Seaweed good or bad?

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sky1234

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Hi,

One of my boys (who is now 30 years young!) has been very footie lately and the vet has diagnosed this as thin soles. I've had him for 20 years - he's shirexTB & has always had excellent feet, so this is surprising.

Anyway the vet says age may just mean his soles are thinner than they were, and to feed him biotin and also a seaweed supplement.

(p.s. he is in excellent condition. Turned out daytime and in at night, he is currently supplemented with a forage mix, 16+ mix, codlivine, soya oil and cider apple vinegar, so there should be no vit/min deficiencies)

Have got some biotin, but I'm reading up about feeding seaweed for horses, and I am finding this quite a controversial subject. It seems that nutritionally seaweed contains very little minerals and vits, but masses of iodine, which can & does cause iodine toxicity in horses.

I am thinking that I shouldn't bother with seaweed, but wonder if anyone knows more about it, and why it would be beneficial to feed for his soles?
confused.gif
 
I think it increases the blood flow round the body which in turn increases the blood flow to the feet, thus quickening the growing/thickening process. I tried it wth my boy and he refused to eat it. I have homeopathic remedies made up for his feet. You could give Ainsworths a call and have a chat they are very good. I think the " horsey " lady is called Barbara.

http://www.ainsworths.com/site/default.aspx
 
This is very interesting Sky123 as I just called the vet out to my 33 year old Arab x New Forest as he was going very slightly footy on stony ground and I was worried about laminitis.

Vet confirmed no laminitis but said pretty much the same as yours, thin soles, old age etc and I felt quite depressed.

It was rather puzzling as to why suddenly he was suffering from thin soles when he has great feet. However, about a month ago I started feeding seaweed (a good dose) as a general tonic! I am certainly going to stop now after reading your post.
 
Surely it must be in a safe dose as its a suppliment??? Or do you get iodine in other forms that would cause the overdose.

I fed it for 1 tubs worth of seaweed and he ate it, had not adverse effects but didnt continue as saw no real benefits!!!
 
I feed seaweed as a supplement. I didn't realise that it could cause problems. I know that Highlands in coastal areas like to eat it so I assumed that it would be ok in small doses.
 
Sorry Sky123 I misread your original post so my reply above is gibberish. Now that I have got my brain in gear I will keep feeding the seaweed!
 
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