[Iride]

For an aged, very large horse not showing sensitivity or history of metabolic disease, would the following be safe to continue to feed with regard to carbs? The horse has to eat a LOT of the following or he loses weight.... because of a lack of molars for grinding he can no longer eat hay or grass or anything requiring grinding. So far, he is eating the following successfully and holding his weight this winter (note, horse is extremely picky and these are the only things he will eat, we've tried everything):

Triple Crown Senior (14 lbs/day)

Beet Pulp

Legends Rice Bran Pellets (2 lbs/day)

Calf Manna (1 cup)

Soaked alfalfa cubes (3 or 4 handfuls dry, then soaked til soft)

Canola oil (1 cup 2x/day)

I realize the calf manna is probably the thing that would be best to drop, however it seems to be the only thing that keeps weight on him consistently....remove the calf manna and he loses appetite or some weight *argh*

[LMH]

If it ain't broke...

[Iride]

LMH thanks, reason this has come up is his front coronary bands are distended or swollen, for lack of a better word...I realize this can be due to a systemic fluctuation in blood flow or something autoimmune. So, the first thing I thought of was nutrition, considering what he eats. His supplements include E/Se (selenium) so I'll have to see if there's an overage of that, which worries me. In his supplements he also gets loose salt, a cup of flax, Equishure for his gut, and vitamin C powder.

I'll be having the vet do a blood workup and look at his hooves/coronary bands this week hopefully. He is sound but seems a little stiffer/lower energy but that could be due to the cold weather, he being old and whatnot.

[LMH]

do you have photos? I would love to see what the hairlines are doing.

If sugar is your concern, is the beet pulp with or without molasses?

I personally also have an issue with soy-and 14 lbs of TC Senior is pumping a good bit of soy into a horse.

Just another something you may consider.

[Iride]

LMH, I will be at the barn later today and will take a pic.

He won't eat beet pulp without molasses, so he gets it...sugar has (historically) never been a problem for him. And, it's gotten to the point where, if he'll eat it, give it to him.

As for soy, I sure hope that is not the problem because if it weren't for TC Senior, he'd probably waste away. And I find that soy is in virtually everything, at least what he considers worth eating :-/

*sigh* Will check in later with a photo. Thanks again.

[BuddyRoo]

Is it wet where you are now?

[Iride]

BuddyRoo...not really. It's NY winter - more like hard ground, though last week was warm and there was some mud but he's kept pretty clean, and, he's been in wetter conditions and never had this coronary band thing....

[deltawave]

I agree with the "if it ain't broke . . ." philosophy.

Get a diagnosis first, then decide if it is feed related, then make changes if you absolutely must.

Good luck!

[Iride]

Thanks Deltawave! Will update for sure. Hoping it's nothing.

[LMH]

Is it wet where you are now?

That is what I was wondering-sounded like a 'normal' wet bulge.

[Iride]

So, I wasn't able to take a good picture to post. The bands were a little warm today, but he was sound and bright. Anyway, the vet should be coming to check it out tomorrow...