I've been reading "the digest" for a week or so now, and have enjoyed the
"give and take" of this group. Thought I'd ask a few questions and see if
anyone has suggestions for me. Thanks in advance!
I have a 15 year Arab mare who completed 250 miles endurance in the NW in
1992. A successful year for her and my first. Then I had to take the 93 and
94 seasons off due to work and moving "stuff". Part of the move involved
going from approx 10 acres of hilly pasture onto 5 level acres, with the
horses spending their days in a small muddy 100x100 pen with nights in
stalls with mats and shavings. I used to have them out with full time
access to cover and fed alfalfa to supplement the pasture that they were on
year-round. Ignorant me, when we moved, I just increased the volume of
alfalfa they were fed to compensate for the missing pasture. SO, after 3
months of this new regime, my sturdy, extremely healthy mare suffered an
impaction-colic. Took 2-3 days, a couple doses of banamine, and a gallon of
mineral oil/magnalax to resolve, but she pulled through, seemingly just fine.
I immediately changed the diet to good quality grass hay, with the LMF feed,
Endurance NRG, supplemented with a lactobacillus culture, and Strongid-C.
The problem is that the mare has suffered from loose stools ever since the
colic episode. Rectal palpation revealed nothing significant, as did blood
chemistries and CBC. My veterinarian suggested that I should switch her
onto Equine Senior (purina) and so I did. Also added a second brand of
lactobacillus supplement. Stools are not *quite* cow-pie-like, but close.
Mare has lots of energy, but still is a little *ribby*. To try to increase
the fat in her diet a little, she is also getting about a cup of rice bran
daily. None of the changes I have made in her diet have made any difference
in the consistency of her BM's.
So, the question is: Has anyone out there conquered a problem like this?
The mare is being ridden and or ponied 2-3 times weekly and does great, but
it just seems that if *I* had had her condition for 2 months, I wouldn't
feel very good.
Sorry I took up so much of everyone's time and space; thanks again for
listening!!
Lynne Walters