Tying up and feeding regime

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mandabees

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Hi, New to this thread malarckey!!! Just need some advice.
I have a 16 year old TB x WB, acts more like a 6yr old. Was off work last year due to my pregnancy, returned early this year although cannot catch easily so had him in for a week before a competition, riding every day but he suffered his first bout of azotoria. Moved field so I could catch him (bought 2 sheep for company instead of other horses). He had a bad accident riding, surgery on knee.. blah blah blah... anyway, he escaped into paddock after 1 weeks box rest and suffered another bout of azotoria (understandably as he galloped and bucked for around 20 mins and the stitches came out :-( ) Anyway... moving on, now back in work although as I have full time job and baby and lack of light means I can only ride at weekends even though vet said every day to prevent further bouts. He recommended Dodson & Horrell ERS cubes and unmollassed sugar beet. As he's not in much work, I am only giving 1/2 scoop of cubes morn and eve.
Have 2 acre field split in 3, grass not great, he's lost weight and condition through change of grazing. Normally a good doer, but he's going into winter on the trim side :-( He is having a hay net morning and night, which he is clearing. Vet said blue horsehage, but I cannot afford it at the rate he needs it I don't think.
What's everyones suggestions about hard feed/ hay? Haven't gone down the haylage route as didn't want high sugar as supposed to be high fibre low starch if he is now prone to tying up.
HELP please xx
 
Is there anyone else on the yard who uses haylage. If so you could share big bales as they work out so much cheaper. Failing that, micronised linseed is good at putting on weight and is perfectly safe for horses with azotoria.
 
No he didn't mention that. Just said that I need to step up stable management by riding more which I cannot do :-(
I think because he has never suffered up until 16 then he didn't go down the electrolyte measurement route although if the problem persists I think obviously he would.
Micronised linseed is my next step. Do you think I should introduce that instead of the speedibeet?
 
mandabees said:
No he didn't mention that. Just said that I need to step up stable management by riding more which I cannot do :-(
I think because he has never suffered up until 16 then he didn't go down the electrolyte measurement route although if the problem persists I think obviously he would.
Micronised linseed is my next step. Do you think I should introduce that instead of the speedibeet?
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I think you should give him a vitamin e and selenium supplement and I'm a bit stunned the vet didn't suggest it.

What breed is your horse?
 
No, to me he looks underweight, well just poorly developed as he has lost his topline through lack of exercise :-( he's certainly trim. No sign of too many puddings like he normally comes into winter looking like!! :-)
 
joycec said:
I think you should give him a vitamin e and selenium supplement and I'm a bit stunned the vet didn't suggest it.
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Me too - I would get a blood test for selenium levels when the vet calls next, and also reduce any sugars/cereals in his diet (they convert to acid and acidity in the muscles) . Might be worth putting him on a magnesium supplement too, that frees up muscle stiffness.
 
Tie up used to be very common in endurance horses, when I started back in the '90's we would get at least one case at every ride. Nowadays it is very rare and I think this is because we undertand it a lot more and and a lot of the myths have been debunked.

Endurance horses run on fibre and oil. So if I was feeding your boy, I would leave him turned out, let him have ad-lib hay, but just something really plain. On top of that, if he was having trouble holding his weight, I would be feeding him a hard feed with chaff and rice bran (no good me recommending brands as what we have here in NZ is no good to you there) and then maybe adding oil to his feed as well. Corn and soy are most commonly used here.
 
My horse is kept away from and complete mixes and cereals (everytime hes tied up hes had food change) has lami chaff with solution mash electrolytes all year round and turn out everyday

the firs time he tied up he had to have I dont know how many drugs _we had to make them into a paste and syringe it as wouldnt touch his bit of bran in a bowl with it all) as well a 3 vet visits in a week for addition injections to help his muscles recover after his 2nd bout of it which was triggered by a change in chaff weve altered his food and hes never had it again
 
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