Winter faecal water syndrome

2024 update.
I have found a meadow grass haylage, which he can manage to eat just fine, and have totally withdrawn the chopped, ryegrass haylage. The faecal water has dried up like turning a tap off, within 24 hours he was clean and dry. Fingers crossed it continues, and I have found something that works for him.
 
Mine was the same - just one simple thing - was (hopefully) sorted by just adding some hay . It's such a relief - especially with winter looming. It's no fun having to wash a green tail/bottom in the freezing cold - expect the horse feels the same lol
Long may it last 🙏 x
 
Old Dobbin has been absolutely fine on a mix of soaked sugar beet, handful of bran, fast fibre, grass chop and Mollichaff apple, as well as the meadow grass haylage. Swapped the Mollichaff for the light version in an attempt to reduce sugar, and the faecal water came back with a vengeance. Withdrew Mollichaff light and put M apple back, and the faecal water had gone by morning. He will now stay on this diet, and hopefully, no more soggy bottom!
 
Highmileagecob said:
Old Dobbin has been absolutely fine on a mix of soaked sugar beet, handful of bran, fast fibre, grass chop and Mollichaff apple, as well as the meadow grass haylage. Swapped the Mollichaff for the light version in an attempt to reduce sugar, and the faecal water came back with a vengeance. Withdrew Mollichaff light and put M apple back, and the faecal water had gone by morning. He will now stay on this diet, and hopefully, no more soggy bottom!
Click to expand...
I'm glad you've found a solution.

My mare is still not great. 3 weeks into using Think Pink. I've now started to get my haylage out the night before to dry it out more before feeding the next day and I've added a handful of bran to her feed.
I've spoken to the hay supplier and he's going to start giving me wrapped hay instead, didn't even know he did it. 🤦‍♀️
 
Still dry, with normal droppings. Thinking back, the faecal water started around the same time he was diagnosed as probably EMS, and the sugar levels started to be controlled or reduced. This winter I have swapped Speedi Beet for lightly molassed pellets, and introduced a lightly molassed oat straw chaff. I am now wondering whether he actually needs a certain level of sugar to aid fermentation in the hind gut?
 
Highmileagecob said:
Still dry, with normal droppings. Thinking back, the faecal water started around the same time he was diagnosed as probably EMS, and the sugar levels started to be controlled or reduced. This winter I have swapped Speedi Beet for lightly molassed pellets, and introduced a lightly molassed oat straw chaff. I am now wondering whether he actually needs a certain level of sugar to aid fermentation in the hind gut?
Click to expand...
I saw your post about including the bran and I don't know if it's that or if it's just been a bit longer on the Think Pink but her poos are back to normal! She's just on soaked grass nuts, fast fibre, heaped 50ml scoop of bran, Think Pink and her usual supplements.
 
Highmileagecob said:
Old Dobbin has been absolutely fine on a mix of soaked sugar beet, handful of bran, fast fibre, grass chop and Mollichaff apple, as well as the meadow grass haylage. Swapped the Mollichaff for the light version in an attempt to reduce sugar, and the faecal water came back with a vengeance. Withdrew Mollichaff light and put M apple back, and the faecal water had gone by morning. He will now stay on this diet, and hopefully, no more soggy bottom!
Click to expand...
That's interesting. Is there a link between sugar and Faecal Water?
I use Dengie Hifi, its one of the only things my whole gang agree is edible, then add whatever as needed individually. I don't use it for the FEC pony, it really isn't great for him. Recently I only noticed when i got homw the wrong bag of feed had been put in my boot at the feed shop. (They give a ticket in the shop and the public are not allowed to load themselves or go in the warehouse)
They gave me a finer molassed chaff which he likes and is much better on. I was going to return it but it was too much hassle and i figured a tiny bit wouldn't hurt.
 
No idea, I'm just jotting down my observations! He was diagnosed as a probable EMS at the age of 18, and I have had twelve years of winter bottom washing! Due to his teeth starting to fall out, he now has a lot of forage replacing bucket feeds, and appears to be completely normal with the additional sugars. I can't explain it, but wish I had discovered it sooner!
 
I'm interested
It might explain why feeding my mare half hay/half haylage stopped her FW. It could be that the hay contains more sugar than the haylage - its an unknown quantity sugar wise but the haylage is tested and I know that's low sugar. Also it would explain why she doesn't get it so much in the summer as she's on more grass (more sugar). Hopefully she's not ems - there's never been any signs but she is quite chunky. I might get her blood tested when the other one is (cushings) just to be sure.
Thanks for that HMC - it certainly puts a different slant on things x
 
Mine has been fine until we done a lameness bute trial and then had his hocks injected. I think the bute has upset something a long the way. Any tips? Currently tying up tail and washing every day but that’s due to mud too. Getting slightly better as has been off it since Friday.
 
Such an interesting thread. Thanks everyone.
My little native has started with this.
Thinking back, I’m now considering that this years hay is a trigger. It’s very compacted. Slices off and full of seeds.
She’s a greedy eater so may not be chewing properly.
I’m going to try bulking her feeds and trying pink mash to start with.
Any other advice as a starting point? So many suggestions but want to try one thing at a time to understand what makes a difference.
 
Sarys said:
Such an interesting thread. Thanks everyone.
My little native has started with this.
Thinking back, I’m now considering that this years hay is a trigger. It’s very compacted. Slices off and full of seeds.
She’s a greedy eater so may not be chewing properly.
I’m going to try bulking her feeds and trying pink mash to start with.
Any other advice as a starting point? So many suggestions but want to try one thing at a time to understand what makes a difference.
Click to expand...
If she's very greedy a small holed net might help a bit. I certainly found it did.
 
Very interesting that a course of bute was the initial trigger for my old boy, and then it wouldn't stop. This winter has seen a big improvement. There have been three or four episodes of overnight FWS and then dry again. The only difference this year is the withdrawal of ryegrass haylage and Speedibeet, and the introduction of molassed beet pellets plus Mollichaff Apple, which also contains molasses. His gums have now hardened where he has missing teeth, and he is coping with a soft meadow grass haylage, and holding weight and muscle quite nicely. Last week he was playing with the yearlings and teaching them the bitey face game.
 
Moved my girl to some winter foggage and reduced hay from half a bale to 2 slices and now we have a dry bum? It was about this time last year when it stopped as well though and last year she was in at night so lots of hay. Soft meadow hay unknown sugars. I remain confused.
 
It's an absolute mystery about cause and cure. Thinking back, it started around the time that he had bute for a suspected lami episode, and I was recommended to remove as much sugar as possible from his diet. FWS always cleared up in summer, summer grass can have up to 20% sugar, sugar is needed to ferment, which is what the hindgut does. It seems that FWS sufferers may well need sugar to aid digestion. And under the foggage, there may be new grass coming through, complete with a sugar content. I am not sure whether ryegrass is implicated - removing it has fine tuned the drying up process, but that could be a red herring because his chewing ability is reduced. My old boy has had his tail and bum washed twice since my last post, which is a huge improvement from almost every day.
 
My oldie has just got it again. Last time we thought it was the wormer that set it off. This time we’re thinking it was stress related as it started when he got caught up in his rug straps one night and ended up tearing it. Trying physillium husks at the moment but will have to look at something else soon. His bed is looking disgusting everyday, not to mention his back legs. 😟
 
Update. T
The soft meadow grass haylage appears to be coming from a different source and contains some long timothy type grasses, also not as dry and hay like as the previous batches have been. FWS started again, so I have been chopping the haylage into shorter lengths, and he has returned to dry bum with very little FW. He had a dental check last month, and now has nine molars missing. He doesn't have very many matching grinding surfaces so I can't really expect him to chew very much.
 
The summer field opened today, and the end of winter is in sight!
The soaked/molassed diet suited him well, and Equilage Veteran was eagerly demolished. He has held weight and muscle over winter, and has had the fewest episodes of faecal water for twelve years.
For him, withdrawing all ryegrass and adding back sugars did the trick. Good luck to everyone who is struggling with this condition, and I hope you can find something that works for yours.
 
Last edited:
Glad it's going well for you - it's such a relief not to be washing s___ty bottoms and tails in the winter.
Mine has been fine just by changing to half hay and half haylage - long may it contnue. Extra grass now it's coming through may be a challenge but fingers crossed it will be ok
 
We have run out of my nice hay. Mr P has bought some in to tide us over until more can be made. The Cra**y back legs and tail has returned 😢 Its stalky, not horrible hay really. not dusty or anyhting but not FEC friendly for sure.
God, I hope we make good hay again this year....
 
I could chop it. He’s only tiny and on a diet anyway. The little mare he is with can’t eat hay so it would only need a tiny amount really.
I’m not entirely sure it would help though as chaff is bad for him too 🤷‍♀️ anything’s worth a try though!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top