Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
Welcome to my forum.
Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information.
Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you.
Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought.
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And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hello Sean,
I am so sorry that your horse had two bouts with colic. I hope that this is behind you and that she is now on the road to recovery.
In regard to your questions...
1. I understand how you can't soak the hay in such cold weather. The goal is water consumption, so have a bucket of water right next to her hay so she can consume as much as she wants. You'll want to get heated water buckets to ensure that she drinks enough. Water that is below 50 degrees is often not consumed adequately. So, make sure it is temperature regulated.
2. Wow -- you sure gave her a lot of supplements! Stay away from sunflower seeds because the high omega 6 content increases inflammation. The same is true for corn oil. Instead, get a nutritious complete feed or stay with the Dengie feed. Don't add salt plus an electrolyte. Instead, give her 1 Tablespoon of plain, white table salt in each meal. And consider adding a vitamin/mineral supplement that is flaxseed meal based, such as Glanzen Complete to fill in the gaps and reduce inflammation.
3. A salt block is fine -- plain white one. With the salt in her feed, she may not lick the salt block, but it's good to have it there. Kool Aid? Hmmm... if it gets her to drink, then ok.
4. Movement is essential and all the grass hay she wants.
I hope this is helpful. If you want to go into detail, please consider setting up a phone visit so I can go over her history, environment, exercise, medical interventions, feeding, etc. in order to customize a plan for her healing and prevention of another colic episode.
So, please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
She's on small paddock turnout until the end of December. She is in an in/out situation so moves around some on her own. We also walk her two/three times a day.
Thanks.
Where are you from? Massachusetts
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