27 August 2008 14:56
My 23-year-old Connemara mare is a bit underweight, but prone to laminitis. She’s been out of work for eight weeks and on box rest for six, so has lost a lot of muscle. She gets ad-lib hay, Equivite supplement and two large handfuls of Alfa-A twice a day. How can I help her gain weight and condition without triggering the laminitis?
Answer
By Your Horse
Nutritionist Clare Lockyer replies:
Building condition on an underweight laminitic should be done slowly, with feeds containing low levels of sugar and starch, and high levels of fibre.
● Extra calories can come in the form of oil. Oils and fats are very calorie-dense, with around two-and-a-half times more calories than cereals. They’re ideal for building condition in horses and ponies, especially laminitics, where soluble carbohydrates should be avoided.
● Good feeds include Winergy Equilibrium Growth (although a growing horse feed, it’s high in oil and low in starch) or Dengie Alfa-A Oil. Both are alfalfa-based and rich in protein to build muscle tone and topline.
● If you choose an unsupplemented product, add the Equivite to keep the diet balanced. You can slowly increase the Alfa-A to help her gain weight – go up to 2kg per day.
● Based on your mare’s bodyweight (which I estimate at around 425kg), feed her at least eight to nine kilos (two per cent of her bodyweight) in total feed per day, including all her hay and any supplementary feed.
● Although she has ad-lib hay, you need to monitor how much she’s eating to make she’s getting enough.
● Find out more about laminitis in our feature on page 106. (Issue 305)