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Post by Lulu on Dec 28, 2011 15:08:29 GMT 1
My horses are much happier if not allowed to get hungry this time of year. Ad-lib hay in small holed nets to spread out the time taken to eat hay, and everyone is much happier. I used to feed loose hay on floor in field, but it would get eaten soo quickly, and I'd have hungry impatient horses next time I popped down. So I have reluctantly used haynets/hayballs (mine are all unshod) either on ground or tied low-ish in shelters... My Lena was diagnosed with a possible duodenal ulcer, and hence I've had to change my feeding routine, which works out much better now, and Lena is much calmer too in her everyday life now.
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Post by laurac on Dec 28, 2011 15:16:01 GMT 1
The only strange thing was that today she was biting the fence as I did her girth up which she did last time things went pear shaped. TOday again though I could hear her belly rumbling all the time which was what happened last time she lost the plot. Hi Holi whats stood out to me is the above which seems to indicate gut or hind gut problems or possibly ulcers or something similar A change of diet may help but as someone has suggested keep a diary of when her behaviour changes and whats the common thing My vet once said to me skeletal pain causes problems all the time, internal pain causes problems which come and go Your mare is lucky to have an owner determined to get to the bottom of things which I am sure you will do
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Post by holi on Dec 28, 2011 19:45:46 GMT 1
Good idea Laurac. I do think its a problem with good doers as people try to starve them and for me it is just wrong. I might even get a bale of good straw to mix in with her hay so she doesn't feel she gets short orders. She eats everything so fast and gets so hyped up when YO arrives in the morning to feed that she knocks her bucket over! When eating she paws the ground all the time and her determination to get to food is almost embarrassing at times!! I'll keep notes to see what is going on and see what I can find. I sort of like my yard but feel a bit judged there by a parelli follower who is a total paragon of virtue. You can almost sense her tut when I get uptight or frustrated and yet they bash their horses with a whip all the time. Perhaps its just me feeling bad about it and reading things all wrong but I've got to sort it as I feel a nuisance on the hack which gets to me. Unfortunately there are only 4 horses there (one always goes out alone as he is a LD horse that no-one can keep up with lol)) so my companions are limited and now she has attacked them I tend to tag on alone after the others or walk ahead in front. Not ideal for me and she must read it as I dread it at times.
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