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Trial and Error
My hemp “experiment” fizzled. Tried it for 2 months. Meh. Too expensive. The hype didn’t play out. Didn’t seem to have any influence on Remy’s occasional crankiness (I presumed some kind of inflammation) which has increased, and he’s usually pretty happy in the summers. He also started to look a little bloated and had one episode of discomfort, but a couple doses of Equi-Spaz took care of it and the bloated appearance has evened out over the last week or two. Earlier this summer, before I tried the hemp, I had discontinued feeding a hindgut supplement that had actually worked when I added it a year ago. I figured the gut bugs should be happy after 8 months but seems like there’s a revolt brewing so it’s back on the menu. I know the thoughts on supplements but this thing really did help. It’s by Mad Barn, called Optimum Digestive Health. Hopefully it will help this time. He has nice, free movement and is very willing under saddle, although when our trainer bumped him with her leg to keep him in canter this week, he threw in a couple of bucks in objection, which he has never done.
He looks good, if out of shape. Pics taken this week. Please, please, no comments about the cribbing collar. It’s a boarding requirement and he has damaged some fence boards. It is removed for a few hours every day.)
Thanks for providing a space to document and share journeys like this.
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3 Replies
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I am discovering (due to an increased number of people writing me comments) that there might be some changes to the forage (both pasture and baled) that stimulate changes in gut bacteria. It is looking to be seasonal.
Just when things looked rather straight forward, curve balls are thrown causing us to re-think our programs. So I agree that adding a gut supplement that seeds the intestines with friendly bacteria may be just what he needed – until the bacteria in the pasture change once again with a new season (temperature, moisture, etc).
Of course, like in humans, there are some more sensitive to this. Remy is one of those and it takes a very patient person to hunt your way through it to find what works for him. Thanks for taking the time to record it here for all of us to learn as well. Doc T
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Thanks @Doc-t . Coincidently, I made notes on my calendar to review his diet when the seasons begin to change. Hopefully he will eventually equalize now that we seem to have found the sweet spot of grazing access and turnout, but I’m not holding my breath.
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🤠
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