Oops, forgot. Movement, THE best therapy for IR. Ponying or riding would be best, don't longe, unless on soft ground and rather in a square than in a circle.

Beet pulp, the nutrena, etc, ARE 'hard feed'. Beet pulp is calorie dense, no, not good for weightloss, but as it's relatively sugar/starch free, good for feeding IR horses for weightgain, and OK for a HANDFUL to be mixed with supps to get horses to eat that don't need extra calories. Same for copra, but it's low in calcium & got other goodies - coconut & it's oil is fantastic on so many health levels. If you can't get copra, perhaps a handful of the BP is warranted to get her to eat her 'greens'.

Not going off analysis or anything, but I'd suspect with BP and the high Ca Nutrena, you'd need a LOT more Mg than a maint. dose of that. See Gravelproofhoof for more on Mg.

Yeah, that's what an 'RB' is, although many of them are made in a pelleted form that you can feed straight. If pelleted, make sure it's low dose (eg a handful or 2 daily) and low starch.

Get over your guilt & remember not to 'kill her with kindness'. As said, maybe not cut down, but if not, soak & drain to leach out extras, and double net it or such. If your grand dad brought you up on all the junkfood you could eat, then someone suddenly restricted that, you'd probably be '****y' about it too(interesting you're allowed to use that term here, but not with a u instead of i!). But it wouldn't mean it's a good move for them to feel guilty about it & give you more, especially if you'd already become an obese diabetic & suffering secondary diseases from it.

Another thing with getting '****y' is that stress also depletes Mg. Exercise would be helpful too, if her feet can stand it, or if you can pad/boot so she's comfortable.

Haven't seen her feet, so of course it may be the vet is right about her 'foundering' purely from bad farriery(must have been relatively long term), but given her obesity & diet history, I highly doubt that isn't a large factor.

Nope, molasses is sugar so good to not feed it but the trace amount of molasses in it is not what causes the weight gain it's the beet pulp so I'm afraid to say that's just flat out wrong. Do NOT feed beet pulp for weight loss.

Actually I don't think there's anything you can really feed for weight loss, just cut down to the minimum (hay) and make sure it's not too rich. I'd get her on the "lousiest" hay possible and keep the Empower to balance out nutrition.


Glad you caught it early but I'm concerned with the rotation and that it hasn't been resolved.

I'm thinking the farrier may of been "the straw that broke" but would be thinking her weight/diet were/are the biggest issues. Regardless the farrier is gone (I assume) and her weight is not and she is still sore so that's going to be a long term issue. I would be making a point to keep her on the lean side to keep her healthy whereas right now she's just flat out fat.

Agree it's time for tough love. She can deal. I know you're trying but think you're getting stuck with her temper tantrums.

Don't lunge her. Hand walk her on soft ground. If she's sore stop.

I would have the vet out again at this point for a follow up.