Question

My 13-year-old Quarter Horse mare has grass-foundered twice in the past. In recent years, I’ve stripped her of excess weight, and she’s shown no sign of a founder flare-up until recently. What began as a slight tremor in one knee has turned into a full-leg shiver, and she is definitely sore on that limb. The grass on my farm is greening up quickly this spring. Could this be grass-founder presenting in an unusual way?

Answer

Based on your mare’s history of laminitis and sensitivity to fructans (certain sugars in grasses), it is wise to take precautions as spring approaches, and this might best be achieved by restricting grazing. Grazing muzzles are often a good solution for metabolic horses that live on pasture. Depending on the severity of your mare’s condition, no access to grass might be necessary.

I suggest working with a veterinarian to identify the source of the lameness. An appropriate treatment plan for your mare can then be devised once a diagnosis has been made.

From a nutritional perspective, reducing the risk of founder in fructan-sensitive horses can be achieved through the addition of the hindgut buffer EquiShure. This time-released formula balances the pH of the hindgut and creates an environment most suitable for fiber digestion and overall well-being.

Researchers theorize that a rapid change in pH occurs in the hindgut when faced with a fructan overload. The microbial population of the hindgut changes, with millions of beneficial bacteria dying. As these bacteria die, they release endotoxins that pass easily through the wall of the intestine and enter the bloodstream. For reasons that are not entirely clear, this endotoxin insult initiates laminitis. This is the same mechanism that triggers laminitis following the overconsumption of grain.

EquiShure is a powder supplement that can be fed twice a day. Because she doesn’t consume feed, I suggest mixing EquiShure with some alfalfa pellets, unmolassed beet pulp, or a ration balancer pellet. Add EquiShure right before feeding if you are soaking the meal ahead of time.

For easy-keepers on forage-only diets, I would recommend adding a ration balancer pellet or micronutrient pellet to provide the vitamins and minerals missing in forage. Many feed stores offer ration balancers. If you cannot find one in your area, choose a more concentrated source of vitamins and minerals, like the micronutrient supplement Micro-Max (Gold Pellet in Australia).