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Post by imadummy on Dec 16, 2006 16:33:31 GMT 1
If I keep my elderly (21Yrs) pony in for longer than overnight she scours. She is obviously not coping with eating hay (it is good quality). I've tried feeding her "Just grass" but she won't eat it. As a last resort I have damped it down and have left her nothing else to eat, only for a few hours, and hopefully she'll eat it and problem solved. Anyone else have the same problem.
She is possibly cushings and has had laminiis in the past, which I am managing. She is a companion to my boy and not actually mine. I have posted about her in the past. We have had issues with general neglect, teeth, worming, feet not to mention ill fitting tack. If I can crack this last problem I think we are on the way to having a healthy happy old lady.
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xxx
Novice Poster
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Post by xxx on Dec 16, 2006 17:06:23 GMT 1
Why do you need to keep her in for longer than overnight?
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Post by fin on Dec 16, 2006 17:28:14 GMT 1
Soak the hay for at least an hour in lots of clean water! She might not be able to digest the sugars in it. Giving her Yea-Sacc (a prebiotic supplement) will help too.
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Post by joto on Dec 16, 2006 17:31:03 GMT 1
I echo Finns advice. also NAF Pink Powder is good it cotains mins and vits and yea-sacc. it kept my elderly shetland with cushings going for a long time,if he didnt have Pink Powder daily he scoured terribly.
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Jen
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by Jen on Dec 18, 2006 17:32:38 GMT 1
My friend is in exactly the same position as you and has to soak his chaps hay for 12 hours before feeding. This then also helps the Laminitis issues etc..
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heidi
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by heidi on Dec 20, 2006 0:06:46 GMT 1
Have you tried giving Hi-Fi as a hay replacer? Some friends of mine did that when their old pony couldn't digest hay. Some other friends bought a chaff cutter and put their hay through that and then pour mollassed water over it and drain it.
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Post by jen1 on Dec 20, 2006 0:25:29 GMT 1
what about simple sytems feed, , she needs fibre , and plenty of chewing to make sure her tummy osnt working over time, maybe feed there kind of chaff n buckets as a replacer, or why mnot give them a ring, im also a fan of pink powders,
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Post by joandlad on Dec 20, 2006 13:34:50 GMT 1
Have been through this with my 36yr old. I had to stop feeding him hay as it was upsetting his stomach. Thankfully, vet made the link between inability to chew and his very, very runny poo. I was thinking it had to be stomach based but it's because they can't chew it enough to digest it properly. Anyway, mine isn't able to eat Redi-grass either. He has a go and end up spitting out chewed up cigar shaped bits. The best thing I have found is very large buckets full of Simple Systems LucieBix, Just Grass, unmolassed sugar beet and Top Spec. Their fibres are much finer than Readi-grass and he eats them fine. They also do Ruff Stuff which is similar to Just Grass but lower in energy value. Give them a ring to check what is best for a lamanitic.
I ended up keeping him out 24/7 as I was at a loose end as to what to feed him overnight. Then I discovered SS and could have brought him back in at night but he'd decided that he wanted to be a fluffy field kept boy by then.
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Post by imadummy on Dec 20, 2006 17:59:14 GMT 1
Her teeth are fine apart from 2 missing. She won't eat just grass, dried or damped. I need to bring her in at night 'cos I bring my other one in and they won't be seperated. I rarely keep her in longer than overnight, it's just when vet, farrier are due or weather is absolutely foul, and they queue up to come in. She is on thrive by Naff as recommended by them. I will try hi fi lite and see how that goes. Thanks for your replies.
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Post by andalusianlover on Dec 26, 2006 23:39:23 GMT 1
are you feeding meadow hay? my boy is not good on that but is fine on seed hay its worth a try. good luck
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