I just purchased a 6 yr. old Classic Shetland Mare.
This pony will not drink enough water and coliced 3 days ago. I use homeopathy and one remedy worked for her to pass manure, but she was still in pain and trying to roll. Walked her and waited for the vet.Banamine, tubed her (water/mineral oil)rectal removing a lot of blockage, waiting for fecal results. I changed her feed schedule to just hay..5:00am, hot water soaked hay (1 Flake) with a fresh bucket of water.Doesn't touch the bucket of water. 8:00am turn out with big horses, shared dry hay at pasture (all take a bite of hay/bite of snow). She doesn't drink water outside. I exercise her and she comes in for supper 4:00pm and I soak 1 flake of hay and give her a bucket of fresh water. At 9:30pm, I take her for a 15min walk and fresh bucket of water, 1/2 flake of dry hay and a bucket of luke warm water(4qts) and add enough apple juice to scent water. Next morn, I find almost all the apple juice water gone(almost 4 qts).Her manure is in very moist balls.She will not drink plain warm water! I want to put her back on her feed..2 ounces of whole oats, 1 scoop of ABC Plus,tiny bit of fresh ground flax.This amount is broken down to morn and nite. I would like to add oil to her feed or dose her with the oil each day. What would you suggest on trying to keep enough fluid in this mare to prevent another colic episode.
Is it ok to feed wet hay twice a day (I think she is getting water intake from the moist hay)dry hay twice a day in that combination? Should I soak the oats and supplements when I put her back on the feed? What type of oil should I use and can I dose her(10cc)with this oil daily?
How would you get enough water into this little imp! She is a sweet, loving, little pony with not much of a thrist! I live in Maine with many changing temps…she is from Maine and former owners didn't even realize the problem with her, their other ponies colic. She survived former owners for 6 years and has had 2 foals.
Any help you can give me would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!
Thank You, Ann W.
You are doing good Ann. Just keep the warm water there. She likes the apple flavor it seems. I would continue soaking the hay and the oats.
Please though, take a look at our Just Add Oats supplement and our oil (Weight Check)
I would personally stop the flax (I simply dislike it for many reasons. See the article on our library section). Also add our Red Cal to the oats…about a tablespoon daily AND make available free choice. See the article called Perfect Pastures and also the one about Salt and Minerals in the libray as well as page 21 of the magazine. Same articles are also on our " What To Feed Your Horse" site.
This will help her drink too! Thanks for asking.
Hang in there.
Referenced:
www.DrDanLibrary.com
www.DrDanMag.com
www.WhatToFeedYourHorse.com
