Hi, Joan, and welcome to the list!  Clover might be a problem, as it can be high in starch; also, some horses don't tolerate legumes well.  However, it is important to get to the bottom of why your horses might be reacting - if one or more of your horses is insulin resistant or Cushings, you may have to pull them off of the pasture entirely.

Magnesium is a pretty essential mineral, but must be given in balance with all the mineral supplementation.  However, we suggest on the Temporary Emergency Diet to supplement with 3 grams magnesium per 1,000 lb horse to start with, while you are waiting to get hay/forage analyzed.


To be double sure we are answering your questions correctly, we need a little more information. Please take a few minutes and join EC History 8:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/echistory8/info


Follow the instructions to download a case history template; then fill it out, save it to your computer, and upload it into the EC History 8 files section (make a folder, first, with your name on it)

The list philosophy is Diagnosis, Diet, Trim, and Exercise.

Diagnosis is  by blood tests: blood should be pulled from a non-fasting horse (or pony) in a quiet barn; blood spun, separated, and frozen or chilled asap, then sent to the lab at Cornell on ice. Ask for insulin, glucose, leptin and ACTH (ACTH is to check for Cushings or PPID - please ask for it if your horse is 9 years or older)

More information here:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/files/2%20%20Diagnosis%20Diet%20Trim/

and here:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/files/Blood%20Testing%20for%20IR%20%26%20Cushings%20Disease/


Diet is supremely important, in some ways more for what is not fed: no pasture, sweet feeds, oats/grain, carrots, apples, iron-containing supplements.  Diet consists of grass hay or haylage, with ESC (soluble sugars) and starch of less than 10%, plus minerals balanced to the forage, plus vitamin E, salt, and flaxseed or flaxseed oil.  One can use a carrier of beet pulp (rinsed, soaked, and rinsed) as a safe feed to get the supplements in.   The Temporary Emergency Diet uses hay soaked for 1 hour in cold water, or 30 minutes in hot water, with the water drained where the horses can't get at it; plus vitamin E, salt, and ground flaxseed in a safe carrier such as beet pulp (rinsed, soaked, rinsed).  More info on Temporary Emergency Diet here:

 http://tinyurl.com/yckzmlz

Trim:  This is a trim physiologically balanced to the internal shape of the coffin bone, with short toe and low heels.  Trim is often a neglected or mis-understood piece of the puzzle.

Exercise: This is the best EMS buster there is, but only if the pony/horse is comfortable and non-laminitic.  A horse that has suffered laminitis needs a good 6 to 9 months of correct hoof re-growth before any kind of serious exercise can begin.



Give us a little more information; ask any and all questions.  And, again, welcome!


Jaini (BVSc),Merlin,Maggie,Gypsy
BC09
ECIR  mod/support

EC Case History 1