Ziggy_
Well-Known Member
The more I read on various forums, the more shocked I am at how common liver problems are in horses. I've always been aware of the dangers of ragwort poisoning but I thought it was fairly rare.
Now I've been thinking my horse is 11, she could have extensive liver damage for all I know, having never had her vetted. We have a strict ragwort control policy at my yard but some of the liveries do a frankly crap job and miss bits, drop bits in the field, all sorts. Not to mention anything that she could have eaten in her hay over the past decade.
So do any of you use products to aid liver function on a regular or occasional basis? Do you have blood tests to test liver function on a fit and well horse? And with the number of horses affected and the amount of ragwort in this country is it something we should all be considering? Or is it another cheeky way for feed companies to make money out of hypochondriac horse owners?
Now I've been thinking my horse is 11, she could have extensive liver damage for all I know, having never had her vetted. We have a strict ragwort control policy at my yard but some of the liveries do a frankly crap job and miss bits, drop bits in the field, all sorts. Not to mention anything that she could have eaten in her hay over the past decade.
So do any of you use products to aid liver function on a regular or occasional basis? Do you have blood tests to test liver function on a fit and well horse? And with the number of horses affected and the amount of ragwort in this country is it something we should all be considering? Or is it another cheeky way for feed companies to make money out of hypochondriac horse owners?