Re: CBC; Mineral Supplement

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Kate, the rebelling you notice can (possibly) be attributed to a couple
of things in his diet, but probably not to mineral imbalances (those
would show up differently).

I don't know the composition of the supplements you're feeding, but high
protein, especially from alfalfa, can sometimes cause changes in
temperament.  High soluble carbohydrates can also make some horses
silly, and some horses don't respond well to molasses.  And finally,
some horses react this way specifically to oats, but not to barley or
corn.

Assuming you're already feeding him primarily a grass hay, I'd suggest
taking him off all the formulated feeds and putting him onto just some
rolled barley and corn.  Adding some soaked beet pulp to his diet with
some vegetable oil added in would also be good, and is nutritionally a
better balance and also cheaper than the rice bran you're currently
feeding.  You can continue to add a little supplment, although I'm not
sure that Manna Pro Sho-Glow qualifies as a complete vit/mineral
supplement.  You might try Select or a supplment that is a "complete"
vit/min supplement if the Manna Pro is not.

I might also suggest adding some straight vit. E to his ration---not
Vit. E & selenium, just Vit. E.  There's good research demonstrating
less muscle soreness in horses getting Vit. E supplments and it might
help you with your increase in work and in moving up from LDs to 50s. 
Don't worry, you won't overdo it even if vit. E is already in one the
other supplement.  Adding 2000-3000 IU per day would be fine.

Good luck at River Run!

Susan Garlinghouse, MS
Equine Research Center
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Kate Denisar wrote:
> 
> As a relatively newbie to endurance, I have some question for those willing to offer their experienced opinion:
> 
> In the past four months, I have done tons of LSD with my Arab/Paso Fino cross, Spanky.  That quickly - his entire physique has changed.  He slimmed down from his big, bunchy, bulky muscles in to a slimmer, sleeker horse.  This is particularly noticeable in his butt.  Rather than the huge, round muscles, his butt is almost skinny.  His muscles are still very well defined.  I have also noticed in the past month that his cannon bones circumference seems larger.  I never knew that was a variable before and I plan to actually measure him tonight.
> 
> I know these are all good things, but I am scratching my head over the speed of his transformation.
> 
> Dr. Ken Marcella came out to the barn to check him over before the Liberty Run 50 and said that he looked fine.  I thought that maybe he needed better nutrition or maybe that his muscles were damaged this spring (he tyed up at a ride in April - fairly mild though).  Dr. Marcella said that it is probably all the LSD that is actually changing his muscle type, but again I am worried about the speed of his transformation.  He looks even leaner and sleeker since Liberty Run . . .
> 
> In response to my questions about nutrition, Dr. Marcella suggested that I put him an a mineral supplement that dovetails with his feed.  He currently gets about .75 lb of rice bran, 1 lb of Seminole Ultra Performance, and 2 lbs of Manna Pro All-Grain each day.  I started supplementing with Manna Pro's Sho Glo about 2 weeks ago.  He looks great, but I have noticed a huge behavior change.  He is usually very willing and pleasant.  In the past couple of weeks he has started rebelling.  I do not know whether to attribute that to the weather, his fitness, or the supplement.  A friend suggested that I experiment with the supplement by taking him off and seeing if his behavior improved and then slowly adding it back to his diet.
> 
> Since I am doing the River Run 50 next weekend, I do not want to start experimenting now.  I may just pull him off of the supplement entirely.  Opinions, anyone?
> 
> Kate and Spanky (you wanna see attitude - I'll show you attitude!)
> 
> 
> _________________________________
> Kate Denisar, Internet Security Systems
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