New horse, rubbish feet

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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I have a new mare, 17 yo CB. She's lovely and been well cared for but had a high sugar diet and it's clearly affecting her feet. Previous management was out during the day, in at night, ad lib hay, molassed sugar beet and molassed coarse mix.

Her feet have a few shallow ridges, are fairly flat, have a little sole sensitivity and one front hoof has a small crack and slight flare. No history of laminitis. I have made a rather rapid diet change and she now only has balancer, with a handful of unmolassed beet to carry mag ox. I'm hoping this will start to help but my big worry is grass.

We are right on the edge of the fells, and quite high up. They are currently out 24/7 and it's old, permanent pasture with various grasses, trees, shrubs etc. Low in magnesium. (They have access to a high mag lick). Also grazed by sheep and occasionally cattle. I'm thinking at this time of the year the sugar won't be too big a problem. However with the heavy rain and mild weather these days I'm starting to worry about spring already. Having had an old Cushings girl for many years I'm totally paranoid about grass! Unfortunately due to farmer/landowner restrictions I cannot set up a track here so my only option would be a diet paddock (or in part of the time but I'd rather not as she would then be without company and given her age, movement is a good thing). She has worn a grazing muzzle for part of the day in the past so this may be an option but I think I'd rather see her on hay.

I know it's going to be a case of try it and see, but is initially reducing the sugar in her hard feed going to make a noticeable difference? And does anyone on here graze on semi fell, and if so have you found it's fairly safe grass? Also, what amount of mag ox would be optimal? I use 93% pharmaceutical but I suspect their own recommendation is rather low - 2g per 100 kg?
 
Hi!

I am the owner of a very sensitive CB Boy and my advice to you would be to treat as a laminitic. Muzzle and or bare paddock as much as possible. Particularly spring and Autumn.

Low sugar low starch diet - My boy is on Fast fibre, micronised linseed, brewers yeast and minerals balanced to his grazing by forage plus. While supplementing magnesium did make a difference, getting the copper and zinc right has also been beneficial and he has radically improved since balancing his minerals.

You don't say what 'balancer' you have her on but it might be worth looking at the forage plus one or pro-hoof.

Otherwise, well done for the diet overhaul!!! Keep a check on her waistline and keep her as active as possible.

I'd say the grazing you have would be fairly safe but I'd do a stoney walk test on her daily to keep tabs on how she copes with it.

P.S... can we have some pics please???!! :)
 
CBFan said:
Hi!


You don't say what 'balancer' you have her on but it might be worth looking at the forage plus one or pro-hoof.
Click to expand...

OP, there is a thread running at the moment on Pro Hoof in NL which you might want to have a look at. Brilliant stuff for rubbish feet :)
 
Hi there, I used to have a lovely 3/4 TB 1/4 CB and she was the best thing since sliced bread, I love them. I have a Sec A pony companion and I keep her in a grazing muzzle all year round. She comes in at night and has a handful of Spillers Cool Chaff which has magnesium in and hay. The only time she does not wear the muzzle is if there is thick snow on the ground.

Are you able to put up some electric fencing for your mare to restrict her grazing, that way she can move around still but not have too much access to grass, also you can pull it up and move it about.

Good luck with her and we would love to see some pictures of her.
 
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