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  Discussion on Brome hay vs mixed grass and acid ph
Author Message
Member:
Fpony

Posted on Thursday, Jan 8, 2004 - 9:09 am:

Hi Dr O,

I appologise for the length of my post! Here goes...

My horse, who has been diagnosised with EPSM and has been on the EPSM high fat diet for over 2 years, is going to be treated with a full course of gastroguard. He has had a very bad fall and winter. He has tied up twice and has been a nervous reck for 3 months. The first time he tied up in late Sept we thought perhaps the increase in sugars in the fall grass could have put him at risk. Dr. Valentine did say that one would need to know the increase in starch not frucose to know if that was truely a contributor. I took him off the pasture just to be safe.

My hay is from brome fields which had me nervous as on the Safergrass site it claimed that brome grass is high in sugar. I had it analysed and the starch is 2.7% dry matter basis. Dr. Valentine said that under 4% was consider fine. The sugar wasn't too high either at 11.4 %. (This hay was late cut)

My horse continues to have pain related issues (Side biting and switching his tail as well as looking at his flanks)and has days when he just doesn't want to eat much. He also is constantly standing on watch (like he is watching for the monster so they can run to safety)Sometimes I have to feed him outside (his aflafa pellets and oil)as he just can't stand not to be watching.

Per my vet, we have given him banamine and low doses of Ace when he is uncomfortable. This seems to help. I believe the ace is also for the vasodialation affect as well as to settle him down. Hoping this will keep him from having another tie-up. For the last month I have been handwalking him for rehab of his damaged muscles and have just resently included 10 min of a bareback ride at the end of 30 mins of hand walking on hills. It has been terrible weather all winter in New Hampshire and extremely windy which adds to my horses worry.

Ok, now the question, after reading the article on ulcers I wondered why in the study called Evaluation of diet as a cause of gastic uclers in horses, they used brome hay? I realize that my horse's nervousness is probablly his worse problem but is the brome hay adding to the condition. Also, are afalfa pellets as effective a buffer as alfala hay? My plan was to feed him mini meals of alfalfa pellets before exercise or even on days when he seems overly anxious. Does this sound reasonable? My horses are fed hay 4 times a day with the last feeding being at 9:00 at night. Thank you for your time, Kim
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jan 11, 2004 - 8:32 am:

Hello Kim,
I suspect they used Brome because that is what they had available, there is nothing special about it that I am aware. Yes alfalfa pellets would be as buffering however will not take the place of the roughage in the hay so be sure he is getting an adequate amount.
DrO
Member:
Fpony

Posted on Sunday, Jan 11, 2004 - 8:39 am:

Thank you!
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