From years of experience we have found the best strategy for solving behavioural and physical problems is to firstly ensure you are feeding the horse properly, then see what problems you have left after a month or two. The ProVide It Plan will help eliminate digestive flora problems, mineral imbalances, myco-toxin overload, correct the natural buffering system and to help ensure your horse has a long healthy and productive future.
Keep in mind when introducing any new feeds or supplements to always do this slowly, over a period of at least one to two weeks so the good digestive flora doesn't die off. Particularly when drastically changing their grass diet, such as restricting their grass or introducing grass into their diet, do even slower if possible.
To give your horse the best chance of this working you will need to also eliminate all other products, supplements and herbs from their diet as they could be causing part of the imbalance without you knowing. For example, a large number of herbs are high in potassium which can cause major mineral imbalances (read More Mysteries Solved and Lucky's Story).
Who would have ever guessed that the grass your horse is eating could have a major part in causing a whole list of problems, ranging from major calcium deficiencies from oxalate grasses (Kikuyu and Setaria Grass for example), to debilitating myco-toxins and grass tetany.
If for some reason your horse has had a course of antibiotics recently, has just been de-wormed or has been very ill and may have signs of anaemia, a five day course of Protexin paste is a wonderful product to help get them back on track.
The basis for a large amount of the information found on the Gotcha Equine website will invariably be linked to at least one of the points in the eight step plan. To help you work out which steps are relevant to you (steps 4 to 8), please use our online Horse Health Checklist.
If you have any questions, please view our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) or online forum. If you still can't find the answer, please email your question to Gotcha Equine.
- Correctly feed the flora in the hind-gut with plenty of fibre (mature grass, hay, chaffs and beet),
- Reduce Non Structural Carbohydrates (NSC, commonly known as sugar),
- Take care of your horse's vitamin and mineral requirements with Supreme Australian-Horse Vit & Min,
- Feed Alleviate Xtra Cal to help meet individual calcium and magnesium requirements all year round. Alleviate Xtra Cal is many times more absorbable than other forms,
- De-Tox may assist to bind myco-toxins all year round, thereby vastly improving feed quality. Especially important in warm, humid weather or in high fungal seasons (autumn),
- Keep some Alleviate on hand. This special organic magnesium may help with stressful situations or when grass is growing rapidly. When tight, tense, spooky, short-stepping or herd bound,
- Add plain salt. The dose rate depends on their situation so full requirements may not be met in vitamins and minerals. 10gms per 100kg of body weight is a good starting point and can be adjusted. Clean drinking water should be available at ALL times,
- Pasture management - formulate a plan to eliminate harmful pasture species and replace with horse-friendly varieties.
For a FREE detailed ProVide It Plan please contact Gotcha Equine.
Please take part in the Gotcha Equine online survey so we may identify any other issues that may be specific to Australia. Findings and any new evidence will be posted on the Gotcha Equine website, so it's a good idea to visit Gotcha Equine regularly.
We are very interested in any feedback and experiences you may have had. Please email Gotcha Equine (for Australian residents) or Calm, Healthy Horses (for New Zealand residents). Please include your phone number in email correspondence.
