Dear Dr Ghetty.
I live in Botswana and I believe you helped me out several years ago when I had and elderly rescue horse with laminitis. Thanks to your suggetion of lucern I was able to keep some weight on him whilst nursing him back to health. Sadly after being retired for a couple of years he died recently of old age. I now have a lovely young Anglo Arab whom i've had since a 2 year old, bred in the Kalahari desert. When I got him he had rubbed all his mane and tail off and looked pretty scruffy. I treated with medicated shampoo and it all grew back. Now he is a 4 year old but still suffers from extremly dry skin and main and tail. He is now starting to rub it off again despite my further efforts with the shampoo. He has been on mirracoat and 25ml of cooking oil per day but not much seems to help. I put coconut oil on the main and tail a couple of times a week just to assist. Do you have any reccommendations. Many thanks Helene

Where are you from? Uk, living in Botswana

How did you locate this forum? Years ago on google search (equine nutrition)

Hello Helene,

I'm posting the response to your similar email here for the benefit of my readers:

I’m sorry to hear your lost your old fellow, but pleased that he died of old age and not laminitis.
The best thing I can recommend for your Arab is omega 3 fatty acids found in flaxseed meal or flaxseed oil. Cooking oil or coconut oil will not help. See if you can find something like Nutra Flax. I can have it shipped to you, but shipping costs would be expensive. Let me know.

In addition to flaxseed meal, he will likely benefit from MTG – this is a topical that has shown great results in many of my client’s horses with complaints that you have. It’s worth trying and I can ship this to you, as well.

While a topical MTG is helpful, the best approach is from the inside, out, meaning nutritional intervention. Make sure he is getting a good multiple vitamin/mineral supplement to fill in the gaps.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO