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Post by portiabuzz on Sept 10, 2013 11:48:36 GMT 1
think summer has gone now, its rather chilly here and no flies
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Post by mrsfields on Apr 19, 2014 15:46:52 GMT 1
little update!
it's been just over a year since i started this thread re. Reggie's headshaking, and so just over a year since i started supplementing salt in his feeds and am just so over the moon...
it's been life-changing for us... he's now ridden 100% without his nose net, hacking, flat work and, today, in a group jumping session... he is so calm and mellow and "good" in his head, it's wonderful - he is like a different horse, compared to how he was before, completely unrideable without a nose net, and a nightmare to handle due to throwing his head around violently 24/7 365 days a year without it...
i've had to be really diligent in keeping his salt and minerals up year round as he does seem to need constant support, and any lapse does show very quickly! I've also had to make sure i up his salt with his work levels and hot weather, to keep him shake-free, and also watch his grass intake - he lives out on a track system which has been a great solution...
it's been a tough time getting thru the whole headshaking thing as he suffered for so many years, and this past year has been a real learning curve with good days and bad days, but seeing him so calm and enjoying his work in his jumping lesson today with my daughter riding him just felt so great... happy horse and happy mum and daughter... onwards and upwards xxx
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Post by portiabuzz on Apr 19, 2014 18:39:08 GMT 1
Wow doesn't time fly!!!! Am soooo pleased for you that's amazing !!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2014 19:21:23 GMT 1
That's fantastic news mrsfields, I'm so pleased for you and Reggie
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Post by kafee on Apr 19, 2014 23:04:30 GMT 1
Congratulations for finding a solution to your ponies problem.
I've been routinely adding 5 - 10g salt to all my ponies diets not just Raffles', the head shaker, since you started this thread. Raffles normally starts head shaking in February, but he hasn't suffered at all this year. He still has sweet itch, but the head shaking has gone.
Raffles would like to say "THANK YOU VERY MUCH" for helping his human to help him.
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Post by portiabuzz on Apr 20, 2014 8:50:01 GMT 1
Thats amazing kafee Sent from my GT-I8160
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Post by shan on Apr 20, 2014 22:27:31 GMT 1
Brilliant! Hope for us all then... are you using sea salt or table salt? And are you still using the same amount?
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Post by mrsfields on Apr 21, 2014 12:57:08 GMT 1
thanks everyone!
kafee i'm sooo glad it has helped your horse also! that is brilliant news!
shan, i just use unrefined non-iodised sea salt as i can buy 10 kilo bags of it really cheaply here in France... re. amounts, it does vary, but all of mine get a basic 10g/100kg body weight in their feeds routinely (to balance out our forage which is very low in sodium and high in potassium), roughly 2 tablespoons a day, but that goes up in hot weather, and according to exercise, based on sweating... Reggie does get more than the others, varying based on work/sweating/weather, between 75-100g per day in spring and summer (about 55g/day in winter) split into 2 feeds, but he really seems to crave it and licks his bowl clean - he must feel he needs it... they also have access to salt licks and loose salt to self-supplement as well...
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Post by shan on Apr 21, 2014 18:12:25 GMT 1
Thanks Mrs F... Beauty started head shaking today - only mildly, but still very worrying as she was very poorly last year. When it was very bad it had rained and then gone sunny, it's done the same today but she was fine till she ran round with the others for a few mins. I did plaster vaseline on and put the nose net on her. I hope it helps - such a worrying condition, I'm so pleased you sorted yours
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Post by kafee on Apr 21, 2014 20:11:48 GMT 1
I'm using Tesco's cooking salt. They also have access to a red rockie salt lick.
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Post by portiabuzz on Apr 22, 2014 12:01:20 GMT 1
i use that with Caspers Mag Ox, does the actual salt used matter?
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Post by shan on Apr 22, 2014 18:33:38 GMT 1
I don't think so, depends on preference really - as long as it's not Lo-Salt - some people prefer table salt as sea salt has other minerals in it. I've used both but my personal preference is always for sea salt
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Post by portiabuzz on Apr 23, 2014 10:39:15 GMT 1
thanks shan
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clava
Novice Poster
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Post by clava on May 14, 2014 15:16:40 GMT 1
Hi there, another update here. Belle also has now completely stopped headshaking. Interestingly I did stop the salt while she was on a course of antibiotics for peritonitis last month and within a day she had started the tell tale flicks of the nose so I put her straight back on the salt and now , even though she is on good grass, she is fine with no flicking. As a double check we rode past many fields of full flower rape and no flicking so it certainly isn't the pollen.
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Post by portiabuzz on May 15, 2014 10:40:02 GMT 1
thats so great
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