laminitis

[tashyisaudrey]

I think my horse might be getting a bit too fat although she doesn't look laminitic - but I'm worried at the rate its going that she might be. She seems to have doubled in size since she's been turned out and I have been riding her everyday - so this must be the grass? I've moved her into a paddock with very limited grazing. She doesn't get fed on anything else, just grass and hay. Are there any other steps I can take to get her to lose wight? she gets ridden daily, but is just on maintenance really - hack and lunge and light schooling. I plan to compete her this summer (showing etc). Any advice helpful - she's ID X TB 13 yrs old, mare.

 

[Tia]

Bring her in through the day and give her hay. Turn her out overnight as the grass will be lower in nutrients then.

 

[tashyisaudrey]

ok thanks

 

[Walder]

or if it gets really bad turn her out every other day - seems cruel, i know, but better than the pain of laminitis - or get a grazing muzzle - poeple on here seem to think they are a great help x

 

[belly]

I used to turn out in starvation paddock in day, which was literally bald- with some hay and happy hoof or something similar, then as long as weight was ok I would turn out on ordinary paddock at night when sugars in the grass are lower.
I preffered a starvation paddock to the stable....my mare used to get naggy if in during the day when the others were out.

 

[PeterNatt]

Keeping your horse in a starvation paddock will benefit your horse. Ride your horse as much as possible. Nice long daily gentle 4 hour hacks. Soak all hay for at least 1 -2 hours to remove all the nutrition from it so that it is reduced to just fibre. Worm your horse every 6 weeks using a wormer which will remove encystead small red worms as these can cause laminitis (they will not show up in a worm count). Pick up the poos at least once daily in the starvation paddock. If you feed include Alphalpha as this prevents toxins forming in the digestive tract which can initiate laminitis (latest research by Dr Jo-Anne Murray at Edinburgh Royal Veterinary School). Check your horses digital pulse twice daily.

 

[suzyseymour]

Try a muzzle. I have one for my mare. She is prone to laminitis and has arthritis (shes 26) so needs to keep her weight right down. I can vary the amount of time she has it on to control the amount of of grass she gets. It means she can still be with the other horses and plent of space to move about, so stops her getting stiff.I would put it on during the day, try for 12 hrs to start with then once the weight is down a bit can put it on for less time. I really didn;t think it would work, but its been great.

 

[pottamus]

I am with PeterNatt on this one, up the exercise a bit either in length or pace. A good steady trot up a few hills and on nice long stretches will help the waistline. My boy is a native and I find that plenty of long hacks and being in a paddock with little grass helps maintain his weight all summer.

 

[MagicMelon]

Well you've just moved her into a bare paddock so I would leave it at that. I wouldnt personally bring her in at all since its better for her to be moving about outside. I have 2 lami ponies, none are stabled ever.

Give her hay to munch on but try to choose hay which isnt too good (ie. preferably last years or year before)