New horse - poorly tummy

JGC

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Morning all!

I brought home my new ned about a week and a half ago. I knew him before and the lady selling him, so have a bit of background.

Over the two years she's had him, he's been prone to diarrhoea - triggers she noted are changes in pressure, periods of stress, if he had too much hay and if he eats dried bread and on sugar beet. He had a bad bout this winter and they did blood tests which didn't show anything (I have the blood tests). He has also scoped clear in the past. She just used to give him charcoal. He was getting 10 litres of hard feed and not a lot of turnout, although he had free access to a pen outside his stable. He has his ears back as kind of his default - not flat back, but turned back.

So brought him back to mine and of course he started with diarrhoea. He's out as much as possible, but the fields are bogs, so also hand grazing :( Ad lib hay and straw bed. Moving him over to our feed, molasses free, probably better quality than he was having so reducing the quantity a lot.

He's fairly spooky and is very interested in the other horses, doesn't want to be left on his own, etc., including having a rear in his box to see over the partitions when the other horses went to the walker without him, but is getting better with that. He is quite tight through his back when I get on, but then relaxes really well once he's had a little trot and canter and really stretches. He isn't girthy, doesn't react to the saddle or when getting on, but he tends to pass diarrhoea when he is about to get the saddle on in the crossties, or when he is in the school and the other horse leaves him. Paws in transport. Will graze nice and quietly once he's been ridden (generally seems a lot less stressed once he's been ridden), but will wind himself up a bit if before. The new yard is a lot quieter than his old yard, but he can see the walker and fields and a footpath from his window (open).

He has been on Calavor Digest since Friday. I started giving him limestone flour on Thursday evening. I thought that it had made him worse so took him off it yesterday, but I'm not sure that it made a difference and it may even be why he was spookier this morning.

Sooo, how long would limestone flour take to work on the hindgut? Should I put him back on it? Try something else? Where would you go from here? Going to get the vet out to scope again, but will have to wait a couple of weeks until the insurance covers it and Gastrogard if necessary :( Going to try to get a hold of some Rite Trac but can't seem to find anywhere that will send it to France at the moment. May also not be ulcers, as they would be very recent. Anything I can do for him for his anxiety? I have been trying to keep him in a routine, doing similar things at similar times each day to minimize stress where possible.

Really upset that he's like this, but trying not to chop and change too much with feed/supplements as that won't help either.
 
Get scope done and see what is found if anything. I would try Protexin aswell its good for settling their stomach.. If ulcers found, then I would change the feed to a cereal and grain free diet. Top Spec feeding is great for that!

Good luck
 
Should also say that he has an inflamed TMJ, which I understand can lead to not being able to chew food properly. He is quite a slow eater. The dentist is coming out hopefully before the end of the week/beginning of next week, then the osteopath can come after.

Thank you to anyone who makes it through this tome, I just want him to feel well and settled.
 
He sounds like a horse that should be treated as an ulcer/ hind gut acidocis horse. My boy gets Yea Sacc, Brewers Yeast, linseed, MagOx. He sometimes gets Bicarb either in his water or feed.

What about Equishure which is for hind gut acidosis. I love RiteTrac as it was amazing on my horse but Equishure dies do hind gut. Saracen distribute KERx products.
 
I wouldn't expect limestone flour to help the hind gut at all. I agree with what the other posters have said, and treat him as a horse with hind gut acidosis.

Strip as much sugar and starch from the diet as possible - soak hay for at least 3 hours to reduce sugars, feed fibre feeds only - no molasses and no cereals. I'd also agree with the suggestion to add protexin.
 
Get scope done and see what is found if anything. I would try Protexin aswell its good for settling their stomach.. If ulcers found, then I would change the feed to a cereal and grain free diet. Top Spec feeding is great for that!

Good luck

He sounds like a horse that should be treated as an ulcer/ hind gut acidocis horse. My boy gets Yea Sacc, Brewers Yeast, linseed, MagOx. He sometimes gets Bicarb either in his water or feed.

What about Equishure which is for hind gut acidosis. I love RiteTrac as it was amazing on my horse but Equishure dies do hind gut. Saracen distribute KERx products.

A low sugar fibre rich diet and six months double dose of Protexin sorted out my poorly tummy horse .

JessTickle's Nitty had loose bowels - she had done 'cowpats' for the 3 years she has owned her - she has tried her on Lifeforce and within a month Nitty was doing 'proper' horse poo for the first time ever :)

Will get her to post on here for you :)

I wouldn't expect limestone flour to help the hind gut at all. I agree with what the other posters have said, and treat him as a horse with hind gut acidosis.

Strip as much sugar and starch from the diet as possible - soak hay for at least 3 hours to reduce sugars, feed fibre feeds only - no molasses and no cereals. I'd also agree with the suggestion to add protexin.

Thanks for the help, everyone, bit of a sea change from my other two who are VERY good doers. I will look into everything suggested.
 
JessTickle's Nitty had loose bowels - she had done 'cowpats' for the 3 years she has owned her - she has tried her on Lifeforce and within a month Nitty was doing 'proper' horse poo for the first time ever :)

Will get her to post on here for you :)

Hello, did someone say my name?! ;)

Tis true, my horse is naturally 'loose' and she's been that way since a 2 year old (never been in training, lived in a field, I don't feed anything starchy) so although I won't totally disregard the idea of ulcers I think it is more likely not. She is much better since she's been on lifeforce. Even now she is out 24/7 she isn't any more runny than any 'normal' horse. She is also totally blooming. I would recommend giving it a shot along side any investigations you have done as it seems to have worked for us :)
 
Thanks, Jesstickle, I hadn't come across that one so good to hear a recommendation for it.
 
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