Ulcers/Fibre Beet/Fast Fibre/Wits End HELP!!

[horsemum]

Hello, I have a 19yo Arab gelding who has suffered for years with ulcers. The minute the grass dies off to the minute it comes back his back end and legs are just a black mess.

Have had a few vets over the years all say the same thing - there's not much I can do about it and I'm just going to have to put up with it each year. The general consensus is I could go down the road of spending a fortune on a prescribed supplement but they aren't convinced it would work for him.
So once a week I get on my rubber gloves and scrub him clean, which he hates - and I can't do it any more often as it upsets his skin.

I seem to change his feed every year (he's only Fed in winter) to see if I come across something that works. This year he is on

Top chop
Top spec balancer
Top spec ulsakind
Micronised linseed

Since it's clear the ulsakind isn't doing a thing I have put him back on fibre beet (wanted a clear view of any change from ulsakind) as I am under the impression that fibre beet is a grass replacement is that right? Since the grass is what stops this from happening I've put him back on this, however I wondered if fast fibre (or something else?) might be better?

He gets Adlib hay through winter, is completely fine in all other respects, and I really just feel I'm at my wits end and wondered if anyone has this same problem and could recommend anything/give any advice?!

Thank you!

 

[ihatework]

It’s very odd that a drop off in grass would have such a big effect on an ulcer Horse (I assume he eats up his hay well?).

If it really is the grass would it be worth feeding soaked grass nuts as the main feed source?

For the scouring and cleaning, try using Vaseline on the areas

 

[horsemum]

Never thought of grass nuts, thank you!

Oh yes, grass dropping off has a drastic effect on him, always has done. As soon as he starts getting squitty he starts getting fed, and when it comes back in again and he starts drying up he stops getting fed and I enjoy a summer not covered in projectile poo!

If I knew how to attach a photo of the extent of it I would! I use Vaseline after cleaning to try and stop it sticking, and he eats hay absolutely fine!

 

[Leo Walker]

Try pink mash. Its worked wonders on a lot of hindgut issues which is sounds like you have. You may find its frosty grass setting him off rather than quality of grass.

 

[deicinmerlyn]

A supplement like Protexin or yeasach and brewers yeast will definitely help

 

[Boysy]

Dengie Grass pellets soaked without a doubt will help him if indeed it is the grass, as well as Protexin Gut Balancer, soothes and re-balances the gut flora.

As for the poop not sticking, after washing and whilst he is still wet, slather on either pig oil or baby oil or Nettex 7day Mud away, all 3 will have the desired effect of 1 - the poop may look like its stuck on but it will brush off easily and 2 - the skin will be protected underneath.

 

[YasandCrystal]

I have a 28 yr old 10 hh Falabella X that is the same. Actually last winter I thought I may have to make the dreaded decision to put him to sleep.
I have tried every gastric supplement imaginable over the past few years to combat his runny poos come winter. I have tried herbs, charcoal, prebiotics, probiotics, gut balancers, yea sacc, pepti bismol, Guiness to name but a few. He has diastema so needs a mash type feed. I would feed the fibre mash feeds but he always went off them after a short time. It was so hard with the supplements because I never knew which combination might work.
Anyway finally this winter he looks the best he has ever done. I am feeding him Keyflow Pink Mash twice daily. This contains pre and probiotics. I make it with hot water and on alternate days will add a handful of micronised linseed. Once a week I add some activated charcoal. He is out for 7 or 8 hours daily, but the grass is poor and sparse. He also gets a small bucket of readi grass at night with parsnips and carrots and a slice of soft hay. He has also had several sessions of shiatsu which he loves. It's a breakthrough he loves his feed, he canters whinnying to come in at night. I never believed we would get to this stage.

Just to add I consulted my vet who suggested the Guiness and pepti bismol. They really had little advice to offer. One year I used this powder which I had to mix up to a paste and syringe into his mouth it was called bio sponge. That helped a little but nothing really addressed the problem. I had to bag up his tail and wash his poor little hind legs every other day. It was so miserable. I also tried zoopharmacognosy myself. I bought up lots of herbs and powders and essential oils and offered them, the idea being the horse takes what they need. I can understand exactly how you feel. I think it's worth trying the Pink Mash the Results were quick for my pony

 

[Pinkvboots]

I have had Arabs for years they are fed on a simple diet I tried one on top spec many years ago and it sent him wild and it took me weeks to get him back to his normal self.

mine are fed on graze on chaff it's just chopped grass about £9 a bag unmolassed sugar beet and micronised linseed, both of mine are good doers they get as much hay or Haylage they want, one of my Arabs can scour if stressed so I do put him on protexin and within a few days it settles.

If your horse is struggling with weight gain I would consider grass nuts or copra I have fed both and they have worked well, I tend to stick to straights I don't like a lot of the new all in one type feeds on offer my motto is keep it simple and it's worked for my horses.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Just wanted to add be careful putting vaseline or any type of oil based product on your horse one of my horses had a massive alergic reaction to vaseline and baby oil, I was on holiday when one of my horses had loose droppings so they covered his back legs in vaseline and baby oil and he had a massive allergic reaction and couldn't walk which resulted in a £250 vets bill.

 

[Steerpike]

When one of my Arabs came to my yard he had the squirts, he came from poor grazing with poor feeding routine, to a field with grass and a proper feed routine, I put him on protexin gut balancer which has worked really well, I use it daily but double the dose if I know there is going to be a change in his feed,grass or haylage.

 

[Goldenstar]

A

A supplement like Protexin or yeasach and brewers yeast will definitely help

Yes that’s my thought I would give a double dose of powered protexin all winter .
I would also feed grass chop mixed with speedi beet and the best hay you can buy round you.
Some dried grasses are much nicer than others the northern crop growers on is a very nice one .
If you want to try a supplement I would give eugsin a try you will find that on find on the forage plus website .

 

[scats]

I was recommended a supplement called Ulcerfoe and tried it recently. It turned a stressy poo-at-every-moment, dislikes being groomed pony into an absolute pleasure to handle and deal with. Im not often swayed by supplements, but I'm now a convert!

 

[horsemum]

Try pink mash. Its worked wonders on a lot of hindgut issues which is sounds like you have. You may find its frosty grass setting him off rather than quality of grass.

Definitely not frosty grass - this tends to start October time when grass dies off and is a constant throughout winter - haven't noticed anything which makes it particularly worse, such as frost! Used to have a Shetland that would get a mild colic on frosty grass so I always have my eyes peeled for other issues it could be causing!

I was recommended a supplement called Ulcerfoe and tried it recently. It turned a stressy poo-at-every-moment, dislikes being groomed pony into an absolute pleasure to handle and deal with. Im not often swayed by supplements, but I'm now a convert!

Yep he's a stress pooer! Even if it's just seeing something he doesn't like on a hack he squits away to himself.

Have bought a tub of protexin so will start him on a double dose, and think I'll try the pink mash with baileys high fibre and some basic chaff/grass chop as topspec is doing nothing but costing me a fortune and making me stressed!

Thank god ive not got the squits about it as well!!!

 

[Leo Walker]

Pink mash at full dose, roughly 500gms, has protexin in

 

[twiggy2]

Would it be possible to find somewhere to turn him away for the winter with plenty of grazing.
Does his/ other horses around him or the yard routine change at all in winter?

 

[horsemum]

Pink mash at full dose, roughly 500gms, has protexin in

Does it?! I had no idea. Will use this tub of protein with what feed I have left over then switch to pink mash - hopefully it works! Thank you

Would it be possible to find somewhere to turn him away for the winter with plenty of grazing.
Does his/ other horses around him or the yard routine change at all in winter?

I wouldn't move him just for the winter as that would cause him more stress. He doesn't take easily to new herds, he has been in this one for a year now and only just looking like he sort of fits in!
He is getting this winter off due to my work and a massive commute so I'm sure he's quite pleased with that! But apart from that everything is as normal.
They live out 24/7 (only 3 of them) and we aren't on a yard which suits him much better, as previous experiences on yards have shown to be a massive cause of stress to him, so the private set up at a friends field is perfect!

 

[Ellietotz]

My mare gets the squits if she gets nervous on a hack too! Funny creatures. I recently discovered Protexin Quick Fix and I cannot believe how quickly it works and it really does actually do it's job! I gave it to her as she was being a bit grumpy again before a ride, she was totally relaxed the whole time and didn't get the runs once! Saved me having to trial a new supplement too!

 

[amandaco2]

get him on a cleaner diet.
meadow mixed grass grazing and ad lib hay.
tb chaff and forage plus.
hay cobs are also useful to feed.

 

[Fruitcake]

If you think it’s the lack of grass causing it, you could try some grass nuts or grass chaff. I’d suggest it could be a winter stress thing though. My ulcer-prone horse tends to wind suck more as soon as the autumn comes. I think he just doesn’t like the winter!

In terms of gut balancer, yeast etc, it might be worth noting that most gut balancers and live yeast supplements can’t reach the hind gut still ‘live’ as they are killed off before they get there. Science Supplements do one with a protected live yeast so it can actually reach the hind gut.

 

[Lovethebeach]

My Lippi was dreadful too once off grass, having the best winter ever so far, it would appear he cannot tolerate anything with wheatfeed/wheatmeal in it so now has no compound feed. Soaked Emerald Green grass nuts, soaked naked oats, linseed meal, EG Alfamazing chaff and Protexin with adlib hay. Protexin did make some difference last winter but was still quite loose, cutting out haylage the year before did help some too. He was extremely underweight when we took him on 4 years ago with no history on what had caused the problem. Vet checked and treated ulcers but feels there is some hind gut damage which is permanent. Good luck in finding something it is such a distressing problem

 

[PoppyAnderson]

get him on a cleaner diet.
meadow mixed grass grazing and ad lib hay.
tb chaff and forage plus.
hay cobs are also useful to feed.

Agree entirely. Get him off anything from spillers, D&H, Topspec etc. All got molasses/fillers etc in. Pink mash is good and anything by either Thinderbrooks or Agrobs.

 

[PoppyAnderson]

TB also do an ulcer-specific feed which is worth looking at https://thunderbrook.co.uk/shop/equine-feeds-balancers/ulsax-5kg-15kg/

 

[amandaco2]

TB chaff.
forage plus.



hay must be meadow grasses


as per prev post.
add copra if needs more condition.