LG miserable with sore feet!

I purchased my two mini’s, LG 10yo mare & CC her 1yo daughter, two years ago, so I could have horses for fun again, Happy Days
LG was a happy, playful, cheeky,  lovely mare. They have 5 acres to run and play and were locked up at night plus restricted hours during the day in spring and autumn.
 
Although LG was not fat, she became lame and one vet said not laminitis and another said it was laminitis!  LG was put on bute and had moments of improving but was constantly becoming lame/proppy, her hooves were terrible and she was losing weight. No matter how many vet visits or what I introduced in the way of supplements, or changed with her diet (added Lucerne due to no sugar), she continued to be lame and gradually became worse and loosing more weight. I was continually being told to reduce sugars!
 
I had a feeling her problem was toxins from grass and weeds, and googled myself stupid but was unsure   No longer Happy Days, LG miserable, in pain and I was miserable too.  I felt I had broken her
 
Then, I was sent an article of Lucy’s, and promptly contacted her.  Well, I managed to get a 0 out of 10  for all my hard work and after our very long chat I completely changed LG’s diet to reduce, hello, protein not just sugar and put her on the Gotcha Equine feed plan. Lucy explained to me that many pony owners lock their ponies in a dry yard for most of the year 24/7 which is cruel and unhealthy. So instead Lucy gave me a paddock management plan plus probiotics and supplements. Well who would have thought that miserable and pain riddled LG would be running around playing, bucking and generally bright eyed and bushy tailed in 10days!  Happy Days again
 
BUT. OH NO, LG was lame again and miserable!  The rain had increased and I didn't realise how quickly just an extra 4-5 hours out on the grass could adversely affect her. More chats with Lucy and vet out, once again changed paddock times (still locked up at night) and getting her up to the full dose of all the Oxalate/High Demand Vit & Min, Detox and Mag Max plus treatment for seedy toe caused by wet paddocks and founder last year (not from overweight!).  I do feel LG suffers with toxins from bad paddock grasses (Kikuyu, Clover, Capeweed) and protein. With more understanding now of how these grasses and weeds can affect my ponies I'm now able to manage this.

 
LG is now up to 8 hours in the paddock during the day, frolicking and looking very healthy, Happy Days Again
Learning how ponies and horses can get sore feet when they are not overweight (subclinical laminitis) has been a huge help in understanding how to manage the two quite different ponies.

 
Althoughhhhh Spring is coming and I have no doubt we will encounter more hiccups, but I now feel with Lucy’s advice and the Gotcha Equine program I am more confident about managing my two girls LG & CC.

LG, CC and I can’t thank Lucy enough for her time, patience and many phone calls, always willing to help
We call Lucy ‘The Horse Wonder Woman’
 

Happy Days  
 
Diana, LG & CC
 
Dianna Leeder
Rosbud, Victoria