ridecamp@endurance.net: Canary grasss hay and wet feet

Canary grasss hay and wet feet

Ann Hatfield (keithr@nocdc.bc.ca)
Sat, 22 Mar 1997 08:31:00 -0800

Karen, when you say that you feed canary hay is that different from Canary
Reed Grass that grows in poorly drained areas? It must be 'cus from some
reading I did in a pasture management book some while ago Canary Reed grass
has quite a high content of the same chemicals as, I think it is, (sp?)
strychnine and a couple of the other potent poisons. I can't remember what
these compounds are called, oxalates maybe? My horses love the stuff in
the pasture when it is new, search it out in preference to the more
'normal' pasture grasses. Evidently it is not as poisonous when young as
when mature. Some folks around this area do hay this grass and I haven't
heard of any overt damage but I'll bet nasty things are going on inside!

You were joking about- how long a horse can stand in water before its feet
wrinkle? Aint that the sad truth for many of us in Canada also just
appearing from under the same kind of snow load. My farrier said constant
wet footing causes spread hooves and softer walls, etc.- makes sense. Has
anyone out there experience with this every spring and do you shoe pronto
to try to control trouble before it starts or just trim and wait for the
feet to dry somewhat before shoeing?

Thanks for all the input on support boots. If anyone knows of any source
for a study on pastern angles and can give any numbers it would be very
interesting.

Ann

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