Thankyou Oberon, and the makers of Pro Hoof!

Sorry to also hijack! How do you get horses tested for insulin resistance? I have a 5 yr old who is not landing heel first but myself and trimmer cannot find anything obviously wrong and there is no big reaction to hoof testers!
 
tallyho! said:
Oops! I hate it when people do that and I have just done it!!! Blame it on my first ever Zumba class... it's hell! My knees are shot...
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I love zumba! You will get the firmest bum and waist you've ever had doing that!!
 
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Oberon gives cracking advice, got my boy on the pro balance and fast fibre with a bit of linseed for good measure :-) Not been on it long but that plus the advice to treat for thrush means he's no longer footy :-)
 
Oberon, can you tell me my you suggest fast fibre as a base feed? I am currently having feet problems and have removed back shoes. My boy is fed on simple systems Lucie Nuts with Top Spec feed balancer. I will be giving your suggested pro hoof a try as have heard it mentioned before but is the fast fibre change also critical?
 
Can I also join in please? I want to thank Oberon, and CPT for their advice - my TB who was destined to be a companion or PTS is now working barefoot and improving all the time. Her feet look fantastic! :)

And I also feed Pro Hoof - as well as micronised linseed....
 
I just want to agree with the original post. I am not pro-barefoot but also not against it. I was having massive trouble with my horses feet (gels, bar shoes, glue, the lot for about two years and it would cost me anywhere up to £180 every 4 weeks and I am not wealthy!!). My vet and farrier actually advised that I gave him rest from the shoes and turn him away (x-rays clear but still not right in normal shoes), but after just 1 week were telling me to put shoes on. I ignored them and Oberon sent me a mass of emails which really helped and 4 months later he was doing fantastically and the vet and farrier couldn't believe it! So thanks. I wanted to keep the shoes off, however I moved yards where I have to walk up a really stony track for 1/2 a mile to the field and he was still uncomfortable in boots so have now re-shod and am bringing into work. Hes in normal shoes without issue now and I may just turn away again in December for a few months with no shoes to try again!
 
china said:
I love zumba! You will get the firmest bum and waist you've ever had doing that!!
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I can thankfully walk again this morning, so there is chance I may reappear to do another class :) I am looking forward to my new bum!

Also, my arms.... my arms ache like mad!!!!
 
Dreckly said:
Oberon, can you tell me my you suggest fast fibre as a base feed? I am currently having feet problems and have removed back shoes. My boy is fed on simple systems Lucie Nuts with Top Spec feed balancer. I will be giving your suggested pro hoof a try as have heard it mentioned before but is the fast fibre change also critical?
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Not critical, but it's just a safe 'neutral' feed in that it's mostly straw and it's easily available in feed stores.

Lucie Nuts are alfalfa nuts. Some horses don't tolerate alfalfa in large quantities (if at all). My horses tolerate it - but our forage is so high in calcium already, alfalfa is a poor fit for us (high calcium is common in the UK as far as I know).

Simple Systems feeds aren't always readily available to everyone - but if they are to you, look out for their non alfalfa forages to try if you suspect alfalfa isn't helping you. If you have no issues, then stick with the Lucie Nuts :).
 
Just want to add a thanks to Cptrayes, for reading my rather long winded PM I sent :) Not only just reading them, but having the time to write back to me, with some really good advise :D

Have taken it on board and started to implement it, so hopefully will see a change in my pony :D
 
Please could you help me with my horse? :)

10 yr old id x tb, had lami caught early 4 years ago. Flat tb shod feet with sensitive soles such that she's footy walking across flat concrete yard without front shoes. Feet have been x-rayed and the internal structure is 100% balanced and correct. She has good hoof growth.

Current diet: Top Spec anti-lam, Dengi alpha-A molasses-free and hay. I'm careful with grass and check her digital pulse most days.

I'm not convinced that she needs the Top Spec although I think I should feed yea-sacc for her gut, and I'm interested in the Pro Hoof.

I'm completely neutral on the BF subject and I just want to do what's right for my horse.

I'd be really grateful for some help :)
 
nancie said:
Please could you help me with my horse? :)

10 yr old id x tb, had lami caught early 4 years ago. Flat tb shod feet with sensitive soles such that she's footy walking across flat concrete yard without front shoes. Feet have been x-rayed and the internal structure is 100% balanced and correct. She has good hoof growth.

Current diet: Top Spec anti-lam, Dengi alpha-A molasses-free and hay. I'm careful with grass and check her digital pulse most days.

I'm not convinced that she needs the Top Spec although I think I should feed yea-sacc for her gut, and I'm interested in the Pro Hoof.

I'm completely neutral on the BF subject and I just want to do what's right for my horse.

I'd be really grateful for some help :)
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We've found a lot of barefoot horses don't do well on Top Spec products. We don't really know why specifically, but there's too many for it to be a one off :confused:

Alfalfa either works for a horse or it doesn't - you'll have to judge that for your own horse.

Does she have any metabolic issues - having had lami before, I would expect so.
 
Oberon said:
Not critical, but it's just a safe 'neutral' feed in that it's mostly straw and it's easily available in feed stores.

Lucie Nuts are alfalfa nuts. Some horses don't tolerate alfalfa in large quantities (if at all). My horses tolerate it - but our forage is so high in calcium already, alfalfa is a poor fit for us (high calcium is common in the UK as far as I know).

Simple Systems feeds aren't always readily available to everyone - but if they are to you, look out for their non alfalfa forages to try if you suspect alfalfa isn't helping you. If you have no issues, then stick with the Lucie Nuts :).
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What indication would my horse give if he wasn't tolerant of alfalfa. He has been on simple systems for five years now without any problems.
 
Dreckly - some horses just don;t do well on it - I have 4 that can't take alfalfa - footy issues, bloating....

I wholeheartedly endorse Oberon's comments about TopSpec - it was definitely the wrong thing to feed to our lads, and I've seen so many horses do quite badly on it. It may be too rich, horses aren't really designed to eat rich foods.

Don't get fooled by the pretty bag :)

And as for the anti-lam....before I fell in with he bad crowd known as "TBT" I used to believe the promotional literature, and what the vets told me. I fed my laminitic TopSpec AntiLam in the recommended quantity for his weight....guess what happened? Massive laminitic attack. :eek: :) I know much better now.
 
Oberon said:
We've found a lot of barefoot horses don't do well on Top Spec products. We don't really know why specifically, but there's too many for it to be a one off :confused:

Alfalfa either works for a horse or it doesn't - you'll have to judge that for your own horse.

Does she have any metabolic issues - having had lami before, I would expect so.
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I changed her to the Alfa-A about three months ago for the protein to help build muscle and she seems well on it as far as I can tell.

I've actually got a voucher for the free blood test for IR which I was planning on using in a few weeks when my vet is due out for routine innoculations.

It's her paper thin soles that I'm so concerned about (she also has very little heel growth) as they are slightly ?convexed (I never know which is which, but they bulge downwards a bit where as her backs are the opposite - ?concave).
 
brucea said:
I wholeheartedly endorse Oberon's comments about TopSpec - it was definitely the wrong thing to feed to our lads, and I've seen so many horses do quite badly on it. It may be too rich, horses aren't really designed to eat rich foods.

Don't get fooled by the pretty bag :)

And as for the anti-lam....before I fell in with he bad crowd known as "TBT" I used to believe the promotional literature, and what the vets told me. I fed my laminitic TopSpec AntiLam in the recommended quantity for his weight....guess what happened? Massive laminitic attack. :eek: :) I know much better now.
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What would you feed instead?

I know lots of people recommend Simple System but it's not available where I am and I can't store large quantities.
 
nancie said:
I changed her to the Alfa-A about three months ago for the protein to help build muscle and she seems well on it as far as I can tell.

I've actually got a voucher for the free blood test for IR which I was planning on using in a few weeks when my vet is due out for routine innoculations.

It's her paper thin soles that I'm so concerned about (she also has very little heel growth) as they are slightly ?convexed (I never know which is which, but they bulge downwards a bit where as her backs are the opposite - ?concave).
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Probably best to get some pics (side at ground level and sole views) and either start up a thread or PM them.

They *should* be getting enough protein from the grass - although you can add essential amino acids like lysine and methionine from supplements and linseed if you suspect they are in short supply and the horse is struggling to muscle up.

I worry about the molasses in Alfa-A.
 
Dreckly said:
What indication would my horse give if he wasn't tolerant of alfalfa. He has been on simple systems for five years now without any problems.
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I know with my old boy, I started him on alfalfa pellets as part of a forage replacer diet for his dodgy teeth (after a period of being unwell).

He looked well....but not great and his hooves never gained that concavity they'd had before he got sick.

Then I had a forage analysis which showed my calcium levels were high (but balanced to a high phosphorous). Turns out the alfalfa I was feeding him was upsetting the Ca:Ph balance.

Once I replaced the alfalfa with Fast Fibre and fed balanced minerals, he looked much better within 2 weeks and gained that elusive concavity within four weeks.

It not that alfalfa is evil - but it doesn't always agree with the grass we have.

Just something to look at if a horse is doing ok but not splendid :)
 
nancie said:
It's called molasses-free Alpha-A - would it still contain molasses?

What would you feed my horse bearing in mind the lami and the feet (light-moderate work)?
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Ah - I thought you meant original Alfa-A ;)

Get some pics of her hooves and we can have a brain storm ;)
 
I too have had a lot of helpful advice from this forum and folowing forage analysis and diet plan from forage plus, I haven't looked back... my vet even commented on how nice my boys feet were and suggested that I should avoid shoeing him.. I said I had no intention of shoeing him and that it was all down to diet that his feet are as good as they are... we then went on to discuss the number of problem feet this year and he blamed......... yep, you've guessed it!.... the WEATHER!! ***Bangs head***

Thank you HHO! for making me think outside the box ...
 
I just think it is so nice when people go out of there way to help and advise other people who at the end of the day we are all complete strangers.

Due to Oberons advise my mares feet are now almost perfect. They arent cracking/ chipping or splitting anymore, shes not foot sore on hard ground or gravely tracks and the thrush I have been battling with for the past 2 years since I bought her has gone (we couldnt even clear it up with the vet treating it aswell)

Im so pleased with the results and so is my Farrier.

Oberon and Pro Hoof are amazing!
 
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Aw, I'm welling up now :D



The person who wrote about toe first landing and an IR test - a toe first landing would not normally be a result of IR. That would be a foot sensitivity or even outright laminitis which would make the horse avoid landing on its toe. A toe first landing is more likely to be weakness in the back of the foot, or infection in the frog - has your horse got a deep crease in the centre of the frog (the central sulcus) ??



I second the Top Spec issues with some horses. A friend's horse was on it and he itched like crazy. Not sweet itch, all year round but not his mane or tail. His tail hair was brittle and broke off above his hocks. I suggested she should take him off it, having read anecdotal reports on a barefoot site of problems, and bingo, with no other changes the itching stopped immediately. His tail also grew but by that time we were supplementing copper so I don't know if the TS was the whole story there.
 
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Why do horses need shoes?

1. Because grass gives them low grade laminitis and shoes cover it up.

2. Because most grazing land in Britain is not minerally balanced for horses.

Discuss :D ?
 
cptrayes said:
Why do horses need shoes?

1. Because grass gives them low grade laminitis and shoes cover it up.

2. Because most grazing land in Britain is not minerally balanced for horses.

Discuss :D ?
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Can I add another question to that? Why is laminitis so prevalent today when it was practically unheard of 30 years ago? The grazing hasn't changed, so what has?
 
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