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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. 

I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.

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 

 

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Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Oct 23, 2010 - 8:06PM
Re: Alfalfa and Laminitis

Hi Bev,

I just answered Catherine's post so I hope that helps some. But I don't have explicit answers to the situation where a horse is just plain, "sensitive" to alfalfa. Yes, there are alfalfa allergies, but these usually manifest themselves as respiratory or skin reactions, not laminitis. So, the true reason for the problem with some horses is unknown. Unfortunately, the vast majority of horses not only tolerate alfalfa, but thrive on it as part (no more than 30%) of the hay ration. And the few that do not often create fear in the minds of horse owners, resulting in depriving their horses of this nutritious feed.

Thanks for writing! And keep up the fine work with the free-choice forage feeding. This is THE way that horses are designed to eat to prevent all types of disorders that we see in domesticated horses but do not encounter in the wild.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Bev Smith
I was pleased to see Catherine's post. My barefoot trimmer and I have also noticed low grade laminitis problems with at least one of my 6 horses and to some degree with a couple of the others when fed hay with even a small percentage of alfalfa. The one that experiences it the worst does have an alfalfa allergy. I had suspected it, and it was confirmed when he broke out in huge hives while being fed alfalfa hay by mistake at a boarding facility years ago, and at other times since then with even smaller amounts, though the hives were less excessive. In general I've learned to be cautious with alfalfa and even clover with my particular herd which saddens me when I hear of the wonderful benefits of the legumes.

I look forward to your response to Catherine's post regarding her experience with alfalfa and laminitis.

As for me, I'm free feeding quite well, thank you, on your wonderful website.

Bev Smith

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

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Oct 23rd, 2010 - 8:06 PM
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