Re: Fractured Sesamoid?

[aburson@webtv.net (Anita Burson)]

Hi all - 
I've had to deal with a similar "confinement" issue with a 2 yo filly.
She managed to find some wire in the pasture somewhere and lacerated the
LF fetlock (about 5 inches long from top of the "V" to the bottom of the
fetlock) exposing the tendon, though luckily not damaging even the
tendon sheath.  Vet sewed it up and said to stall her for l0 days.  I
was in the same quandry about managing feed and am not a longtime keeper
of horses--only about 3 years--so don't have lots of experience to draw
on.  But . . . after lots of consideration, since she is still young and
growing, I decided to cut her feed by weight (by changing the content)
l/2 the amount of Omalene 200, made up the difference (in volume at
least) by adding crimped oats and made l of the feedings a bran mash.
She also had constant hay available and the rushcreek minerals and loose
salt available. Seemed to work quite well for the short term.  She was
still getting decent amt of protein but not l4% - I thought that was a
little too high for a stalled horse.  

She handled the stalling well and didn't go nuts which I was glad to
see.  This is a horse that I bred to be my "old age" endurance horse.  I
like to see that she remains calm even at this young age.

Anyway, right, wrong or indifferent, this feeding program worked for me
for a short-term problem.

Anita Burson