Magnesium deficiency

[Suzie13]

So I know that magnesium levels, or lack of, effect spookiness but have recently learnt it can cause muscle tightness. The horse I currently ride has consistently gone lame in one hind leg every year when the grass comes through, with every diagnosis going from vets.

He's been on magnesium now for about 5 days and it seems to be helping, along with massage. There's a definite muscle knot on his loin, in his thigh and he has a lack of rotation in that fetlock which all eases after massage.

I'd like to know if anyone else has had this issue and how they've dealt with it?

 

[Erin]

Which hind leg?

 

[Erin]

And how lame?

 

[Suzie13]

It's the off hind, when stiff he dishes with it and hunches up his back end. When he first did it a couple of weeks ago I jumped off and could feel the knot on his loin, above the hip. Had a friend who's training to be an equine physio have a look and she found that knot, knot in his thigh and the lack of rotation in his foot. Plus behind that fetlock wasn't 'squishy' as the other one was and he found it harder to stretch that leg.

Vets last year said it was athritus and treated it accordingly, declaring it sorted. All winter he was fine, in and out at night in snow etc and was fine. Just started again and no signs of lami.

If you, or anyone else has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated

 

[maccachic]

Growing grass is high in potassium which can affect uptake of magnesium.

Add in extra sodium as this helps balance everthing as well (loose salt in a bucket in the paddock is best, I feed up to 70g in the flushes) and reduce anything containing potassium. The key is to feed a balaced diet which needs to change as conditions change, its needs to be a balance as everything intereacts mag need calcium for example, you will never get it 100% but as close as possiable is the key.

This is a good read: http://www.greenpet.com.au/pages/Mineral-Imbalances.html