[bellaalexander]

I have a 15 yr old jumper that has ir and has had a few cases of laminitis. Usually caused by the grass. He is currently eating ration balancer and timothy hay. He is on limited t/o and has been for the most part very sound. Recently however, he has pulse in all four feet and has been extremely cranky. Any suggestions??

[horsechick]

When my broodmare started doing this, I put her on very stemmy 1st cut grass hay and soaked it in a haynet for 45 minutes before feeding. This soaks out a lot of the sugars. Also, have you had a blood test done? Is he on a thyroid medicine?

[bellaalexander]

I haven't had a recent blood test but I think one is in need! he wont eat soaked hay.. tried that. ugg

[Addison]

I read an interesting article in "Michael Plumb's Horse Journal" about the effects of feeding Psyllium to IR horses. It seems to reduce the insulin spikes that cause a lot of trouble for IR horses.

The article is in the latest issue or the one before. Might be worth looking into.

Your horse will most likely eat the soaked hay if he has no other choice.

[harr754]

Can you get the hay tested? I've seen some timothy hay that is really high in sugar. I don't soak my hay but I do have it tested.

You may want to talk with your vet about putting him on some bute.

Best of luck.

[jjgg24]

Agree you either need to find low sugar/NSC hay, soak the current hay, or start feeding hay cubes. Also, what is your ration balancer composed of? Turn out on grass at this point might be too much and dry lotting might be in order.

Also, is the horse IR or Cushings or both?

[JB]

What are the temps like? Cold temps can set some of these horses off.

[Tom Bloomer]

Start here:

http:://safergrass.org

[SmartAlex]

Well he just may have to learn to eat soaked hay. After watching a horse founder so badly on timothy alone that he could barely walk to his own grave I have no sympathy for horses who turn up their noses at the "blah" hay. Sorry.

[Atlas Shrugged]

safe choice dengie.... nothing bad in

[Katy Watts]

he wont eat soaked hay..

then rest assured he's not very hungry yet. Do you want to keep him from foundering or keep catering to his fussy eating habits? Your choice.

[horsepoor]

Start here:

http:://safergrass.org

Yes! Lots of good information there, and I see Katy Watts has also posted here. If you do not test your hay, you have no idea what your horse is getting and should soak. He will eat it if hungry. My IR horse would eat a cardboard box if I gave it to him. Wonder what the NSC of cardboard is...?

If my IR horse had pulses in all feet and a change in attitude, I'd be talking to my vet. He foundered twice...that's how we discovered the IR/EMS...and I do not ever want to go thru that again, nor make him endure it. Catch early and prevent.

[csaper58]

Yes safergrass.org. Adding Magnesium helps sometimes, MagOx @ 3Tbs/Day for 1 month, 1Tbs/Day maintenance: Dry lot any time the horse has pulses. I've used Figuerola Lamina Saver. Valley Vet has it.
www.understanding-horse-nutrition.com Has some helpful info.

[arlosmine]

SOAK THE HAY! He will eat when he is hungry enough to "get over it". Be tough and just do it, you do not want to have a big laminitis flare up. It's worth it.

Then work on finding tested hay so you don't have to soak. My entire herd is on tested hay now and it makes life easy.

[Snowdenfarm]

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/

Post this on the Yahoo Equine Cushings and IR Group. There is a wealth of information in their archives and files. They will get you on the emergency diet before he actually founders.