Hi Dr Getty! Goodness its been ages since we have spoken. After tragically losing my gelding that we discussed a few years ago (the one that sunk both front feet). I have now aquired another "handfull" of a horse. He is a two year old Paint Gelding approx 15hh I have had him since a weanling, however I have futily not been in 100% control over his feeding as he has been at various boarding facilities. Arizona the feed of choice is alfalfa which I have always tried to cut at the facilities I boarded at with 3 pounds of timothy pellets per feeding. Pasture is very limited and most of the time horses are grazing on weeds. Unfortunatly most of the time he was receiving straight alfalfa and remained a little on the thin side. I now have control of his feeding and would like a little imput as to what I could be doing to maximize his growth potential.
Currently he is being fed free choice quality bermuda grass hay. He consumes nearly 10 pounds of grass hay per day. He also gets 6 to 7 pounds of alfalfa per day over two feedings. For "lunch" he receives 1 pound of stabalized rice bran, and 1 and 1/2 pounds of Purina's Natures Essentials Enrich 12. I just recently started adding Select Nu- image dark horse to his diet for healthy hoof growth as he tends to have a bit of a clubbed foot and under- run heels on his back feet. His winter haircoat has just started shedding out which is a concern it is dull and very long. His spring coat appears to be very dull under the winter hair. Also, I just noticed today that he has a little diarrhea. He has recently been wormed with Ivermectin and is on a regular psyllium schedule. His weight looks good he has good covering over his ribs definitely has a healthy appetite no fever and is drinking clean water. To me, I feel as if I am over looking something or perhaps over doing something. Any advise would definitely be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Oh BTW I did read some of the posts and I just went and purchased some table salt to add to his feed.

Where are you from? Arizona

How did you locate this forum? Know Dr Getty from working at Vita Flex Nutrition

Hi Cynthia! So nice to hear from you!

Your diet sounds good, but he may not be getting enough omega 3 fatty acids since his hair coat is dull. Consider adding Nutra Flax to his feeding regimen.

If after two months on Nutra Flax, he still looks dull, consider having a basic blood profile done to get a "snapshot" of his insides. Also, have your hay analyzed so we can have accurate information about what he is eating. Equi-Analytical Labs is a reputable lab to use. I can help you go over the big picture by going over the testing results and his entire situation -- environment, history, exercise, diet, etc. to customize a feeding plan for him. So, let me know if I can assist you further.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO