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11/05

11/4/25

Tips For Safe and Healthy Seasonal Feed Changes

Fall horse pasture is an economical source of equine nutrition, but the lush grass of cooler weather can cause founder and digestive upset. If your horse has trouble with early spring grasses, fall growth can also cause problems.

Your horse needs time to adjust to the changes brought on the new season. Pasture changes, supplemental hay and grain feedings and fallen leaves can play havoc with your horse's digestive tract.

1. When switching from pasture to a hay-based diet, do so gradually. Make changes in hay gradually, replacing from 10 to 25 percent of the old hay with the new variety; increase every three days.

2. If you choose to supplement with grain, introduce small amounts slowly, no more than 1 pound per feeding. Do not feed more than 4 pounds of grain at one time.

3. Be aware that cool or wet weather can change the nutritional balance of fall grasses.

4. When making any dietary changes, watch for signs of digestive upset. Be alert for gas, mild stomach distention, diarrhea or full blown colic.

5. As pasture quality and quantity decreases, your horse may begin to sample other plants. Plant poisonings increase in the fall, so watch carefully for signs of toxicity. Different plants cause different symptoms, so be familiar with common poisonous pasture plants.

6. Some plants become more toxic in the fall, including horse nettle, white snakeroot and perennial ryegrass fungus. Acorns consumed in large quantities can also cause problems.

7. Finally, don't dump large quantities of raked leaves into your horse pasture. Horses like freshly raked leaves, but the leaves are dense and can compact in the horse's digestive system and cause compaction colic. There's also the risk that the leaves may contain toxic species like Red Maple or Black Walnut.

Take advantage of the health benefits and cost savings of fall horse pasture, but be on the lookout for potential digestive upsets.

11/03

6/27

6/23

ALL EQUINES ARE PRONE TO LAMINITIS 2/24

There are only two kinds of horses.... those that have laminitis and those that could someday get it!

• Reluctance to move freely (especially on hard/rough surfaces).
• Blood stains visible in the white line or hoof wall.
• Pulse and respiration may be elevated due to pain.
• When moving, prefers to canter rather than trot if given a choice.
• Feet are off balance - may have long toes, high heels or both.
• Moves forward soundly but takes slightly shorter than normal strides.
• Sound on soft terrain but may limp or stumble on hard or rocky ground.
• Sole bruising and a stretched white line (in some horses, by the time you see this they have been compromised for quite some time).
  
  Photo: If your horse's hooves have numerous stress rings like this one, it probably indicates repeated episodes of sub clinical laminitis.
  
  Late clinical signs: (Founder)
• Lies down a lot
• Standing but will not move
• Bounding digital pulse
• Sole hot to the touch
• White line stretched
• Will not allow you to pick up a foot
• Stops eating
• Sole bruise in the shape of a coffin bone
• Shifting weigh tfrom foot to foot (swaying side to side).
• Standing with front legs stretched out, back arched, trying to lean back to get weight off toes.
• When asked to turn in a tight area like a stall or narrow barn aisle the horse rocks backwards onto haunches, lifts head up and lurches around because it hurts to turn the feet.
  
  Usually several of these signs will appear together or appear over the course of a few days.
  All of the signs need to be evaluated in context. No single indicator would be diagnostic for laminitis.

• Do you have hooves trimmed regularly? (ie: every 4 weeks - not 8, 10 or 12) to maintain good hoof balance and health.
• What is the diet? Grains, lucernes, rich grass or a fresh flush of grass all cause laminitic attacks.
• What stresses does your horse endure? Travelling, competing, over training, illness, vaccinations, de-worming and medicating can all be triggers for laminitis.

Amazing Founder Rehabilitation through hoof trimming and wholistic care.
Most vets and horse owners consider a severe case of laminitis to be a death sentence. Some think it’s too much hard work and expense for them and too much pain for the horse or pony to endure. But why should we give up on those wonderful creatures who have given us so much? Previously it was thought that a foundered pony or horse couldn’t ever return to soundness and therefore usefulness – I was one of them. Since meeting Glynn and being involved in his rehabilitation, I’ve discovered otherwise.
With a good natural hoof trim on a regular basis and changes to a more natural diet free of rich grasses, a horse can grow a whole new hoof (or 4). This re-aligns the pedal bone and the horse becomes sound and able to perform again. In the process the owner learns how to care for the horse so laminitis doesn’t re-occur. Everyone is a winner!

Here is the story of Glynn and his recovery.
Glynn is a 22 year old Welsh Section A stallion and was a show ring champion in NSW in his younger days.
His move to Tasmania last year onto richer grass, and in-frequent hoof care caused laminitis which was so severe that most vets would have recommended euthanasia.
All four pedal bones had rotated through his soles causing open wounds and extreme lameness.

 

Glynn's founder stance prior to the first trim.

Cynthia was called for advice in February 2005 and fortunately, respected QLD Hoof Trimmer, Peter Laidley was in Tasmania for a workshop so was able to do the initial trim and prescribe a course of treatment. Trims were continued by Cynthia along with daily love and care from his owner, followed by another check up from Peter in May.

In the space of seven months he went from being barely able to move, to trotting and cantering freely on grass. He is now able to handle walking on gravel and his hooves will continue to improve and toughen up now that they are back in shape.

Treatment Summary:
*A natural trim every week for 8 weeks, then every fortnight for the next 6 weeks & now every 3 weeks.
* Initial bandaging of the front hoof wounds to keep honey in and dirt out until the wounds were healed (3 months).
* Painkillers to keep spirits up and encourage some movement (gradually phased out after 4 weeks).
* Confinement away from grass in a large stock yard on soft footing (wood chips & straw then some pea sized gravel was added in wet areas).
FOOD ALLOWED:
Free choice average quality grass hay plus oaten chaff with supplements and a small amount of pellets (Hygain Ice recommended) and a few vegetables for variety.
Once the hooves have regained a sound shape, a small amount of grass is allowed daily (1 hour of grazing with a muzzle on). Once the grass dries off, more grazing can be gradually offered.

 

 

Right after the first trim and padded hooves, Glynn was able to get relief and stand comfortably.

 

The front hooves prior to the first trim - extremely high heels contributed to rotated pedal bones through the sole.

 

The worst front hoof showing the pedal bone through the sole

Polystyrene pads initially provided support and relief.

9 months later the worst front hoof has regained a sound structure.

 

The hind hoof also showing a wound from the rotated pedal bone and blood in the white line.

 

A hind hoof half way through treatment showing the new and old growth.

 

The hind hoof 9 months later.

 

The front hoof is getting closer to its ideal shape 9 months later.

 

Glynn looking and feeling great 9 months later.

 

Glynn was trimmed by Peter Laidley for his 1 year anniversary trim and shows his appreciation with a pony kiss.

 

His hinds are looking fantastic.

 

His front hooves still have some recovery to do but are so much better.

 

Glynn looking good (but still a bit cresty) in Feb. 2006 exactly 12 months after his first rehab trim.

Your Horse is what it Eats - By Cynthia Cooper

Horses evolved to eat small amounts of grasses, herbs and minerals almost constantly throughout the day.
They covered many miles to reach water and lived in small herds of varied ages and sexes.
Does this sound like the modern horse?
Not really - their involvement with humans has necessitated their restriction and artificial feeding for ease of use as a working animal.
But today the majority of horses are used for pleasure and that pleasure need not be all ours. If we want a happy, healthy horse to provide many years of companionship then we can change our ways to suit their nature.

Many new ideas are replacing traditional methods of horsemanship and health care with hoof care and feeding now the focus. Natural Hoof Care practitioners and forage researchers have discovered that horses cannot be fed like cows – on high sugar grasses that maximise beef and milk production. To do so, compromises the health of our horses by causing laminitis as horses become more carbohydrate intolerant – commonly called ‘good doers’.

When horses eat high sugar grass it causes a toxic reaction in the hind gut which then affects the connection between hoof wall and laminae (sensitive internal structure). This causes common hoof ailments such as abscesses, seedy toe, white line disease and deformed, shallow, sensitive hooves.

With a little thought and planning, better management and feeding practices can change all of this.
Here are some changes you can make with feeding to improve health:

10/31/25

10/30/25

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