The Itchies Are Coming!... Whoa - it's not even Winter yet!

Now is the time to be thinking about warding off the spring/summer "itchies" which seem to plague many horses beginning with spring shedding and progressively getting worse as summer's bugs and sweat become part of daily life with your horses.

"It's winter and cold out, it's not a problem now!" I can hear many of us thinking. But this is exactly the time to start thinking about the basic causes of the inflammation process that triggers many forms of "the itches" and to begin your intervention tactics.  A multi-pronged approach I first learned from Dr. Eleanor Kellon, VMD, well known  leader and innovator in equine nutrition, has worked well for clients horses in the Southwest and across the country.

The basis of "itch", a sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch, arises from inflammation of nerves. Once sensitized, it becomes easier and easier for the nerves to become "excited" and more and more difficult to quell the sensation.  The sensitivity may carry over from the original culprit (an insect bite or contact with a noxious plant or substance) so that almost anything becomes a "trigger" - something which will set off the need to scratch.  Along with this comes a whole catalog of false-positive "allergies", even to substances the horse has never been exposed to before. A "true" allergy requires previous exposure to an allergy causing substance and the development of antibodies to the allergen itself, while a "false" allergy is an inflammatory reaction to a trigger acting as an irritant to the immune system.

Why some horses respond or react more to inflammatory insults than others isn't really known - just as why some people are allergic to bee stings or have autoimmune diseases and others do not.  There may have been a reaction to midge bites or another "trigger" when their immune system was busy with something else and that began the process. What we need to accomplish is to support the immune system so it can effectively deal with future triggers.  At the same time we don't want to "stimulate" the immune system as it is already overstimulated.

The first step in a comprehensive plan to combat next season's itchies is mineral balancing your horse's diet.  Without the base diet in place to provide the body with the tools and building blocks to develop and maintain a strong immune system, all your subsequent interventions become an exercise in futility and a waste of your time and money.  Start with a calcium phosphorus ratio as close as 2:1 as you can bring it, add magnesium to bring it to a similar level to phosphorus, then identify and balance excessive levels of iron (pro-inflammatory) and manganese.

The next step in your comprehensive plan is to provide a source of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E in your horse's diet year round.  When horses graze active gowing pasture they receive adequate Omega-3 but, as soon as hay is cut and cured this is lost almost immediately (along with vitamin E). Flaxseed (fresh ground or stabilized) at a rate of two to six ounces a day, flaxseed oil at one to four ounces per day, chia seed at two to six ounces per day or any of a number of commercial Omega-3 supplements can provide the powerful antioxidant support missing from hay.  Vitamin E is another antioxidant which is easy to include (at a rate of 2 IU per pound of body weight or 2,000 IU for an average horse).

By starting these steps now when your horses may least seem to need them you're ensuring they enter into the critical spring shedding season with good immune system reserves.

Spirulina

Thinking ahead to your horse's spring and summer response to their usual triggers - bug bites, sweat, etc. - be prepared to take action before these triggers can set off a full scale inflammatory response. If your horse always breaks out in hives at the first sign of a gnat or midge, begin giving Spirulina at a rate of 20 grams twice a day (or 40 grams once a day) about a month before the first bug is expected to appear.  Spirulina is a farmed source of a specific blue-green algae (not "any" blue-green algae will do). Despite some of the outrageous claims of Spirulina as a "super food", it does have some mast cell inhibition properties and suppression of histamine levels which can effectively slow down or even halt some inflammatory responses, (similar in effect to the human medication montelukast).

A "nutraceutical" which has an anti-inflammatory effect is chondroitin sulfate.  This is the "same" chondroitin popular as a joint supplement but given at a rate of 2.5 to 5 grams per 500 pounds body weight per day, or 5 to 10 grams per day for an average horse.

There are several other herbs and "natural" remedies which may be helpful but few will be effective once the inflammatory cascade has been set in motion.  If you wait until your horse is already reacting to sweat and bug bites with hives or scratching themselves raw, you'll most likely need veterinary intervention and medications incluiding steroids and anti-histamines to slow down and halt the process and you - and your horse - will be stuck with another year of the misery of the itchies.

Caution! Just because sometihing is "natural" does not mean it is safe!  Make sure your veterinarian is aware of any supplements, herbs and nutraceuticals you give your horse, especially if any medications or treatments are also needed.  Even "natural" topical medications and sprays can be triggers - for example, a "natural" fly spray triggered my asthma last summer and raised hives on one horse's rump.

Plan ahead - and think about next summer's worst being a good roll in the sand and a shake after a ride. (This would be a great time to take Dr. Kellon's NRC Plus and Nutrition as Therapy courses!)

Warm regards,

Patti
in very chilly Vail Az


Links:
I have included Wikipedia and commercial links here today because they provide some simple explanation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allergy
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/articles/allergic-skin-reactions
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/omega-3
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/vitamin-e
http://www.drkellon.com
http://www.drkellon.com/coursedescriptions/nutritionasatherapy.html
http://www.mybesthorse.com/productinformation/spirulina.html
http://horsetech.com/equine-supplements/basic-ingredients/spirulina
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1781653/pdf/12061428.pdf
http://www.lifeextension.com/protocols/immune-connective-joint/allergies/page-03
http://www.mybesthorse.com/productinformation/chondroitinsulfate.html

Dr. Kellon Live with ECIR's Jaini Clougher

In case you missed the live interview with Dr. Eleanor Kellon and ECIR Group Inc president Dr. Jaini Clougher, go to http://traffic.libsyn.com/jpr/The_Jefferson_Exchange_06_10_2013_Hour_1A.mp3 to listen to the archived interview.

Jefferson Public Radio covers the Oregon and Northern California area including Jacksonville, where the NO Laminitis! 2013 conference - featuring Eleanor Kellon, VMD and Hoof Physiologist Robert Bowker, VMD, Phd - will be held in September.

The Oregon Veterinary Examining Board has approved the conference program for 13 Continuing Education credits - a great opportunity for your vet or other equine professional to enjoy an informative weekend in a beautiful area.  Lots of points of interest for other members of the family, and a short trip to some of the major BLM Mustang Herd Management areas. Lots more information at http://www.nolaminitis.org.

Best regards,

Patti in Vail AZ

- waiting for summer monsoons

This Month's Issue of THM

Processing Feed Ingredients - the lead article in the July issue of Dr. Eleanor Kellon's The Horse's Mouth can give you some insight on reasons to include - or not include - processed feeds for your horse.  I've long been a fan of using "straights" or "hard feed" - grain with as little handling and processing as possible but there are many circumstances where your horse might benefit from the improved energy availability of a processed grain. 

                                           

An eye opener in Electrolyte Replacement is that low potassium may actually reflect inadequate sodium (salt) intake.  Most "pleasure" horses don't need commercial electrolytes but would benefit from making sure their daily requirements for salt are being met - which they won't get from a salt block.  In the Southwest, where the dry air can cause a horse's sweat to dry up before it's noticed that the horse is sweating, an average size horse should be getting two to three ounces of plain white salt a day.

Veterinarian Lisa Lancaster of Lancaster Veterinary Services in Denver, CO explores the effectiveness of acupuncture in Equine Acupuncture, especially as an adjunct to treating pain and inflammation.  As we see more veterinarians learning and practicing alternative modalities themselves or referring their clients to  Integrative Medicine practitioners, it's important that we have some understanding of these modalities so we know what to look for and what to expect.

If you haven't looked into subscribing to The Horse's Mouth, you'll find it's a bargain.  Your monthly downloaded pdf issue will become a resource that you'll return to over and over again.  A subscription will give you access to past issues plus the opportunity to "Ask the Vet" - pose questions directly to Dr. Kellon in an international discussion forum.

Links:
Dr. Kellon's website www.drkellon.com
Subscribe to The Horse's Mouth here and check out the Equine Nutrition course offerings.
The Horse's Mouth discussion group http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Thehorsemouth/

Lisa Lancaster, MSc, PhD, DVM  www.lisavet.com
More information about the alternative modalities Dr. Lancaster practices.


Salt Deprivation: more common than you think  www.shotgunranch.me
by Claire Cox-Wilson, RN, BA  originally published in Bridle and Bit July 2011


Introducing New Feeds and Supplements (or "salting the environment") www.desertequinebalance.com  Introducing salt (and other new stuff) to your horse's diet

What is The Emergency Temporary Diet?

The Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) group, co-owned by equine nutritionist and author Eleanor Kellon, VMD, has long supported using a low sugar/low starch diet for horses showing signs of laminitis, founder, insulin resistance (IR) or Cushing’s disease (PPID - pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction).

The Emergency Temporary Diet by Dr. Eleanor Kellon as posted on the ECIR group is not intended as a long-term complete diet but as an initial measure to bring symptoms under control until hay can be analyzed to check for suitability and mineral balancing. While some horses may begin to show improvement right away when high sugar/high starch triggers are removed from the diet, most won’t show real changes until their diet has been balanced and their trim optimized for a few months.

I have slightly modified the ECIR Group Emergency Diet (with permission from Dr. Kellon) and added some suggestions based on local Southwest availability. The complete article can be read on my website www.desertequinebalance.com and a pdf version is available there to download and print.

Tested low sugar/starch hay

The essentials of the Emergency Diet include:

• Grass hay - either tested for a total sugar (ESC) plus starch level of <10% or soaked/drained
• Iodized salt - 1to 2 heaping Tablespoons per day to start
• Magnesium - 5 grams until hay is tested (about 2 teaspoons of magnesium oxide)
• Vitamin E - 2,000 IU from natural vitamin E gel caps
• Flax - either fresh ground flax seed or a stabilized flax product

These are the only basics your horse needs until you have had an opportunity to take a deep breath and sort things out.  Horses lived and evolved for thousands of years on the nutrition basics provided by forage and salt - your horse does not require any additional bagged feed in most circumstances.

However, the “emergency” diet is a temporary measure and will, at some point, need to be mineral balanced.  The ideal way is to have your hay analyzed and use a custom supplement based on the results of the analysis.  The analysis will also give you information on digestible energy (DE - calories/energy) which will help guide the amount you need to feed, and crude protein (CP), sugar, starch and mineral levels.
  
Feeding a custom supplement based on your hay analysis may often cost less than using a quality “off the shelf” supplement. If unable to test your hay there are options for addressing deficiencies and excesses using regional supplements.

Don't spend your hard earned money on expensive specialized supplements until you understand what your horse needs.  There are no magic bullets in a bag or bucket that will take the place of an accurate diagnosis, eliminating excessive sugar and starch from your horse's diet, a correct balanced trim and exercise (summarized by Dr. Kellon as DDTE).  Once DDTE has been addressed you can take your time finding the most appropriate and cost effective supplements for your horse.


Best regards,


Patti
Desert Hoofprints in lovely cool Vail AZ (which won't, unfortunately, last long)


Links

The “Emergency” Temporary Diet - with modifications and suggestions for Arizona and the Southwest 
ECIR Group http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/

NRC Plus equine nutrition courses by Eleanor Kellon, VMD
Analyzing Hay and Feeds - http://www.desertequinebalance.com/articles/analyzing-hay-and-feeds

Omega-3 Supplement Choices

Omega-3 fatty acids are needed by horses for anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory protection.  Natural forage pastures have high omega-3 levels - with omega 3 to 6 ratios of  4:1 to 6:1 - while most other feeds given to horses are high in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 actions have demonstrated a decreased inflammatory response while actions produced from omega-6 are the opposite; they increase the inflammatory response, increase allergic hyperactivity and increase exercise-induced bronchial constriction.  (Pagan, Kentucky Equine Research.)

While both Omega-3 and 6 are essential, maintaining ratios similar to that of natural forage is likely optimum (Kellon, Nutrition as Therapy) and horses on hay diets with little or no access to good pasture should be supplemented with an omega-3 source. Cured forage rapidly loses it omega-3, and many other popular supplements such as rice bran and black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) are high in omega-6. For example, to "balance" the omega-6 in two ounces of rice bran you would need four to six ounces of flax or four to six Tablespoons of flax oil. It would take six or more ounces of flax to balance the omega-6 in one ounce of BOSS. Flax seed also quickly loses its omega-3 activity after grinding unless refrigerated immediately or milled using a special process to stabilize the fatty acids.

You can estimate the amount of omega-3 and 6 in several different additives using the Excel calculator at http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/omega-3. A PDF version is also included for reference. You're not likely to achieve perfect "natural forage" omega-3 to 6 ratios but this can help you keep a more natural balance and avoid feeding excess omega-6 in additives.

There is also a newly updated chart of products supplying omega-3 fatty acids that you can use to compare daily cost.  The obvious front runners in cost were "generic" flax seed and flax oil. Next in line are three "stabilized" products:  HorseTech's NutraFlax, Omega Fields' Horseshine and Triple Crown's OmegaMAX.   Karron Oil, once a Horse Journal top pick, is currently unavailable in the US.  Platinum Performance weighs in with Equine Healthy Weight, flax oil which uses vitamins C and E as preservatives. Chia seed is fairly equivalent to flax seed in omega-3 content.  It remains pricey but this may be made up for by the convenience of being able to feed chia seeds whole without grinding.

I'm not a fan of giving any animal-based products to my horses so only one product containing fish oil is included.  It has not been conclusively shown that the form of omega-3 in fish oil is well utilized by horses (as it is in humans).

There has been no documented evidence that either flax seed or chia seed can prevent sand build up or clear sand from the horse's digestive tract.  Until this has been clearly demonstrated you should follow your veterinarian's suggestions for sand build up prevention.

I hope you find this information useful - it isn't always simple to balance cost vs need or convenience.

Flax flowers

Best regards,

Patti
Desert Hoofprints in 100+ degree Arizona where flax flowers grow under my bucket washing rack.

Leptin Baseline Testing for EMS

Leptin baseline testing has been added to the available test panels at the New York Animal Health Diagnostic Center Endocrinology Section at Cornell University for horses being tested for Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), formerly known as Insulin Resistance (IR). See the protocol outline at

http://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/Sects/Endo/testinfo.cfm under Equine Metabolic Syndrome Tests.

"Leptin is a hormone produced by adipocytes. Leptin is useful for separating hyperinsulinemia caused by EMS or Cushing’s syndrome from other causes, such as laminitis, stress, or non-fasted samples. This test can be performed on the same sample used for the Insulin baseline or ACTH/Insulin combination test."

According to Eleanor Kellon, VMD "The addition of leptin testing to the proxies greatly improves sensitivity. "  


Advantages of the Leptin/Insulin baseline or Leptin/ACTH/Insulin combination tests are they only require a single blood draw (though samples do require special handling and overnight shipping for accurate results).


The Leptin/Insulin baseline or Leptin/ACTH/Insulin combination panels are currently only available through the lab at Cornell, so your veterinarian will need to have an account with Cornell.


For more information, help and support for you and your horse with IR/EMS or PPID (Cushing's) you can join the ECIR Yahoo group at http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/ (the digest or reading web-based posts is recommended as there may be 50 or more messages a day).

ECIR Group NO LAMINITIS! Conference Registration

Registration is now open for the First Annual

ECIR Group NO LAMINITIS! Conference.

Attendees may register via Pay Pal or by mail.

When: August 5, 6 & 7, 2011

Where: Syracuse, New York

Featured Speakers :

• Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD
• Robert M. Bowker, VMD, PhD
• Members of the ECIR Group Support Team

Registrations received by June 5 qualify for an Early Bird ticket discount price of $150.00. Registration after June 5 will be $175.00

Many plans have been finalized including the Friday Night Meet and Greet and a Saturday Night BBQ thanks to our Gold Benefactors, which currently include Auburn Labs - APF, HorseTech Equine Supplements, Triple Crown Nutrition and Uckele Equine Nutrition.

Please say thanks to these companies next time you contact them.

The NO LAMINITIS! Conference is being hosted by DeMario Farms and Black Horse Consulting in Chittenango, NY. A block of rooms has been set aside at the Days Inn about ten minutes away from DeMario Farms - let them know you are with the ECIR Group when you make your reservation for a ten percent lodging discount. Check out the Where to Stay button for this and other options including camping areas.

Complete conference details are at NoLaminitis.org

ECIRHorse.com - your reference source for Insulin Resistance and Cushing's disease

The ECIR Group - help and support for you and your horse

You can also visit the ECIR Group on Facebook.

EPSM/PSSM - A Quarter Horse Named Doc updated

Since I wrote this three years ago, there has been an increased awareness of equine neuro-muscular disorders by horse owners and their veterinarians. Draft-crosses are becoming popular - spurred by PMU mare/foal rescues many are being ridden by new or first-time horse owners - and their susceptibility to "traditional" draft horse neuro-muscular issues often forces their owners into a sharp learning curve.

go to the updated EPSM/PSSM and a Quarter Horse Named Doc

From Horse Apples to Poo Soup

To most horse lovers, Parfum de Pommes Cheval is part of the stable lifestyle. But what happens when those fragrant horse apples turn into poo soup?

Diarrhea in our horse is an indication that all is not well in his digestive tract and can have serious consequences. It may quickly lead to dehydration which can be a primary cause of colic. It's important to determine the cause but, while we're figuring this out, there are some steps we should take to avoid more serious problems.

• Monitor your horse's water intake. If you use an automatic waterer, turn it off and provide water in a large container (tub, tank or large, clean trash barrel). Make sure your horse will drink from this source.
• Provide a second bucket of water that has some salt added - a small handful of plain salt in a 3-gallon bucket is about right.
• Provide wet feed such as a beet pulp slurry or add water to his usual concentrate to make a wet mash. A benefit of beet pulp is it will also act as a "pre-biotic".
• Feed hay wet - either spray with water or dunk in a bucket.
• Watch that your horse is actually swallowing his water and mash - not just playing with it. Some illnesses can cause paralysis of the esophagus and prevent swallowing.

Call your vet immediately if:

• Your horse can't swallow.
• He has a temperature above 102F (or 1 degree above his "normal" temperature).
• Your horse seems dehydrated. Do a skin pinch test on the shoulder or neck - the tented skin should immediately snap back with no "wrinkles". Check his gums - they should be a healthy pink; press on the gum until it's blanched (white) - it should become pink again in less than 3 seconds.
• His resting heart rate is higher than normal (in the 30's or low 40's). You should have a record of his normal heart rate from doing "well horse checks" when your horse is healthy.
• Your horse seems depressed - standing with his head in a corner, not responding like he normally does or ignoring his surroundings.
• The diarrhea has a foul odor - not the normal fragrance of manure - or you can see blood or mucous.
• He acts like his tummy hurts - looking at or biting his sides, pacing, anxious look on his face.

If your horse is otherwise bright and healthy appearing and is eating and drinking normally, it may be safe to wait and watch a day or so to see if the diarrhea resolves on its own - like the "nervous squirts" many horses will have when trailering or after being moved to a new place. But if your horse seems off, it doesn't hurt to at least give your veterinarian a heads up - you and your vet may decide that some extra fluids (by IV or tube) might be appropriate to avert an emergency in the middle of the night.

With an acute, or sudden onset of diarrhea, trying to slow down or stop it is not always the best route. Diarrhea is one of the ways the body has to rid itself of pathogens in the GI tract. Some pathogens create toxins that can damage the intestines - if the body is kept from eliminating them the pathogens can multiply and continue to create toxins. "C. diff" (Clostridium difficile) is one example - this can cause painful cramps and serious damage to the intestines and requires antibiotics to resolve - your vet is likely to order stool cultures to determine the best treatment.

Recurring or chronic diarrhea may be caused by bacteria but may also have its root in poor gut function - poor fermentation of the fiber in his forage from a variety of causes, inflammation, poor immune function and fungal infection. If pathogens have been ruled out, there are several things you can look at -

• Evaluate your horse's diet for adequate forage (1.5 to 2% or more of body weight) and concentrates that may provide excess sugar or starch.
• Provide smaller, more frequent concentrate meals to lower the chance of undigested sugars getting past the cecum and small intestine to the hind gut.
• Examine your hay and feed for mold, insects or rodent droppings. If hay is of questionable quality, it can be tested for mycotoxins - see Equi-Analytical's web site.
• Add a pre-biotic or pro-biotic - such as Ration Plus, S. cerevisiae yeast, Forco or other quality product to your horse's ration. Pro-biotics in a feed or supplement may not be included in sufficient quantity to be effective in establishing adequate gut microbes. Beet pulp also acts as a "pre-biotic" - helping set up favorable conditions in the gut to encourage the "good" bugs to grow.
• Many people have reported success using human "over the counter" remedies to sooth and protect the GI tract. These include aloe vera juice, simethicone or antacids containing simethicone and kaolin/pectin (also available as a large animal preparation at some feed stores). As a rule of thumb, an equine dose is about four to six times the human dose - think "weight based" and consult your vet.
• There are also many products now targeted to the equine GI tract. Dr. Eleanor Kellon's Horse Journal Guide to Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals has a complete section on Digestive Tract Aids.
• Ensure your horse is receiving adequate salt in his ration. Inadequate salt may lead to chronic dehydration at the cellular level which can affect all bodily functions. Horses are unable to get enough salt from a salt or mineral block. One to two ounces (approximately one to two heaping Tablespoons) of regular table salt is about right for an "average" size horse at maintenance.
• Evaluate your horse's deworming program, especially if his exposure risk has changed. "Natural" dewormers have not been shown to be effective and horses with lowered immune system defenses (including from age) are more susceptible to problems from parasites.

Don't give commercial electrolytes to a dehydrated horse - this can worsen any problems he may be having. A second bucket of water containing some salt can be offered and may encourage drinking but only if plain water is also available. Your veterinarian may want to give electrolytes in IV fluid but she will also ensure that adequate plain fluid (normal saline IV or plain water via stomach tube) is also given.

Most diarrhea in horses will resolve fairly quickly, but keep a sharp watch for dehydration or other signs that you need to call your vet.

"Allergies" - breaking the inflammatory cycle with a proprietary blend...

I don't often reply/post on many of the on-line groups I'm subscribed to as I'm not often able to get back to follow-up. But recent discussions on "allergies" and herbal remedies (for "allergy" and other inflammatory conditions) on the EC/IR group and other groups caught my attention.

The discussions on allergies made me think of my asthma - I really think many horses are not "allergic" but simply get caught up an inflammatory response - if the inflammatory cycle can be stopped, the "triggers" will cease to cause problems (or not as much). I didn't initially understand why I wasn't "allergic" to all the stuff that caused breathing problems, red eyes, runny nose and itching - my allergy tests were all negative. But, working with the allergist, I learned that "triggers" are not the same thing as allergies and I found these triggers (ranging from perfume to dust to cold to kitties to pollens, etc.) don't affect me as much if I take care of the baseline anti-inflammation stuff - like taking my

magnesium and Singulair (which is very similar to Spirulina in the way it acts), staying hydrated, getting enough rest, eating a balanced diet. If I do all these things I can stay off the inhaled steroids. In fact when I really pay attention to what I eat and drink and get enough rest I can actually pet and play with the barn kitties without turning into a mass of itchy red eyed sniffles.

Flax, spirulina, chondroitin etc (in addition to the baseline mineral balanced diet) all help improve the inflammatory threshold so the horse doesn't respond to triggers by mounting a major inflammatory response. But once an inflammatory cascade is started it seems more and more things will act as triggers until our horse is in a bubble of inflammation - with many systems affected. It can take something fairly significant (such as steroids and antihistamines) in large enough doses taken for a long enough period of time to stop the inflammatory response spiral and hold it off long enough for the immune system to regroup.

I think this is why some of these herbal concoctions are successful - if you put a large enough variety of herbal ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties in a high enough potency to stop the inflammatory cascade plus some adaptogens to help improve circulation, etc., something's bound to work. The "proprietary blend" or, IMO, "kitchen sink" approach.

If someone uses one of these blends and it works, the cost and accompanying rhetoric is irrelevant and we become a fan. Few of us actually take the time to figure out what made it work. If it doesn't work, we tend to just walk away and start searching for something else - we rarely go somewhere to discuss the downside - that it may have gotten in the way of appropriate diagnosis and resulted in the wrong treatment for the wrong thing.

At times some people have seemed to feel that the main Equine Cushings list is "anti-herbal". It isn't but the group has always advocated:

• Knowing and understanding what you're giving your horse; what it is and what is it meant to do.
• Being responsible for what gets put in your horse's body.
• Understanding that any herb or homeopathic that is potent enough to effect change is potent enough to possibly produce side effects or toxicity, the same as any other "medicine".
• Understanding that "natural" does not equal "safe".
• When you give "kitchen sink" mixtures, you have no idea what worked and what didn't.
• If it looks like magic, there's probably some sleight of hand involved, especially if it costs a lot (this is my personal opinion).
• Any medications - western, non-traditional, herbal, energy modalities, etc. need to be administered after a sound nutritional base is established; often the appropriate balanced nutrition provides a sound base and some conditions that previously required medication are eliminated.

It's necessary for the EC main list to remain tightly focused so in depth discussions that aren't directly related to EC/IR are referred to EC Horsekeeping - that doesn't mean they are "anti-xyz", just that it may be distracting for many newcomers.

There are a lot of herbal resources on-line and in bookstores - where you can look up an herb, see its properties and what it's expected to do and determine if this is something appropriate for your horse. You don't need a pharmacy or medical degree to decide if you want or need to give your horse something that will cause him to pee more or make his liver work harder or if a mild anti-inflammatory will make him more comfortable after work - many of these decisions are simply common sense; you may want some guidance to determine if you want to give your horse an immune stimulant or something that supports his immune system (a vast difference).

If you really want to get a handle on changing the course of the inflammatory cycle, check out Dr. Kellon's Nutrition as Therapy course.

Freitag Entwicklung

This is an awesome example of the rehabilitation that's possible with mineral balancing, supportive nutrition, correct trims and a dedicated owner (Equine Cushings List member in Germany) who respected the light in her horse's eyes. Freitag, previously diagnosed with PPID, had sole penetration following a trim; the pain resulted in weight loss and overloading his hind legs.

Dr. Kellon's Nutrition Classes and Consulting

Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance Group

The Bigger They Are...

I was talking with Sheila, my equine management associate here at Desert Equine Balance, this morning when we got on the topic of "big" horses and some of the different management issues they have.

Draft horses generally have been bred for strength and size rather than being mainly a refined version of a more naturally evolved light horse. They were bred for heavy work on a regular basis - pulling or carrying heavy loads - and weren't really expected to jump things or carry us on adventures around the countryside.

The appeal of these large purebred drafts and draft crosses can't be denied. For the most part they seem laid back, willing to please and are beautiful to look at. As more and more draft crosses show up at rescues, more people make the decision to bring one home as their primary riding horse. I find I'm working with more and more of these horses as time goes on and some owners find themselves with big horses that just aren't doing as well as they should.

Draft and draft crosses are susceptible to a condition called EPSM - Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy, a muscle condition that causes weakness and a specific type of rhabdomyolysis - known as "Sunday Morning Disease" to working draft horse owners.

Some new large horse owners have heard that drafts may have special needs or requirements and spent time preparing for their "gentle giant". They can be prone to insulin resistance (IR) and poor performance related to stiffness and gait abnormalities related to the EPSM. Obesity is sometimes not "noticed" because of their large size. Compare the large yet fit Clydesdales above to the fat workhorse here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/78953809@N00/1688846112/.

Some draft/draft cross owners have told me "my horse doesn't have EPSM". It's possible that the question isn't "if" the horse has EPSM but "when" it might show up. But with appropriate nutrition and management, the effects of EPSM don't have to affect your large horse.

• Monitor your big horse's weight and condition frequently. http://www.draftresource.com/Draft_Wt_Tape.html has an interesting discussion on measuring for weight; useful as most weight tapes don't go around.
• Avoid grain unless your horse is working hard. Use NRC guidelines to avoid over feeding your draft horse.
• Feed low sugar/low starch hay - try to buy tested hay or learn to test it yourself. See http://desertequinebalance.blogspot.com/2006/08/analyzing-hay-and-feeds.html
• Exercise your draft horse every day. Owners on the ESPM group report seeing more symptoms when they skip exercise. "Turnout" does not have the same effect as structured exercise.
• Learn all you can about diet, EPSM and caring for draft horses.

Resources:

EPSM: List for owners of horses with EPSM, a common problem of big horses. Lots of information from owners of big horses who have or want to prevent problems.

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSM/

Eleanor Kellon, VMD is a frequent visitor here and works with list members on diet and supplements. Many owners have been using a low sugar/low starch diet along with ALCAR (Acetyl L-carnitine or plain L-carnitine) and other supplements to effectively manage EPSM symptoms.

Rural Heritage Vet Clinic - Dr. Beth Valentine

http://www.ruralheritage.com/vet_clinic/index.htm

Lots of background on draft horses. Dr. Valentine is an advocate of a high fat diet for draft horses.

Information on muscle biopsy to diagnose EPSM

http://www.ruralheritage.com/vet_clinic/epsm_biopsy.htm

U of Minnesota PSSM testing information

http://www.cvm.umn.edu/umec/lab/PSSM/

Information on both genetic testing and muscle biopsy, plus a "decision tree". PSSM is similar to EPSM, seen most often in Quarter Horses but also in draft horses and other breeds.

NRC Plus - online nutrition courses by Eleanor Kellon, VMD.

http://drkellon.com/

NRC Plus is the basic and gives the framework for the advanced courses that follow.

Probiotics - Do We Need Them?

I want to know what everyone is using for probiotics - and didnt you tell me once you could just add some yogurt to their feed? Wouldnt this be a different kind of bacteria than a horse would normally get?

The following quote is from Dr. Kellon's Nutrition as Therapy course. There's an entire chapter on probiotics/prebiotics which I can't reproduce here.

"The bacteria you see in equine probiotic products are all “borrowed” from human data with no studies whatsoever to support their use in horses. Then there's the issue of dose. Dr. Scott Weese in Canada is the closest thing to an expert on veterinary probiotics there is. He has estimated it would take a minimum dose of 10 to 20 billion live organisms to have any effect in a horse. Humans taking probiotics to ward off antibiotic associated diarrhea often take a higher dose than that 4 times a day! If you read the label on probiotic products, forgetting for the moment that the bacteria they contain may well be useless, very few measure up to this potency. For a horse that might benefit from pre/probiotic support, I usually recommend:

• High potency prebiotic like Forco or Ration Plus for support of upper intestinal Lactobacilli (contains growth factors for these organisms)
• Easily fermentable prebiotic foods for the hindgut organisms, like beet pulp or psyllium.
• If populations may be low (older horses, horses with diarrhea,horses with a chronic history of bloating/hay belly) and use a high potency probiotic like Equine Generator from www.bio-vet.com, or start with a human high potency acidophilus only product (acidophilus is one species of Lactobacillus.)"

Scott Weese, DVM, is an expert in diseases of the equine GI tract. His paper on probiotics can be accessed on IVIS at http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/AAEP/2001/91010100027.pdf.

(If you're not already a member at IVIS, go ahead and join - it is free and a valuable source of international veterinary information).

Because of the paucity of actual research about probiotics, when I first read Dr. Weese's paper I checked out yogurt (yoghurt) as a possible source of microbes for our horses. The "requirement" for a manufacturer to use the "live and active cultures" logo is 100 million per gram at time of manufacture; Mountain High yoghurt, for example, promotes "An 8-ounce serving of Mountain High Yoghurt contains more than 22 billion cultures at the time of manufacture." The recommended minimum dose for horses is 10 billion CFU (cultures or "colony forming units")/day.

So, IMO, it would probably be sufficient to use yogurt (a quality brand like Mountain High, Dannon or a good organic or home made) for the occasional need to boost gut microbes, such as after worming or a normal course of antibiotics.

Probiotics usually shouldn't be needed on a daily basis. Once an ill horse is recovered, or a stressed horse is back to their regular routine, a few days or a week's dosing should get their gut flora going. The main exceptions would be a horse with high carbs in their diet – usually from grain or pre-mixed feeds - which spill over into their hind gut, or a horse with chronic diarrhea (and cultures should be done here to help determine the cause). Some older horses with chronic digestive problems may also benefit. Then it makes sense to use a quality probiotic for simplicity, along with a pre-biotic, which provides "food" for the gut flora. But for most healthy horses, daily probiotics are probably an unnecessary expense (which could be better spent on testing hay).

Pre-biotics: Ration Plus, Forco, beet pulp, flax, psyllium fed daily (will lose some of it's purported sand clearing ability if fed daily), yeast (Yea-Sac)

Pro-biotics: Equine Generator http://bio-vet.com/equineproducts.htm, also available at http://vetamerica.com/equine-generator-1-lb.aspx, DFM EQ from Horses Prefer http://horsesprefer.com/digsup.htm

Check labels to make sure the product is supplying at least 10 billion CFU per SERVING. Ex: the DFM EQ provides 200 billion CFU per ounce, but the serving size is 1 scoop, which is 5 grams or 1/5th ounce; this still provides 35 billion CFU per serving which is fine.

The DFM ProLactic from HorseTech is on the low side (2 billion CFU), as are most levels added to feeds or supplements. There’s a complete listing of probiotic products in Dr. Kellon’s Horse Journal Guide to Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals.

Equine Pemphigus Foliaceus

Pemph.... what?

Pemphigus foliaceus (pem-fi-gus foli-a-shus) is an auto immune disease that affects humans and dogs and, to a lesser extent, cats and horses.

In horses, it is characterized by primary lesions that often begin on the head and lower extremities; secondary lesions spread to other areas, with an exudate that dries to a crust. There may be extensive edema (swelling) in the legs and abdomen (called "ventral" edema).

Equine pemphigus foliaceus (EPF) is considered rare and signs and symptoms may resemble those of other conditions such as insect bite allergies (crusty lesions), pigeon fever (ventral edema) or other skin conditions.

The primary way to diagnose EPF is by punch biopsy of the skin which is examined by a veterinary pathologist. The pathologist looks for changes consistent with this diagnosis, while also ruling out other causes.

Horses with EPF may also have systemic signs of illness - fever, depression, loss of appetite, lethargy and weight loss. The skin may be painful to touch and swelling can make it difficult to walk or lie down.

Currently, treatment options are limited, mainly focused on corticosteroids (dexamethasone, prednisolone and prednisone) to limit inflammation; prognosis is generally guarded at best with many cases ending in euthanasia. Little is known about specific causes of EPF and what supportive treatments might be useful.

The Equine Pemphigus Foliaceus (EPF) group is hoping to change this. Two horse owners who have been looking for information and answers have recently teamed up with Eleanor Kellon, VMD to look at triggers, what's working and what's not, and how these horses can be supported to continue leading productive, comfortable lives. Dr. Kellon has a long history of developing cutting edge science-based supportive therapies for horses, with an emphasis on precise diagnostics by field veterinarians. By identifying and bringing together owners of afflicted horses, reviewing and comparing their histories, diagnostics, treatment and outcomes, and utilizing available research, a comprehensive picture of how to optimize support will emerge.

If you have a horse who has been diagnosed with EPF - currently or in the past - share your history with others by joining the EPF group. The group will provide information and support for owners, and is focused on improving science-based diagnostics, treatment protocols and outcomes for the horse.

Equine Support and Research Group

Celebrates Ten Year History and 8000+ Members

New Web Site Launched - Success Stories Unveiled

Health, longevity and quality of life for horses is an ever increasing concern among owners. Whether acting proactively or trying to help an animal with a history of chronic health conditions, public awareness of equine metabolic syndromes and diseases is on the rise. An all volunteer, non-profit group rising to support horses and their owners, the Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance Group is a beacon on the internet to reach that awareness.

The EC and IR Group is formed to sort myth from reality....

In the late 1990’s, a young scientist, Robin Siskel, was seeking information to help her life long companion and Cushing’s mare, Night Flight, and became dissatisfied with the knowledge available. Little was known then about Equine Cushing’s Syndrome now more accurately described as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID).

“Horse Owners were drowning in bad or no advice. Insulin Resistance wasn’t even recognized back then,” said Siskel in a recent interview. She established a small internet bulletin board to trade information and experience among horse owners that was scientific, specific and medically oriented.

A BS in Biochemistry and a Masters in Health Physics from Texas A&M helped keep Siskel on the path she set for the EC and IR Group. Experiences of horses owners were shared, digging into the details with a scientific medical look. Protocols and marketing claims were required to be backed by evidence. The human owner part of the equation was also key and emotional support for owners was included, but Siskel insisted on digging out the information to fully address any issue.

In December of 1999 Siskel moved the Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance Group to Yahoo. For some time she had been communicating with noted author and veterinarian, Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD. Siskel knew Dr. Kellon as a leader in the fields of nutrition and nutraceuticals. She was also fascinated by Dr. Kellon’s sensible and effective approach using the concepts of Linus Pauling’s Orthomolecular Biology. (http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/) Robin wanted to get Dr. Kellon on board with the EC and IR Group.

“I was aware of Robin’s group and intrigued but at the time, due to other commitments, I could not accept Robin’s invitation” said Dr. Kellon.

Siskel adds, “Eleanor did say I could run any of the hardest veterinary issues or toughest problems past her within reason. And after a while of me teasing and tempting her with the most interesting ones, she gave in and joined the group as a full member in 2001.”

Dr. Kellon became co-owner of the group with Siskel in 2004.

How the EC and IR Group works and what makes it different...

In the ten years since it’s inception, the EC and IR Group has become the largest field trial of it’s kind with current membership of over 8200 horse owners, vets, nutritionists, feed companies, farriers and trimmers.

A clearing house for clinical information and formal study results, most of the leading veterinary Universities also have members on the EC and IR Group who keep their finger on the pulse of what horse owners in the trenches are doing. Grants for formal research have been written based on the anecdotal findings of the group. Researchers who are on the forefront of equine metabolic issues in turn inform the group with the deep background of their findings.

Historical milestones include discovery that soaked hay reduced sugar content beneficial to IR horses, early recognition of PPID/Cushing’s seasonal rise, establishment of the Diagnosis, Diet, Trim and Exercise protocol, FDA approval of compounded pergolide as a veterinary drug, early concern of efficacy of some forms of pergolide, early recognition of high insulin and the compromised hoof, use of herbal and nutraceutical treatments with documented positive outcome, and most importantly, thousands of better informed owners with healthy horses leading productive lives.

The EC and IR group now manages four additional sister groups, ECPhotos, ECHoof, ECHistory and ECHistory2. As of today group archives contain 135,000 messages with over 1000 Case Histories. New members arrive at the rate of 30-50 per week. In recent years similar equine groups for horses diagnosed with Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) and Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (EPSM) have been formed to support owners. These groups function similarly to the EC and IR Group with volunteer nonprofit support. They also establish protocols, report clinical signs, and keep track of success as well as areas of needed improvement or further exploration.

Dr. Kellon explains, “The EC and IR Group is an example of the internet working like it should. By collecting histories and laboratory data from thousands of horses with PPID and IR, we have been able to carefully monitor responses to treatment and management changes, both good and bad. This is real life, in the barn research at its best. There are no fees charged or products being sold - it's all about the horses and the dedicated people who own them.”

A new Web Site to celebrate the work of ten years past and into the future...

The EC and IR Group has formed extensive libraries of files, photos, data and archived messages. It can be a daunting exercise for members to get through and understand the material, especially if the owner has the added worry of a horse in crisis. With the help of a dedicated support team, a new or existing member is guided through potential diagnosis and diet issues, trim and exercise suggestions.

To simplify the learning curve, in October 2009 the EC and IR Group launched a new intensive and well-organized web site www.ecirhorse.com

“This is really to help all the new members just coming on board and all the old members seeking new information. It's about providing organized access to information. It’s a place for people to send vets that doesn't require joining anything. I wanted information that was simple enough for the new member who needs to breathe deeply and be armed with enough information to clearly interact with their local professionals,” notes volunteer web designer Amberlee Ficociello of Canada.

EC and IR Group’s new web site explains in detail the signs, symptoms and physiology of Cushing’s/PPID and Insulin Resistance. Detailed information on various testing procedures and treatment is available. For equine professionals and for owners wishing to learn all they can, detailed supporting studies and back up data are also given.

Says Ficociello, “We’ve really just scratched the surface for the potential help this site can offer to owners and their horses. We expect to have much more information up in the coming months.”

A Success Stories section on the new web site illustrates with photos, narrative and data the rehabilitation of several horses through various stages of PPID/Cushing's, IR, laminitis episodes, founder and other health issues.

“The format is the same for all EC and IR Group Case Histories and Success Stories. We stick to sound nutritional and physiological equine science and factual, measurable responses. We’re following Robin’s original tradition of taking apart the confounding factors of the most difficult cases and sharing the info freely,” says volunteer Nancy Collins of New Hampshire, who formats the Success Stories. “There are six Success Stories with updates now posted on the site and many more on deck to be organized and shared. After ten years and a library of thousands of case histories, it's really easy to find them,” Collins continues.

A complete approach to getting results....

“Today people use the term holistic but don't realize that in the truest sense of the word the EC and IR group is probably the most holistic of any horse or nutrition group around,” says long time volunteer member and equine nutritionist, Patti Kuvik of Arizona.

“The group looks at the whole horse. His head, his feet, his insides, his urine and manure, his diet, his environment, the weather. We have a basic healthy diet that addresses all of the horses' requirements. There are modifications available for when the horse is no longer in crisis mode and for return to work,” says Kuvik.

When asked to comment on her continued dedicated contribution of time and skill to the EC and IR Group, Dr Kellon replied, “You know those credit card commercials that run through a bunch of things with price tags and end with a moment that's "priceless"? That is truly how I feel every time a new member comes here frazzled or wired and strung out after being told their horse, pony, donkey or mule should be euthanized and then later tells us about the light coming back in their eyes, those first voluntary steps out of a stall, the first spontaneous trot, buck or canter or when the feet start to concave and a hundred other positive signs of getting well. Most of all, it's about the animals.”

Volunteer Web Master Ficociello concludes, “We look forward to the EC and IR Group’s new site getting lots of use and hope visitors will make ample use of our feedback email address.”

The feedback address is ecirhorse@gmail.com

For more information about PPID/Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance on the web go to

www.ecirhorse.com

and

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/

Making It Through the Tough Times

I work with a few people who simply can't afford a basic commercial supplement, even the very cost-effective HorseTech flax-based supplements (including AZ Regional Mix or Rod's standard products).

A healthy horse doesn't need all the extras included in many supplements, such as biotin, methionine, probiotics, etc. As long as requirements are met, pasture or good quality hay with some supporting trace minerals and salt will provide what most horses not in intense work need.

Horses on hay only (often the case in the Southwest) should receive a source of Omega-3 fatty acids (flax) and vitamin E. Horses on good pasture usually are well supplied with these during grazing season.

If you are willing to trade off some convenience, this is what I suggest when money is tight:

• Buy the best hay you can find - this is not the area to skimp in.
  
• Fresh ground flax - 4 oz/day (one full cup). Purchase 50 lb bags, grind once a week and store in freezer or refrigerator.
  
• Poly copper and poly zinc - 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon/day. (Available from HorseTech or Uckele)
  
• Vitamin E - 2,000 IU. Use human gel caps - the 400 IU size are usually barely noticed and most horses just eat them right down when mixed in their feed. The oil base improves absorption - this is more important than whether the vitamin E is "natural" or synthetic.
  
• Iodized table salt - minimum 1 ounce, up to 3 ounces for idle horses and more for working horses.
  
• Selenium - generally 2 mg/day if not in a high selenium area. If in doubt about your horse's selenium status, ask your vet to check whole blood levels. (Selenium yeast from Platinum)
  
• Chromium - only if hay is grown in arid conditions where it is likely deficient. 2 mg/day for working horses, more for an IR horse, none for idle horses. (Chromium yeast from Platinum)

Along with quality hay, the best thing you can give your horse is exercise. When we confine our horses, it is our obligation to provide them with as much turn out and movement as possible. Lack of exercise can not be fixed with a "supplement".

The best treat? A good grooming. Besides being inexpensive, it provides exercise for you and an opportunity to bond with your horse. But a healthy inexpensive "food" treat is split peas from your grocery store. Crunchy, yummy and they have a complete amino acid profile.

Does your working horse need a little more in the way of protein, calories and energy? Use a 50/50 mix- by weight - of beet pulp and oats (or alfalfa and oats). This is pretty well balanced for major minerals - and most horses will enjoy a beet pulp/oat mash after a workout. Don't forget the extra salt to replace sodium and chloride losses Unless you're doing intense work, there's no need for commercial electrolytes - many don't supply enough sodium and chloride and the feed will replace potassium and calcium.

You can give your horse what he needs without breaking the bank. Of course, basic hay/forage testing will help you do this more precisely - and is usually the most cost effective method, but the suggestions above will ensure your horse is getting the basics. If your horse has special needs (pregnant, nursing, growth, high level intense work, illness) they may require other additions - but this also can usually be done without costing a small fortune.

As always, I wish to credit Eleanor Kellon, VMD for giving me opportunities to learn the basics of equine nutrition. See the sidebar for links to Dr. Kellon's nutrition courses.

AZ Regional Mix

This is the first supplement I formulated for my own horses and had made up by HorseTech, which specializes in flax-based supplements. It's based on NRC guidelines and principles I've learned from Dr. Kellon. It will provide minimum levels of many nutrients which should be supplemented with Southwest hay but will not "balance" your forage - you can only do that with a full hay/pasture analysis.

Arizona Regional Mix Information Sheet 

HorseTech Custom Product CP-082305 

 

 

AZ Regional Mix is a Custom Product supplement made up to my specs by HorseTech to complement “typical” Arizona and Southwest Bermuda hays – especially for those horses on a “hay only” feeding program. You can see HorseTech’s standard supplements on their website at www.horsetech.com to get an idea of the quality of their products. Information on ordering AZ Regional Mix from HorseTech is below. 

 

Typically, our Bermuda hay is high in Iron and Potassium, low in Copper and Magnesium. Manganese tends to run a bit on the high side and is rarely low. Horses benefit from good levels of antioxidants (provided by Omega-3’s from flax, vitamin E, selenium and grape seed extract – a bioflavonoid shown to have good antioxidant activity). 

 

AZ Regional Mix contains per 3 oz Serving: 

 

Flax base     2oz (approx) 

Copper        125mg  

Zinc             360mg  

Cobalt         2mg 

Selenium     2mg 

Biotin          10mg 

Vitamin E    2000IU 

Vitamin A   15,000 IU 

B-complex package  

Grape seed extract 1200mg  

 

The base is stabilized flax – similar to NutraFlax. - and provides the important Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA’s) that are quickly lost when hay is cut. 

 

The copper and zinc are ZinPro chelated minerals at basic levels to balance the iron in 18-22 lbs of “typical” Arizona/SW Bermuda hay. They also provide a small amount of additional amino acids. 

 

The B-complex package is similar to a 1 oz serving of HorseTech’s B-Plex. Most healthy horses can synthesize their own B-vitamins but this  can be affected by stress. 

 

The Selenium is on a yeast base at a basic “insurance level”.  If the total amount of supplement fed is increased (even doubled) the selenium will still be at a safe level. 

 

There is also some additional yeast provided in the B-complex package. 

 

Biotin, at 10mg, is five times the estimated minimum requirement. 

 

Vitamin E – this is a level required for good antioxidant activity. Hay loses vitamin E quickly after cutting and this needs to be supplemented. The vitamin E used is a synthetic. While absorption of synthetic vitamin E has been shown to be lower than from natural forms, the natural forms are not as stable unless handled and stored carefully. The amount of vitamin E provided here will ensure stable levels.  

 

Vitamin A – this is a low year round “insurance” level as many Southwest horses do not have access to pasture and hay may be stored for long periods. Preformed vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be toxic at excessive levels – if additional vitamin A is needed it should be in the form of beta carotene. (Note – mares in late pregnancy and lactation may require a higher level of vitamin A than provided.) 

 

Grape seed extract is a bioflavonoid that has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant. We chose to use this instead of vitamin C as vitamin C can enhance iron absorption – our hay is generally quite high in iron, which has been implicated in iron-overload related problems. 

 

There is no soy or other filler – the base is pure stabilized flax - and there is no added iron or manganese. 

 

Vitamin D was not included, as horses in exposed to sunlight have no problem producing their own; supplemented vitamin D (a fat soluble vitamin) can be toxic at excessive levels. (If using this mix in Northern latitudes, you may want to add vitamin D.) 

 

Iodine is provided by adding iodized salt (regular table salt) to the ration.  If a horse does not take in enough iodized salt (1-1/2 to 3 ounces/day) to provide sufficient iodine, an additional source should be added.

 

Major minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium) have not been included as the required levels are dependent on what is provided in the basic forage fed. Trying to guess the requirements without hay analysis can alter the calcium-phosphorus balance adversely. Magnesium in amounts greater than 5 grams or so should be added based on the content in the hay and the horse’s response to avoid altering gut pH. 

 

I do not make, sell or “resell” supplements as that only increases the cost.  

AZ Regional Mix can be ordered directly from HorseTech  

• by phone 1-800-831-3309 

• email service@horsetech.com (specify AZ Regional Mix CP-082305)  

• directly from the website www.horsetech.com in the “Popular Custom Product” section at 

the bottom of the home page  

 

The direct link is  

http://www.horsetech.com/popular-customs.htm#Quick%20Links%20to%20Product%20Pages 

 

AZ Regional Mix is available in 6.25lb (33 day), 12.5lb (66 day), and 25lb (133 day) sizes. Order only what you can use in a 3-4 month period, and plan to store in a cool area (room temperature) to preserve freshness. 

 

Because AZ Regional Mix is a custom product made to my specifications and is not one of HorseTech’s “standard” products, any questions about the mix or how to use it should be directed to me at DesertEquineBalance@gmail.com. 

 

If a horse has requirements for higher levels of a specific nutrient, these can be added separately or the AZ Regional Mix can be used as a “base” – then adjusted to include additional nutrients (such as higher levels of copper/zinc, vitamin E, Se, Iodine, lysine, etc. or adding calcium or phosphorus, etc.). This will then no longer be the AZ Regional Mix but your own specific custom mix (with a unique CP-xxx number). 

 

Patti Woodbury Kuvik 

Desert Equine Balance 

Vail AZ 

DesertEquineBalance@gmail.com 

http://DesertEquineBalance.blogspot.com 

 

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