scouring on hay?

carthorse

carthorse

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Our old [27] pony has a problem every year when we start to put her on hay. I buy the best hay I can which is hard hay with no dust but I still need to soak it as mine are sensitive and start to cough a bit if I don't.
She is fine all summer on just grass and a small feed but as soon as she has hay it starts.Her tail is already disgusting and has to be washed every day. Any advice about what to feed instead of hay [ she goes out all day but there isn't much grass now] or something to stop this. She is feeling very happy but it is so messy.
Thanks
 
Could you put a big bucket out in the field with nut, chaff and sugarbeet in it for her to pick at all day?? Are there alot of horses out with her? Or feed horsehage/ topscore?
 
I would say she is not digesting it very well. Maybe you could try a high fibre nut as a total hay replacement, soaked to a mash.

Simple System do feeds which can be used as a total hay replacer - give them a call, their helpline is great

www.simplesystem.co.uk
 
She is out with Penfold [ coloured ] and they are turned out in the day and in at night. I wonder if it is too rich anyway .I only have 2 horses and 2 ponies so can't but large haylage bales as they would go off. I would give her extra nuts and no hay but worry about her having nothing to eat from 5pm - 9am. Would oat straw be any good and can I soak that as I think she would cough without soaking , I tried her with dry hay once and within 3 days she was having difficulty breathing , even though it seemed dust free
 
I love simple feeds luci nuts and usually get some for winter , in fact we did speak to them at YHL and said we would phone our local girl this week. I will see what she suggests. I just think she will gobble them up and have to go without anything for quite a while , still it is worth a try .Thank you
 
their luci bix soaks up really big, if you soaked a load up with some unmollassed beet in a huge trug it would take her all night to eat. She may gobble it a bit faster the first couple of nights but then would get used to it. Speak to SS and see what they suggest.
 
I would try adding Pink Powder (NAF) to her feed as may help settle her stomach and also enable her to get the most out of her feed.

The old (30+) pony at our yard get a haynet at night, but also gets a large trug with a mix of SS Luci Cobs (soaked), Fibre nuts and Hi Fi.
 
I have had this problem for some time. Tried everything, pink powder was my first try. Several supplements and different feed. Nothing worked. She made cows look constipated!

Any hay, feed of any description went straight through without stopping.

She spent last winter on codiene to control the scouring, which worked but I certainly didn't think it a good idea very long term.

I have recently tried Grass nuts, soaked. Fantastic result, no more scouring. ( Alfalfa nuts didn't work).

I used to have to wash her bum, tail and back legs every day in winter.

She has cushings and is lamnitic. She was neglected for four years before I had her.

She is now obviously feeling a lot better and is positively bouncing round the paddock.

Jane
 
I too spend a lot of time washing the tail and behind of my old horse (25)! Previously he has been on codeine for the winter and was gently weaned off it over the spring. Last year I managed to control it with H&D Surebio but this year it hasn't worked!Vet tells me there are no problems regarding long-term usage and some horses are on it permanently. Soaked grass nuts sound like they're worth a try though before I start the course of codeine again.
 
Good luck Chico, with the grass nuts. I think they must be very gentle on the digestion as must be nearly as natural as plain grass. Let me know how you get on with them.

Jane
 
My old boy, Storm, had annual health check this week. Vet thinks scouring may be due to dental problems (he's lost a tooth and has a wave mouth) as well as age. He's given me diet plan of 100g per 100kg body weight of each of unmolassed sugarbeet, high fibre nuts and chaff. I'll let you know how we get on. What make of grass nuts do you use?
Regards.
 
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