Please help/advice Misty may be foundering!!!

misty'smom · Oct 27, 2015

Update........I did pick up the Purina LS yesterday and gave them each half a cup last night and they were two happy girls!! I've done some research on the Internet, talking to our local farm store people and waiting to talk to my Vet about the orchard grass hay. Seems like the orchard grass is very low compared to other hays. But I'll let my vet have the final say. Just with winter coming it's going to get difficult soaking and drying out their hay. I've tried for 4 days now and they won't eat it wet. They don't really like it after drying eitherThere isn't any grass out there either!! Yesterday they just walked around looking for anything they could eat, I felt like a bad Mommy!!!!! Especially in the morning no grain no hay and then poor Misty got some awful tasting medicine squirted in her mouth!!!!! She freaks out with needles, even with the 3 of us on Saturday we couldn't hold her still long enough!!!!

Any thoughts on Orchard grass hay? It's a really soft fine hay, they won't eat the coarse stuff with sticks or leaves! I got some of this fine orchard hay from the same farm this past spring,1st cutting and I didn't have any problems. This was 2nd cutting so not sure if this is what triggered it or the combo with the sweet feed. Then there are my neighbors who have been giving them 5 baby carrots that started out only ever few days but lately it's been everyday. What do you all think one thing or a combo of things??????

chandab · Oct 27, 2015

Probably a combo from the sounds of it. You can have you hay tested for sugar/starch content, if it's under 10% no need to soak.

Miniv · Oct 27, 2015

Ask your vet about the Bute Less pellets.... We've had two older girls that had ouchie feet and also took them off pasture and grain....just fed grass hay and mineral block.

We gave them banamine for a couple of days and started them on the Bute Less pellets.....weaning them off banamine. It took about a week but they improved dramatically.

I hand feed the pellets and they think they're getting a treat.

I think what sets things off is when there is a couple of hard frosts (which we've had) and it brings out the sugars in the pasture.

Ryan Johnson · Oct 27, 2015

I'm another that thinks its probably been a combo of things. The first rains after a long dry summer and the first frosts increases the sugar levels.

Lovely neighbours for giving carrots , but without offending them id ask them to hold off on the carrots for a little bit

AngC · Oct 28, 2015

misty'smom said:
I've tried for 4 days now and they won't eat it wet. They don't really like it after drying eitherThere isn't any grass out there either!! Yesterday they just walked around looking for anything they could eat, I felt like a bad Mommy!!!!! Especially in the morning no grain no hay and then poor Misty got some awful tasting medicine squirted in her mouth!!!!!

Any thoughts on Orchard grass hay?

Are you saying that your horses haven't eaten for 4 days?

I'm in WA so our orchard grass could very well be different from your orchard grass. I certainly understand why you wouldn't want to ditch 42 bales. If your bales are the same size as ours, that would be 750-800 bucks. Ditching that amount would make me wince.

Ours had very little interest in soaked hay. It broke my heart to walk away, but I just left them there with it. ---I admit I peeked every so often. And after awhile they ate. guess I was a "bad mommy" as you say; but my other choice was to risk my horse' health further. ...just wasn't an option for me.

misty'smom · Oct 29, 2015

Misty is doing better, walking normal and acting more herself? I got the new feed the Purina LS on Monday and gave them some that night. They seemed to like it and gobbled it up!!!!!! AngC they did nibble on the wet soaked hay but didn't eat it like they normally would eat their hay. Tuesday night I mixed in some hay without soaking it and they were 2 happy girls!!

My regular Vet was here this afternoon and he thinks Misty is still a bit sore. He didn't feel any heat or a strong digital pulse so that's great news!!!! He said to feed then 1/2-3/4 cup of the new feed morning/night and about 2 flakes of hay each a day.. Also said when Misty is better my neighbors can give her 2 baby carrots a day and of course Josie too!!!!! ? He also wants her to have Banamine morning and night, he gave me the paste. Said that the liquid that's meant for injections can cause irritations in the mouth if given too much that way. He will check on her again next Thursday, they are due for their vaccinations too?