry - advice

[Cloud9]

Am worried about my horse - I am very strict with his grazing - and fed Hi-Fi lite only plus his vitamins and hay. He is also exercised 5 times a week if I can. Tonight my farrier came and his soles were visibly bruised and when front shoes were off was shifting from one foot to the other. My farrier said to be very careful with him as it is a warning. (I moved yards in January and our grass is extremely good in comparison to previous place). I do not have a stable as am on grass livery so am going to ask to borrow one from one of the other girls who only uses hers in case of emergency. Do you think it is best to bring him in over night - ie he would come off grass about 5.30pm and turn out again about 7.45am next day or is he best kept in in the day????

 

[lauzbeefy]

i was always told to make sure not to turn them out early in the morning when the sugar content in the grass is higher.

i used to fill lady up with a haynet before i turned her out hoping she would eat as much.

they could also be sore due to the hard ground.

why not try a grazing muzzle??? i never used one as they used to rub ladys face.

everyone knows prevention is better than cure but lifes not always that easy.

good luck xx

 

[Cloud9]

Yes I have a grazing muzzle but he just stands there all day looking miserable and I feel sorry for him hence his restriction as he on hardly any grass at all (I know I shouldn't feek sorry for him as its for his own wellbeing!!!). In relation to the hard ground that is also a possiblity as before I moved him I rarely rode on roads at all as rode on the farm during the week and in the park on a weekend which was a luxury (even if I did pay for it). Hacking much better where I am just more roadwork. So it could be he just needs to get used to it again

 

[Dogstar]

From what your farrier has said, I would keep him in the stable on soaked hay for a while as a precaution. My mare got laminitis this time last year on rich pasture and it was a horrible experience, not worth risking it...

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Cloud9 - be brave hun - your ned would look even more miserable if he went on to develop full blown laminits. So would you. Get him off the grass now and take all the precautions advised for laminitis prone neds. Does he need the Hi Fi Lite? Is he shod? Laminitis Trust do a fact sheet I think.

 

[kellyeaton]

if you want him out put him out at night when the fructans in the grass are lower keep him in in the day if you can with soaked hay. do you have him on supplement for his lammi?

 

[pottamus]

I had this in 2007...my lad went footsore and the vet came out and found an abcess in a rear hoof...did all the usual treatment and the farrier came as normal 2 weeks later. When he trimmed his rears he found evidence of slight bruising in the toes and told me he must have had a slight touch of laminitis that was masked from the vet by the obvious abcess.
I took this as enough of a warning and have been more careful ever since and got a fair bit of weight off him too.
My lad lives out 24/7 on a bare paddock so he can only nibble blades as they grow. He relies on hay for his main bulk food and that is always at least 1 year old stuff. Other than that he has a vit supplement in hifi lite and is ridden 6 times a week to keep him trim. I weigh tape him each week to monitor him too.
I think the muzzle might be your only option if you are on good grass...my grass it not great and I ensure it is never re-seeded or fertilised to ensure it is lacking in goodness as far as is possible.

 

[Cloud9]

Thanks all for replying - to be honest I have always sort of treated him as potential laminetic. Have always tried to control his grazing - strip grazing or bringing in but the yard I just moved off had such poor grass it was not such a worry - now moved to a great yard, I do not have a stable but have a field shelter but the grazing is just so good - looks barely anything on his patch. He is on a restricted patch and I feed him hay - his only other feeds are scoop of chaf (Hi Fi Lite, garlic, seaweed supplement for his feet and general health) and thats it. It was just he look so uncomfortable last night which led me to panic. For the best though - he is now coming in at night as borrowed a stable, that way he is off the grass for 15 hours a day. If I bought him in in the day he would only be off the grass for about 9 hours. I did give him a gentle hack out tonight (walk only) and he seemed fine. Once again thanks for all the advice

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Is there any way you could fence off the front of the field shelter so it's like a roomy stable? Or even electric fence a little square so the field shelter is one side of it and the 3 other sides are electric fencing?

 

[kellyeaton]

have you tried hawthrone and nettle as a supplement to help to support him !

 

[Nudibranch]

I would definitely section off a strip if possible and get his grass right down - a long narrow strip would give plenty of movement but keep him away from the worst of the green stuff.