Something to calm the squits?

[Box_Of_Frogs]

My 21yr old, 15.2 Section D gelding is once again developing the squits ... linked to haylage, which he loves! It is getting progressively worse as the grass goes down and he eats a higher proportion of haylage to grass. The haylage is lovely stuff - taken from the YO's own managed fields that he cheerfully grazes on all summer! He's in light work and is a reasonably good doer though as a golden oldie he needs careful watching. He's out about 8hrs a day, in overnight with ad lib haylage and 2 feeds a day of 1 big scoop of Mollichaff Veteran Chaff, small flat scoop of D&H pasture mix, pinch echinacea, half scoop speedibeet. I'm entirely happy with his feed and condition and temperament but does anyone know of a supplement that will help him digest the haylage better? He gets the same problem every winter.

 

[carthorse]

Mine is the same .I posted a few days ago on Vet under scouring ,there are some things to try on there

 

[Shilasdair]

Psyllium husk to calm the gut, pre and probiotics to ensure gut bacteria are the correct ones, vit/min supplement to make sure that he's not losing electrolytes through his scouring....vaseline on bum to stop burning...
S

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Thanks guys - will check vet thread on scouring Carthorse. x

 

[jeanne]

Have used natural youghurt successfully, initially administered with a 60 ml syringe (squirted gently to the side of the mouth rather than the back of the mouth) once used to it horses like the taste - rebalances gut flora

 

[JenHunt]

try NAF pink powder or NAF Thrive... both great for calming the gut down when its upset by feeding or stress.

 

[kerilli]

you can get something called Forgastrin from the vet, it looks like charcoal powder, and this cures it. it's not expensive iirc.

 

[Llwyncwn]

Wasnt aware of this Barb, now I understand why the whole block stinks of dirty drains at 7am

Some really good advice on this thread for you. If they all fail, I would recommend a cork

 

[berry]

I use Physlium(sp) husk and global herbs diarezze it really helps my pony when she goes through a phase of the squits.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Thanx for this highly professional advice Llwyncwn, gained from years of dedicated horse ownership. The funny smell at 7am is I think 5,000 dead mice under the caravan. Thankyou Tinker. The cork sounds good ... if I get a jumbo, industrial sized one, can I rely on you to insert it in FOEC's backside? I would stand to one side and take notes. As a Plan B, I've done some research on Naf Pink Powder and so many of these type of products are more geared to stressy horses, losing weight. NOT a problem for my boy! But Global Herbs, Phys. husks or Forgastrin all sound good so gonna try this route. Many thanks to everyone who has helped. x

 

[ChestnutMonty]

I use biotal equine gold as recommended by my vet as my horse was scouring for an un-known reason! Quie expensive but it stopped completely after a month

 

[MagicMelon]

Can you mix natural yoghurt into their feed? Or would they not eat it?

 

[chestnut cob]

I give my Welshy Baileys Digest Plus. It's a pro biotic supplement and works really well. Tried loads of prebiotics (don't use natural yoghurt, don't like the idea of feeding a herbivore an animal product) and none work but a PREbiotic is good.

He has to have it when he moves onto spring grass, on haylage, and when the hunting season starts.