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 Veteran
Posts: 137
 
Location: somewhere down in Texas | We bought a pony for my son not knowing she had founded previously. Well she is now on a dry lot and has been for some time. She gets no grain and just a little alfalfa 2x/day (per vet suggestions) and she is still almost cripple off and on. We have her feet done and she has been on a few rounds of bute. Any suggestions what else we can do? I feel terrible for her |
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 Veteran
Posts: 224
Location: So Cal | Have you x-rayed her? Does she have shoes on? Pads? I'd start by x-raying if you haven't so you know what you're dealing with, then work with your farrier. |
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 Too Skinny
Posts: 8009
  
Location: LA Lower Alabama | If it has been a while on a dry lot I would suggest xrays. In the mean time do your best to make them comfy. We have used foam insulation sheets duck taped to their hooves to help cushion like soft rides do but I would be worried this has gone a bit to far. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| I have one, and alfalfa is a big NO. Grass hay, no molasses beetpulp, and a super low sugar starch feed. Very low protein, starch, sugar diet is usually what is suggested. Having the best vet and farrier is a must have.
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Veteran
Posts: 137
Location: somewhere down in Texas | Vet suggested alfalfa and not grass hay because alfalfa is lower in sugar than grass but higher protein. We haven't done x rays and she doesn't have shoes on. I want her to be comfortable but didn't want to spend a ton of money just because she was a fairly cheap pony to begin with. That probably sounds terrible but my husband is the tight wad about it and I have to argue with him about it ?? I do think I am going to look into some soft rides for her though. I think that will help her? |
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Expert
Posts: 1280
Location: Texas | I have one that had trouble last fall. Ever since then he gets little to no grass, coastal hay, a handful of pellets, and we keep him trimmed every 3 wks. He made a complete turn around. He is not fat. Fat ponies are a no no. The more movement that he can do the better (this is hard to accomplish on a pony that hurts, I know). |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Some can't handle alfalfa. Foundered horses/ponies are a case by case. I would try to cut out the alfalfa. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | You shouldn't be giving a pony with found alfalfa, at all. We just put my daughter's pony down due to founder on friday. Grass hay only, like prairie hay, and a flake PER day, not 2x. |
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Veteran
Posts: 137
Location: somewhere down in Texas | Ok we will make the switch to coastal. This pony is not fat at all either. She never really has been. But ill get with the shoer and vet again and try to make a game plan for her |
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| Get a grain pan and put ice water in it and soak the feet for twenty minutes at least once a day to try and get some of the inflammation out of those feet ASAP.
I would also try Soft Ride boots. They are a little expensive, a couple hundred dollars I think, but they are a great cushion for tender feet. They help provide some relief while the inflammation calms down, and people use them every day for trailering long distances.
Try and get those feet calmed down a bit before taking radiographs, it can do wonders for getting the pony to stand still. |
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Veteran
Posts: 233
| If the only grass hay you have is coastal, you need to soak it before you feed it. If improperly fertilized it can get screaming high in sugar. |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | hoofs_in_motion - 2017-09-18 11:38 AM
You shouldn't be giving a pony with found alfalfa, at all. We just put my daughter's pony down due to founder on friday. Grass hay only, like prairie hay, and a flake PER day, not 2x.
So sorry for your daughter and her pony. . . |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| run_the_dun - 2017-09-18 11:21 AM
Vet suggested alfalfa and not grass hay because alfalfa is lower in sugar than grass but higher protein. We haven't done x rays and she doesn't have shoes on. I want her to be comfortable but didn't want to spend a ton of money just because she was a fairly cheap pony to begin with. That probably sounds terrible but my husband is the tight wad about it and I have to argue with him about it ?? I do think I am going to look into some soft rides for her though. I think that will help her?
Alfalfa is not a good food for foundered horses as it does the same thing to the body as grain.
When digested it ferments in the hind gut causing a release of endotoxins which causes inflammation of the body and possible coffin bone rotation.
Hoof boots may be as much as you need, I have one foundered mare in the winter and on hard surfaces I need to keep her in boots as she bruises easily.
Trimming every 4 weeks very important.
You can message me if you want to |
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | Our pony came to us when she was 18 months old. The first four years she was like a normal horse, in to eat, out all the rest of the day. Then she started occassionally getting ouchy so I'd keep her off grass for a few days and she would be fine. Then she was more ouchy than not and she pretty much had to stay locked up all of the time and regulary giving her bute. She got no feed except what she could find dropped on the ground. She's always had her feet done along with the horses on a good routine. Farrier trims her special for her condition. I felt bad for her having to stay isolated. On a lark, I bought her a grazing muzzle a year or more ago. After a few test runs of turning her out then keeping her in, I now can leave her out every day with a very rare day (maybe in the last day or so before the farrier comes) that I have to keep her up. I hope you can find a solution! |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Chandler's Mom - 2017-09-18 11:02 PM hoofs_in_motion - 2017-09-18 11:38 AM You shouldn't be giving a pony with found alfalfa, at all. We just put my daughter's pony down due to founder on friday. Grass hay only, like prairie hay, and a flake PER day, not 2x. So sorry for your daughter and her pony. . .
Thank you, I haven't worked up the courage to tell her yet....I'm a bad mom  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| I agree, you’re going to want to take the pony off alfalfa. I work with a lot of ponies and with all the ones I’ve had in, the best thing I’ve found for them is prairie grass hay (variations of wheatgrass and native grass mix) and not much of it.
The bigger ones (10HH+) that are being worked get a flake am & pm. The mini gets ½-1/3 a flake am & pm and even with that she’s got extra fat, but not dangerous. I also give a mineral supplement with <1/2 C oats to all.
Some days they get about an hour or two grazing time, but I cut their hay down depending on how long they are out. When it’s really cold I will throw them a little alfalfa.
It’s hard when they’ve finished eating and beg for more before I’m even done feeding the other horses, but they are all at the right weight, look good, and don’t have any feet issues.
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 Veteran
Posts: 246
Location: Idaho | I have a mini who had been foundered when I got him. Worst things Ive found with mine is fresh, green, springtime grass, and letting his feet get too long. His feet grow crazy fast and Im married to my horseshoer so my horses always seem to be the last done. I dry lot my pony and feed mostly grass hay with an occation bite of alfalfa. We gave him a small amount of special formulated grain meant for foundered horses and added some MSM. My pony is just a travel pony but when we travel he stands a lot so i have Back On Track boots and fashioned a Back on Track blanket for him. I keep him pretty trim because being heavy makes his condition worse. I also beg and plead my husband to trim him feet every chance i get. It seems if you can keep up on them steady and consistent, it isnt drastic growth then drastic trims which make him pretty sore. I will also give him a half tab of bute soaked in aloe juice in his grain when he travels a lot or gets a drastic trim on his feet. |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | Have you tested for cushings? |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | hoofs_in_motion - 2017-09-19 7:59 AM
Chandler's Mom - 2017-09-18 11:02 PM hoofs_in_motion - 2017-09-18 11:38 AM You shouldn't be giving a pony with found alfalfa, at all. We just put my daughter's pony down due to founder on friday. Grass hay only, like prairie hay, and a flake PER day, not 2x. So sorry for your daughter and her pony. . .
No you're not, I can only imagine how hard that would be to tell her. . . |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | cheryl makofka - 2017-09-18 11:11 PM
run_the_dun - 2017-09-18 11:21 AM
Vet suggested alfalfa and not grass hay because alfalfa is lower in sugar than grass but higher protein. We haven't done x rays and she doesn't have shoes on. I want her to be comfortable but didn't want to spend a ton of money just because she was a fairly cheap pony to begin with. That probably sounds terrible but my husband is the tight wad about it and I have to argue with him about it ?? I do think I am going to look into some soft rides for her though. I think that will help her?
Alfalfa is not a good food for foundered horses as it does the same thing to the body as grain.
When digested it ferments in the hind gut causing a release of endotoxins which causes inflammation of the body and possible coffin bone rotation.
Hoof boots may be as much as you need, I have one foundered mare in the winter and on hard surfaces I need to keep her in boots as she bruises easily.
Trimming every 4 weeks very important.
You can message me if you want to
Horses are designed to ferment food in the hind gut. They are called hindgut fermenters because the are supposed to do that.
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