IS THIS WHY YOUR OTTB IS SPOOKY?

[@KatrinaDancer]

I rescued an OTTB that was going to be sold for meat if I didn't take him. My vet recommended Purina Outlast to prevent ulcers. My stable doesn’t allow hay and they feed Alfalfa-Bermuda pellets. Do you have any advice for preventing ulcers in his current situation? I can't afford to move him because I spent a fortune getting surgery on 2 of his legs so he could walk again. I wish I could do more for him but I also have 2 rescue dogs with medical issues. Thank you for any advice 🙏

[@offthetrackthoroughbredsuc9987]

Hi Katrina, Thats wonderful you saved your Ottb from slaughter❤️🙏. It can be very frustrating when you are relying on having to board at stables where you have no control over diet etc. Thats dissapointing you stables don't allow hay, I am surprised to hear that, hay is so important for horses, not only for physical gut health but also for their mental wellbeing. Does your Ottb get to go and graze on grass or is he always stabled? Ideally horses need to have access to some type of forage, for a minimum of 14 hours a day. If you cant access hay, being in a pasture where they can eat grass for a time is good option. As a feed the Alfalfa-Bemuda pellets sound like a low starch fibre based pellet which is good for gut health. Are the pellets just at meals or do they have access to them all the time ie big feeders? It sounds like you need to work with what you have to the best of your ability which is access to at least some type of fibre feed for as much of the time as possible, even if it is the pellets.

[@carolfyall688]

Hi Karin