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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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hello Cindy,
Thank you for writing about your horse's injury and I'm delighted that you are finding my book helpful.
I'm generally not in favor of feeding bran (both rice and wheat) unless it is a commercial product that has added calcium to correct for the very high levels of phosphorus (in relation to calcium). Wheat bran is usually not available in such a commercial preparation, but you can find rice bran products that are stabilized against rancidity and correct for too much phosphorus. So, my first suggestion would be to discontinue wheat bran and be sure your rice bran is a commercially altered product.
On page 389 of my book, I outline several nutrients that are critical for healing a broken bone. Rather than Accel, I recommend going with SuPer AntiOxidant, which is much, much higher in these key nutrients and will help him recover faster.
Be sure he is getting enough quality protein to help his bone heal. I recommend adding soybean meal -- 100 grams per 100 lbs of body weight. So for a 1000 lb horse, this translaters into 1000 grams, which is equivalent to approximately two pounds, divided between 3 to 4 meals per day. This legume (in addition to the alfalfa you're feeding) will further boost the amino acid profile in his diet, to offer the building blocks to build new bone tissue.
Finally, he is in physical distress and his hindgut bacteria can suffer, possibly leading to a case of laminitis. I recommend Ration Plus to help these bacteria thrive -- this will also have the added benefit of helping him gain weight.
Keep me posted.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for your patience. And thanks for the clarification. I hope things are going well.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
The rice bran I am feeding is a commercial product; stabilized and calcium fortified. I will stop feeding wheat bran and make the other changes you recommended.
Thank you,
Cindy
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO