Recovery from grass sensitivity

Lancelot

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How long (ish) would you expect recovery from grass sensitivity to take? My fella went into a new field on friday and by Saturday morning was lame on the of and stiff behind :(

I have never been aware of any grass issues with him before but this is his first year barefoot and the timing is just far too coincidental.

He's been off the grass totally since yesterday morning, on a good deep shavings bed. 12 hour soaked and rinsed hay. he's fed rinsed speedibeet, linseed, yeast, mgo, equimins ac and this morning has had 2 bute to help with any potential inflammation. He's reacting slightly to percussion of the sole at the toe and has a slight pulse (can't usually feel anything)

In previous years (when shod) this has happened at the same time of year but has been put down to his navicular. The speed and timing of the field change make me wonder if the navicular may have been a smoke screen for what's is in fact a grass sensitivity??

So, if its grass, when would you expect improvement?

TIA :)
 
Just in case anyone reads this post and was interested in the answer...

About 21/2 - 3 days:)

Lameness has improved dramatically and is comfortable over rougher ground again :)
 
Glad your boy has improved, mine also has navicular and it is more difficult when you have two things going on!
My boy is now barefoot, so footiness from the grass is noticed more quickly than when shod
 
I'm too late but yes, I would have said 2-3 days :)

I have just gone through this with my 4.5 year old 17.1 and he has only been out on the grass for 4 hours a day since then... I have since made him a pen and he shall be having his first night out tonight, having eaten it all down...

It's amazing how quickly you can see them react when they are unshod... well done for listening to him :)
 
In hindsight (wonderful thing that!) this has been brewing for a couple of weeks - just a slow increase in footiness but I thought that was due to something else...

It is SO hard when a horse has a number of things going on and if you'd asked me a year ago if my lad was sensitive to grass I'd have laughed. In fact myself and the vet did just that when discussing the increased risk of lami from steroids he was about to be given last year as it seemed so unlikely :(

The next couple of weeks are going to very interesting indeed and I freely admit to being completely terrified about putting him back out on grass now. Of course, I am taking the usual precautions this time and it will be obsessivley managed.

Fingers crossed and wish us luck :)
 
Yes, in fairness I think my boy hadn't been quite right for a couple of weeks but it only takes a little something to tip them over the edge... it is all so scary and I am so so worried about him being out on any grass at all but thankfully he survived last night and seems ok today so hopefully he should be easier to manage from here on in... even if it means supplementing his poor grass with soaked hay. I feel your pain. Good luck!
 
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