My overweight "Pistol" was doing better on the Quiessence but i think i messed up. i added Ration plus bc it seemed to help my other horse so much. But now he is lame. i thought it might be from working himself up into a frenzy last week but not sure. this horse is so diificult to figure out. he is overweight, fat abdomen, had freq. urination and excessive thirst and very aggressive at times ( not related to feeding times). and he's not the alpha horse. bc of poor quality hay situation , i have been feeding a little alfalfa and coastal(24/7 coastal).plus, twice per day i give 1/2 scoop of wet alfalfa pellets. do i need to stop the ration plus for this horse and is the alfalfa flakes and pellets ok? he seems so hungry all the time it is very difficult to get him to focus on riding etc. I use the Parelli horsemanship training methods, which have been ext. successful on my other horses, but Pistols mind is not thinking of anything but food. thinks,df

Where are you from? tx

Hi Dianne,

The Ration Plus was not at all harmful. But, it does help the bacterial flora produce more of the B vitamins (which is a good thing). One of the effects of that is an increased appetite.

It doesn't sound like you're feeding him quite enough to meet his needs. Alfalfa is fine, but how 'bout adding some unsweetened beet pulp to the mixture?

Refresh my memory -- are you giving him a multiple vitamin/mineral supplement? This would be important to fill in any nutrient gaps.

And finally, how much Quiessence are you giving him? From what you describe, he should have 3 scoops each day.

So, go ahead and stop the Ration Plus. With his increased urination and excess thirst, he may have Cushings -- has he been evaluated for this?

There are many questions to address. If you are agreeable, I think it would be very helpful to set up a one-on-one visit.

Best regards,

Dr. Getty :)

hi, i was only giving 2 scoops of Quiessence , so i will increase it. he doesn't have the poor coat, curly , non shedding hair that i hear are the other signs of cushings. the main reason i haven't had him tested is bc it seems the tests often have false positives and false negatives. i feel like we are making progress , more by trial , then medical testing. i know that a lot of times , you can spend lots of money on vets and still not have a true diagnosis. I was a R.N. for over 20 years and saw the same with people too.i do feed all my guys 4 in 1 supplement by MVP. It just seemed cost effective to me, so i kept them on that product. i'm hoping the lameness is more from over strain than anything else. my gut is telling me he has a type of ir or "metabolic syndrome" but not cushings. it's all so complicated.would a laminex type product help Pistol? sorry so long, thanks, d

Where are you from? tx

p.s where do you get the beet pulp? just at the local feed store? and how much do i feed? thanks AGAIN!, d

Where are you from? tx

Hi Dianne,

I understand what you are saying about blood tests and since he doesn't have all the classic signs of cushings, he may very well be insulin resistant.

MVP 4 in 1 is basically a joint and hoof supplement. It does not provide vitamins and minerals. You mentioned Laminex -- since he is definitely a candidate for laminitis with his ir situation, a potent supplement such as Laminex would be appropriate.

Beet pulp is available at most feed stores. However, it is commonly provided in the sweetened variety. The amount of molasses is quite low, but in Pistol's case, I would not recommend it. You'll want to shop around to see if you can find the unsweetened version. Or, you could use the sweetened, but you'll need to soak it for 30 minutes and then drain off the water.

Another option is to provide him with a small amount of low starch feed such as Triple Crown Low Starch.

I would suggest 1 pound of beet pulp or the low starch feed at each meal. What size is your scoop? 1/2 scoop can be a large amount of alfalfa, depending on the volume of the scoop, and too many pellets can be problematic for insulin resistance. The hay is not as much of a problem, but the pellets have a higher glycemic index than the hay.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

i goofed when i said mvp 4 in 1, i am actually giving mega mag by mvp. i was at tractor supply but they didn't carry beet pulp, so i will look around. how much would i give or the other feed , how much should i give? Pistol is 14.2 H about 1000+ pounds by weight tape, he probably would be healthy at 900 pounds, i'm guessing. i'll keep exploring. i may set up a phone consult bc i do have a few questions about all my horses. d

Where are you from? tx

Hi Dianne,

Oh -- ok -- that supplement is fine. Without knowing exactly what you're feeding, his condition, and history, I can only give you an approximate amount to feed. But, I would suggest using the beet pulp or a low starch feed as a "carrier" for your supplements. So, one pound of either one at each meal, along with the supplements, would be fine. A small amount of flaxseed meal is also an excellent thing to add to provide extra nutritional value.

Yes, if your budget will allow it, I would very much like to visit with you because your situation is complex and I don't feel like I'm giving you a clear picture -- just bits and pieces. So, hopefully we can arrange that in the near future.

All the best,

Dr. Getty