Go Bare equine

24/07/2023

That is the question! Horse owners are told to keep horses on short grass if they want to manage weight (and prevent laminitis etc.) but it is not that simple.

24/07/2023

Please be aware when you are asking a nutritionist for help, that they do make it clear that if you don't have a pasture or hay test for your forage, the recommendations will have to be very, very general and non specific. Using estimates for any type of forage, pasture in particular is of no help to know what the actual nutrient profile is. There is simply too much variation. I have been shocked seeing the claims well meaning people are making about how many mg copper, how much zinc and the rest of the nutrient profile on very flimsy assumptions, and thinking that it must be true seeing the numbers printed on a page.

If you are feeding a small amount of hay, say around 1-2 kg then it's no big deal as it isn't the bulk of the intake. Especially lucerne as it tests reliably high in protein and calcium, relatively low in phosphorus.

Only way to know what the nutrient levels are in the intake, and then to know what needs to be fed to correct deficiencies and correct imbalances (mineral ratios), is to have your forage tested in a lab. Without that data, it's all a blind guess. Plenty will say they can tell you what to feed or if a product will provide what a horse needs but it's simply marketing.

You may need to feed more, for example, calcium, or phosphorus, or have too much of one or both. No way of knowing without nutrient data for the whole intake.

My mineral mix formulations are based on thousands of pasture and hay tests so that we can have an educated guess at what is most likely needing to be boosted.

Another question often asked is what are the best feeds for horses. It's really simple - high fibre feeds which is what the digestive system of horses evolved on. If you want gut health, think about the quality of what you are feeding. This is not saying that all the recommendations from reports based on dodgy estimates can't be helpful. Of course not but we can't say the intake is balanced if there is no actual data.

When I am asked, I am very happy to provide this advice for free.

What to feed?
Fibre and the products of fermentation are a vital source of energy, protein and vitamins. Fibre plays a huge role in immune system responses, fertility, gut health, preventing colic, and well being. There are many horses on gut supplements who wouldn't need them if they were on high fibre intakes. High fibre feeding suits all horses, all categories from performance horses to breeding horses to actively growing young horses to horses in no work. We do know that copper and zinc, and often iodine are too low in forage, testing is the only way to know what other nutrients are in excess and what are deficient. More information here: https://balancedequine.com.au/mineral-interactions/

Premix commercial bagged feeds can help but their feeding recommendations never take into account mineral interactions, and when a concentrate (high in grain and/or high in starch with brans) is fed, the high energy value can 'cheat' the horse of nutrients from fibre sources.

Ideally, what we feed a horse should be high in soluble fermentable fibre, what a horse's digestive system evolved on. When hay and grass are not enough to support a horse the next choice is either beet pulp, soybean hulls or lupin hulls or a combination. For a horse in work that can experience fatigue, any of these feeds can be combined 1:1 with whole oats to produce a steady release of energy (safer than barley).

However, the only way to know if any one feed is the best for your horse's situation is to base it on data, either the pasture and/or hay, whichever is applicable. Programs that offer 'estimates' for hay or pasture nutrient levels are not reliable, way too much variation. If you are unable to test, and I sympathise, then do the next best thing, choose a high fibre feed rather than low fibre, high starch junk feed. You can use a program to guide your choices but always see it as a guess.

The following feeds are ideal; Speedi-beet, Hygain Micrbeet, Energreen Maxisoy, Hyfeed HyFibre, Benchmark Perfect Mash, Super Fibre Mash, QPD Relax Super Fibre Plus, KISS Horsecare Simple Fibre in WA, Hygain Fibressential, T&R Lupin Fibre Cubes, CEN Grain Free, CEN Lupin+ (the T&R and CEN feeds are mainly lupin hulls, not lupins). Other choices are Prydes EasiFibre, Prydes EasiKeeper or Prydes EasiSport.

If the horse is insulin resistant (IR)/equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) then the safest low sugar + starch choices are Speedi-beet, Hygain Micrbeet (both beet pulp), Energreen Maxisoy, Benchmark Super Fibre Mash, Benchmark Perfect Mash, Hyfeed HyFibre (soybean hulls) and Thompson and Redwood Lupin Fibre Cubes, QPD Produce Relax Super Fibre Plus, CEN Grain Free (lupin hulls).

If needing more protein for low protein hay, the following higher protein lupin hull feeds are suitable if fed in small amounts,

16/03/2023

If your horse, pony, donkey, or mule has laminitis, we recommend you implement the Emergency Diet right away. Get details here: https://bit.ly/2HV5Gqs

27/02/2023

BLOODWORK

Some of those hoof cases that confound us, that just seem to have all these nagging problems that won't go away despite good diet and environment, things like the persistent thrush, chronic thin soles, hoof soreness/sensitivity, abscessing, wall quality issues, could simply be suffering from undiagnosed metabolic problems.

I want to be clear that while many of us assume a metabolic horse will be a chunky horse with a cresty neck and fat pads, thin horses can be metabolic as well. In fact, early PPID (Cushing's) often presents itself as a horse becoming a harder keeper, experiencing topline loss, or overall losing condition. Don't assume your horse isn't metabolic just because it's not fat!

To rule out metabolic issues, the first port of call is your vet. Have your vet pull some bloodwork to check that the horse's insulin and ACTH levels are in range. The Tufts Endocrinology Department has a great PDF about current practices, and ECIR is a wonderful resource for blood draws, so you can make sure your management leading up to the appointment will give the most accurate result on the blood test!

Just a note that this time of year (January through June) in the Northern hemisphere, ACTH levels are naturally lower. This can produce a lot of false negatives for early PPID/Cushing's cases - and can make people assume their horse isn't metabolic when the test simply wasn't sensitive enough for them!

During this time of year, ask your vet about a TRH stim test. It is much more sensitive and can help find those early cases of PPID that might be causing hoof issues but nothing else yet. Their coat might look fine, they might seem okay in all other aspects, but their feet are struggling a little.

The stim test is when your vet pulls a baseline ACTH blood draw, then injects a thyroid stimulating hormone, waits a bit, and pulls ACTH bloodwork again. This can help with comparing the pre-stim to the post-stim result to see how the pituitary gland is responding to the injection.

If you're struggling with hoof issues and can't seem to figure out why, bloodwork may be very telling!

27/02/2023

07/02/2023

Posting photos of plastination moulds, the first from healthy feet and the latter from laminitis affected feet

05/01/2023

A new client's Clydesdale mare 'Mehgan' . Despite the feet being desperately long, they were in good condition. Thankyou Mariah Park Heavy Horses for the recommendation

05/01/2023

This is the best, all encompassing science on why horses should not be blanketed or groomed in winter and fed free-choice grass hay 24/7. Well done! Natalija! All documented and referenced at the end. By: Natalija Aleksandrova Holistic Horse & Hoof Care In order for a mammal to survive, internal bod...

05/01/2023

Happy new year! I have decided to open my books and concentrate on full time trimming. New clients welcome. Servicing the Mid north coast Buladelah to Nambucca

28/12/2022

Yesterday's transformation trim

26/12/2022

In this podcast, Bryan and Peter discuss the possible dangers of Spring Pastures in relation to common conditions such as colic, laminitis and spookiness. How the spring pasture growth can present challenges to horse owners? The common conditions that may develop from the nutrient profile of spring....

12/11/2022

I get a real buzz from seeing my clients have success Stephanie O'Toole showing her gorgeous filly Isla for a class win at Dungog show

04/10/2022

All hays require some protein/amino acid and/or mineral balancing but this is highly variable even within a geographical region and is best done by analyzing the hay to see what the starting point …

13/09/2022

FLASHBACK TO THE FUTURE: Neuropathic changes in equine laminitis pain

https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/8395473/Neuropathic_changes_in_equine_laminitis_pain.pdf

Although this article was published in the distant past (2007), it bears a great deal of relevance to us from a neurological point of view.
Here are some of the most ⚡️findings shared in this article:

⚡️ Laminitic horses displayed quantifiable pain behaviours - this is NB - changes in behaviour are an indication of pain!! In this case, frequent forelimb lifting and spending time in the back of the stall 🤕

⚡️the lateral digital nerve of laminitic horses shows DISTINCT morphological changes to the myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibres innervating the hoof - these included
🔸a reduction in the number of fibres,
🔸disruption of the axon sheath,
🔸abnormalities in the shape of surviving axons
🔸an accumulation of myelin debris
🔸a reduction in the total nerve area
🔸and more......

⚡️within the Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) at C8, the neuronal injury marker ATF-3 is selectively expressed in the sensory neurons that innervate the forelimb, at much higher concentrations than normal...

⚡️there is a distinctive pattern of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in the sensory nerves within the DRG of C8
🔸this points to an immunoreactivity of NPY in C8 of laminitic horses

WHY does this matter to us, when we don't necessarily treat these cases??

💭It matters, because these changes in the nervous system make laminitic pain hard to control.
💭it matters, because this mechanical pathology now becomes a neurological pathology and deficit.
💭it matters, because these horses matter.
Their rehabilitation matters.
Their lives matter.
And we need to be a part of that whenever we can 💚

Thank you to Amie Hesbach for pointing us towards this article during your and Gillian Tabors lecture series on Neuroplasticity in the Equine patient 💚

11/09/2022

On behalf of a client, 2 x 2nd generation Guy Fawkes heritage horses, quiet but never haltered. Blank slates at 1k each 1× mare 1x gelding

04/09/2022

Good information

Have you just started transitioning to barefoot or are looking for ways to improve the condition of your barefoot horse’s hooves, it is well worth while to take a closer look at the environment your horse lives in. A varied environment that encourages movement can be the key to achieve those rock-...

25/08/2022

Handy info

Christine Johnson, DVM, of Leclair Equine in Berthoud, Colorado, explains the process of using poultice and wrapping a horse's hoof.

19/08/2022

http://www.wildabouthooves.com.au Instructions on Treating a Hoof Abscess pre calling for a Vet or Farrier by the wild about hooves team. also https://vimeo....

17/08/2022

12/08/2022

08/08/2022

Sometimes trimming is quite a puzzle, this is my client's horse "Helen" she has been having front feet issues for 8 months constant hoof abcesses. Finally a diagnosis she was pregnant and suffering from placentitis that was causing laminitis. She welcomed her premature filly into the world . Hopefully now she will completely recover

07/08/2022

06/08/2022