Tips for managing horses during the

spring flush

Horse SAwww.horsesa.asn.au

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Obesity is a modern issue in horses, leading to a range of problems including laminitis, Cushing's disease, equine metabolic syndrome and other disorders. Laminitis is more prevalent in spring for pastured horses.

A growing body of research indicates that under conditions of stress, the horse’s body is “tricked” into gaining weight just to survive.

Stress points may include:• confinement• social isolation • sleep deprivation• change in environment• travel• excessive training or competing• pain and illness• exposure to toxins• Reduced access to forage for

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Modern pastures, developed for high production in livestock e.g. cattle for dairy, or livestock for fattening and breeding is often too rich and high in sugars for many horses.

There is the traditional approach for having a ‘Jenny Craig’ paddock or bare area for keeping horses, which is part of a solution but not all of it.

Care must be taken not to over-restrict forage (grazing and browsing), causing stress, so that fat is placed on the horse just because of the living environment and care regimes- which might have in fact been originally designed to reduce weight gain.

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A few tips:

Work out ways to promote the natural grazing behaviour of horses (constantly walking and eating) supplemented with exercise if needed. Property layout will greatly assist, as will equine friends.

Know what plants are in your paddock, and what your horse is eating (promote preferred grasses, remove toxic plants).

Use a multi-vitamin supplement (deficiencies may be identified in part by blood tests available)

Arrange for a soil test to see if deficiencies exist and may be able to be corrected.

Seek professional case management advice from veterinarians and qualified

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For obesity prone horses:

Use a yard as part of an Equicentral system, or if need to for part of the season (especially with a horse that has already foundered previously).

Source hay that is low in energy, sugars and starch (less premium, without being old, mouldy or full of weeds e.g. meadow/grass hay)

Use slow feeders and other ways to prolong chewing time + promote walking. Limit grazing muzzles to a few hours.

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Can you identify what is in your horse’s pantry?

Obesity is not the only spring flush problem.

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http://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/eyrepeninsula/news/151028-farm-forum-pasture-weeds-horses

Common Name

Amount Onset of Symptoms

Symptoms

Blackberry Nightshade

0.5 to .5 Kg Soon after ingestion

Depression, weakness, onset of diarrhea & colic

Cape Tulip (One or two leaf)

Unknown Sudden death 12-24 hrs

Sudden death

Flatweed Unknown Sudden death possible. Un-coordinated. Neurological

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEOfpdPifIQAustralian Stringhalt: Horses mostly recovers with veterinary assessment and return to a clean paddock

Marshmellow (small flatweed mallow)

Unknown Several days to weeks

Staggers, rapid breathing

Gilford Grass (Onion grass)

Unknown Death within 24 hrs.

Grass forms balls in horse’s intestine and blockage occurs.

Salvation Jane(Paterson’s Curse)

Unknown Accumulates over 2-8 yrs

Weight loss. Loss of appetite, wandering, staggers, yawning. Causes lung and liver damage, jaundice and eventually death.

St. Johns Wort Large amounts 24 hrs to 5 days St John’s wort contains the toxin hypericin, which causes photosensitisation. The skin damage associated with this problem leads to weight loss, and, in extreme cases, death

Adelaide Plains Equine Clinic Ryegrass toxicity: Week 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPw2-l4GPdMWeek 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcGfW-ah9JU

Common problem plants

Equine Veterinary EducationE. W. Herbert,K. E. DittmerFirst published: 8 July 2016Full publication historyDOI: 10.1111/eve.12605http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eve.12605/abstract

Acute and chronic oxalate toxicity in Miniature Horses associated with

soursob (Oxalis pes-caprae) ingestion

• 14 miniature horses in six separate outbreaks presented with clinical signs consistent with acute or chronic oxalate toxicity.

• All animals had access to Oxalis pes-caprae or soursob

• Chronic oxalate toxicity was associated with ill-thrift, stiffness, enlarged heads, kyphosis and neurological signs

• these horses responded to treatment with intravenous and oral calcium.

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_pes-caprae

Video of symptoms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHkJpg4XRs8Case study on South Australian ponies

A FEW LINKS

Horse SAhttp://www.horsesa.asn.au/horse-care/horse-keeping-in-south-australia/

NRM Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges (Free landholder advice)http://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges/land/landholder-services

The Equicentral System http://www.equiculture.com.au/setting-up-the-equicentral-system.html (join The Equicentral System Group Chat)

RIRDC Plants Poisonous to Horses https://www.horsecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Plants-Poisonous-to-Horses-Aust-field-guide.pdf

Farm Forum - Common Pasture Weeds That May Poison Horseshttp://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/eyrepeninsula/news/151028-farm-forum-pasture-weeds-horses

Obesity: The Real Cause - The Real Fixhttp://equimed.com/news/health/obesity-the-real-cause-the-real-fix

Affluent Malnutrition_EMS/obesity/laminitishttps://www.facebook.com/phytorigins