Have a Horse Health Question? Ask the Vets!

Tom from Kelseyville asks: In the last issue, you gave 20 lbs of hay. What about pellets with a little pasture (not much growth this time of year and less than an acre of nibbling area) Horses always seem to be too fat. Don't know much about pellets and the economy they may bring with alfalfa being so high?

Hi Tom,
This is a good question without a perfect answer. I do not recommend feeding alfalfa pellets as the only or main feed stuff. They can be used as an additive or to supplement hay but I have concerns about using them as the only feed source. Because of the horse's unique gastrointestinal tract, they require forage material such as hay and pasture as a majority of their diet. The long stem nature of hay and pasture seems to be very important in keeping the horse's gastrointestinal tract healthy and happy. In addition, some horses can "choke" on pellets and get it stuck in their esophagus which can be a serious problem. This usually happens when they eat too quickly or if it is too dry for them. If you do elect to use pellets as a supplement, I would recommend slowly introducing it especially with alfalfa pellets to ensure that this does not result in choke, gas, loose manure, or colic. Also, grass pellets would be more ideal than alfalfa pellets especially for overweight horses. Grass pellets are less calorically dense than alfalfa and are less likely to adversely affect laminitis prone horses. Strictly alfalfa diets have also been linked to gastrointestinal and urinary stone formation. Cubed hay is another option as a feed supplement instead of pellets. This has bigger pieces of hay in it and may be better for a horse's gastrointestinal tract. A complete feed such as Purina Equine Senior is another good feed additive for horses, although it can become costly if feeding in large amounts. If possible I would encourage you to try and feed hay as the main feed source and preferably grass or grass/alfalfa mix. From there, you can add in additional feed sources if you would like. When trying to assess for the amount of feed a horse should receive, you need to add in the weight of all feed being fed to the horse (i.e. hay + additional feed, pellets, cubes, etc..). For most horses this should add up to about 2% of body weight. This is a rough guideline and may need to be altered for life stage, exercise level, and starting weight. If you have further concerns about what to feed your horses, how much, or what feeds may be available to you, I would recommend you set up a consultation with your veterinarian. This would allow for further nutritional evaluation based on your horses' individual needs. I hope this helps!
Dr. Joanna Holtz

Julie from Potter Valley asks: My horse gets really crusty on his Penis, why? Where does this come from? And how do I get so it doesn't happen? It's like it's chapped. I have had the vet out to clean it, but is there anything to prevent it?

Hi Julie,
Male horses normally form a dark, greasy substance in their sheath area and penis called smegma. This also will build and form a "bean" in the tip of the penis which is very important to remove regularly. Some horses do get more dry and crust like debris on the penis itself. This tends to be more common in Appaloosas or horses with pink skinned penises. Some horses form more debris than other horses normally. If your horse will let you, you can clean it periodically with mineral oil and water. Be careful not to over clean the area, as this can irritate the skin over time. You can use a hose to easily clean off the penis and rinse out the sheath (area of skin that the penis is located when it is not extended). Some horses respond better to this if the water is warm (make sure it is not too hot to the point where it will burn or irritate the sensitive skin of the penis). It can help to loosen the debris if you wait a little bit after applying the mineral oil before rinsing well. I am not aware of anything that prevents the dry build up that you describe, but more frequent cleaning (several times per year) may be a good way to start and see if this helps your horse. It is important to be very careful if you choose to clean your horse's sheath and penis yourself. Start slow and try to get an idea of how sensitive he is in the area before a full cleaning. Good luck!
Dr. Joanna Holt