Cruel to be Kind - Laminitis diets

Bendihorse

My poor fella (Connemara Cob) has just started his restricted grazing program for the summer as the grass has just started growing in earnest! By restricted i mean clay paddock more or less. Its a never ending battle to keep the weight off him in the summer

IN addition, Some 'helpful' (sarcasam) person here let him escape from his paddock on Saturday while i was at a wedding, they took down the tape fence to do some work and didn't putting it back up when they were finished... He was getting on the porky side as it was as diet time of year was approaching, but by the time i had caught him the next day his joints were hot and cresty is not the word for his neck, he could hardly turn his head to look at me. :eek:

Is there anything i can do for him to make the diet less difficult on him? He always looks hungry and it breaks my heart! Is there any point feeding low fat chaff type foods to stave off the hunger for him?

togster

Had a pony at home who would get fat with the smell of grass. We used to feed him small amounts 8-10 times a day in a paddock with very little grass. One of those balls you fill with some feed are good too. We used to schop up carrots and apples and mix with some of that chaff stuff. All alot of work, but i felt so sorry for him. He always looked like if there was a noose nearby he'd do the honours himself. Then we got him an old mare with similar problems with her waistline and he perked up because he had a companion.

Also we used to rotate his grazing. We would cut grass in another part of a field and get another horse to graze it for a while and move the lovebirds there for a while.

Bendihorse

Thanks Togster, ill get him one of those treat dispenser balls and see what happens, hes most likely to ignore it or break it but its worth a try!!

Might try and rob a pony off one of my friends that has a similar weight problem for the summer, company must take the monotony out of it for them.

I know exactly what it feels to be looked at like your the hangman about to kick the bucket out from under the hangee!! :-O

togster

The company is great for them. Especially a little pony or a mare, where he will feel like the man!!

Bendihorse

Ha! He feels like 'the man' anyway Hes very riggish!

Aww im looking at him here and hes going around nibbling at buts of grass that might as well be non existant!! This is nearly as hard on me as it is on him

togster

Just though of another thing we used to do. When dad cut the lawn he would take a little bit and shake it around the paddock. Only a little. Fresh lawn grass can be dangerous but a little bit is ok and keeps them interested.:pac:

Bendihorse

Yep i get the lads to throw some into him whent hey are cutting the lawn or else tip a few bags outside the fence so i can scatter it around for him, poor divileen! I guess i could stop being lazy and take him out for an odd spin myself too :P If only i could get him over the bridle issue, its more or less succeeded in stoping me from riding altogether The fight to get the bridle on takes the good out of the ride.

Jasb

Does anyone else in Ireland use Founderguard. They are granules which have to be fed everyday. My own mare Willow who is 20 has been on them for about seven years now. This was since her last bad bout of laminitus when she was so bad I thought the vet was going to recommend that I would have to have her put down.

Although I still try to keep her weight at a reasonable level I do not have to seriously restrict her feeding anymore, you can see what I mean by this photo taken of her last summer. http://www.horseandponycentre.org/index.php?module=mGallery2&g2_itemId=42

To put horses on a starvation diet is also thought to cause problems as it is believed that it can cause the digestive system to shut down.

I was introduced to Founderguard by my vet in Scotland and since moving to Ireland I have bought my supply straight from the manufacturer in Australia. It is expensive costs me about €400 a year but I think worth it.

doctor evil

Have you thought of a grazing muzzle Bendihorse?