Return to Website

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 

 



Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
Previous fracture on left hing ankle

I bought a two yr old QH horse gelding, 16H last summer great mover, when I got him home I noticed his back ankle was lger than the other. I was hoping it would just go down and it was a growth thing. I broke him out and trail rode him last fall and he was never lame so I was hoping it wouldn't bother him. I started training him for english this spring and he went lame twice on me for I had it x-rayed and it was a previous fracture, now it has calcium build up. Do you have any ideas other then major surgery and pinning it. I was looking at Equi-bone.

Thanks, Jackie

Where are you from? Fairmont, MN

How did you locate this forum? Checking on EQUI-BONE

Re: Previous fracture on left hing ankle

Hello Jackie,

I like the description of Equi-Bone and many readers have found it to be helpful. So, it may be worthwhile to give it a try. The exact ingredients, however, are not listed on their website so it is difficult to evaluate. It does appear to reduce inflammation.

Calcium can buildup when there is an imbalance in calcium, relative to magnesium. Equi-bone may contain extra magnesium, and if it does, that would be worthwhile.

You could give your horse extra magnesium either as Magnesium Oxide or Quiessence. I recommend 10,000 mg per day, or better yet, if you could have your hay/pasture analyzed, we would know how much magnesium to supplement in more specific quantities.

Also, be sure that you are not overdosing vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important and many horses do not get enough. But oversupplementation can lead to toxicities, which cause excess calcium to be absorbed from the diet. The correct amount of vitamin D is 6.6 IU per kg of body weight. So take your horse's weight in pounds, divided it by 2.2 to get kg. Then multiply by 6.6. See if your feeds and/or supplements add extra vitamin D which exceeds this amount.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse



Jackie Hall
I bought a two yr old QH horse gelding, 16H last summer great mover, when I got him home I noticed his back ankle was lger than the other. I was hoping it would just go down and it was a growth thing. I broke him out and trail rode him last fall and he was never lame so I was hoping it wouldn't bother him. I started training him for english this spring and he went lame twice on me for I had it x-rayed and it was a previous fracture, now it has calcium build up. Do you have any ideas other then major surgery and pinning it. I was looking at Equi-bone.

Thanks, Jackie

Where are you from? Waverly, Ohio