Lumpy Bump Mare now fizzy because of feed alteration....

[Twinkletoes]

Hoping you can offer some sympathetic and useful advice. Our 15.3 IDxTB 6yo mare has over the past few months had a skin complaint (prev posts detail). Allergy tests revealed nothing conclusive, 2 vets practices are unsure of what it is, but have administered several seperate courses of steroids & antibiotics. Now under instruction we're undergoing a process of elimination to try and find out what is causing this. Washing powder/ cleaning products have been eliminated. Forage has slowly been changed and....... in the past week or so since changing, we have had no lumps at all, but the changed forage is making her SO forward going and fizzy its a nightmare. Dressage on sunday is going to be interesting. We changed from the yard's own haylage (having also tried the hay which did not stop bumps) and are now on the blue (hi fibre) horsehage. The mare is just on alfa a & carrots as recommended by the vets . This is poss some type of dust mite allergy but at the moment has just created a very fizzy bouncy mare.

 

[Shilasdair]

I feed my three the same horsehage..but only a section morning and night....so they aren't really fizzy....
Haylage is quite high in nutrients compared to hay - perhaps you can reduce the amount fed and give one of the dried grass chaffs instead.
Mine get 'Graze On' which is just pure dried grass and they seem to like it.
S

 

[BBs]

A couple of us on here have had lumpy horses this year.
My youngster has been covered. And this week Ive decided this cannot continue and have put him on a diet of Hi Fi lite, oil, carrots and general purpose supplement. He is still coming in at night so is given adlib hay.

It seems to be a sugar problem, and the spots this morning after a couple of days on this diet have reduced and no new spots visible.

I would watch out for haylage because it is high in sugar and nurtients which can cause flightyness in some horses.

 

[Chills]

I agree, horsehage/haylage can effect some horses. Hope you can cut it out soon.
You may find that if you put her on Pink Powder which is by NAF, that may settle her down - it worked a treat with my boy and I know another horse on the yard has been put on it as her diet is quite bare - she has very itchy skin.
Defo recommend Pink Powder though.