Conference noted::equitation

	I use Equihist for one of my horses; but it's for allergy
	bumps (they look just like protein bumps), not watery eyes
	or coughing. I still don't know what she's allergic to,
	whether it's fly/bug bites or mud, although I do know they're
	not high-protein bumps. The Equihist does the job, though, and
	I find that giving her about a tablespoonfull twice a day gets
	rid of the bumps; then I can reduce the amount to one every
	other day and the bumps don't come back.

	Have you tried reducing the dosage once the symptoms clear up?
	It's easier on me, the horse and the pocketbook!

	-julie

    Do you know what she is allergic to? If damping her hay helps her
    you may want to consider taking her off hay all together. I had
    an older mare that was developing Heaves (same symtoms) and my vet
    had us put her on Agway Respond and gradually take her off hay.
    After that (2 weeks to change over) she never coughed or had runny
    eyes again. She could never have hay again but did not need medication
    and the cost was only about $5.00 a month over ordinary grain+hay
    diet. We pastured her as much as possible because grass didn't bother
    her.
    
    Just_a_thought,
    Sandy
    

    Heaves is exactly what Dr Gill says she has.  Probably allergic
    to dust (who isn't?).  
    
    She is the least aggressive of our 2 horses... the Morgan is always
    scareing her away from the hay piles.  But I've always worried that
    she will go hungrey if she can't get enough hay...  you mean they
    can do without it completely?  Would I need to add pellets to the
    Respond?  Just to make sure she keeps her weight up?  
    
    Is Respond more nutritionaly complete thatn Omilene?  That's what
    she is on now.

	 My sister's  horse  could not have hay.  He survived quite well
     on  pellets  alone.   When I didn't want to increase his grain, but
     wanted  to  put  a  little more meat on his bones, I would give him
     Golden  Bulky,  a cow feed, that had a low protien but provided the
     bulk.   It  looks  kinda like dry sweetfeed with bran.  He loved it
     and  it  wasn't  very  expensive.   I  used  to  get  it  at UCF in
     Littleton. I don't know if they still sell it though.

	 We also tried Respond and beet pulp, the latter of which he did
     not  like  at all (probably due to the fact that it had to be mixed
     with water, etc)

    Cheryl,
    
    My Morgan has heaves. The vet recommended Horse Hage instead of
    hay. It has been a real lifesaver for him. You can buy a few bags
    from me to try it out if you're interested.
    
    -Andrea-

    Respond is a feed formulated for horses with heaves. It contains
    beet pulp for rougage instead of hay of any kind. It seems that
    they can be alergic to things in the hay other than just dust. It
    is nutritionally complete to be fed as a total diet. Another brand
    that is quite close in composition is called New Hope. The Horse
    Hage that Andrea recommended would probably make your horse happier.
    My mare wanted the munching effect of hay.
    Sandy
    

    I've heard about hage... but the way it was explained to me was
    that it was just hay that has been soaked in water then tightly
    wrapped in plastic to be kept moist.  Do you know if that is true?
    Wouldn't that cause other types of mold etc to grow?                  
    
    My vet once told me that hage should be a last resort (the mare
    isn't quite that bad - yet) simply because hage costs so much.
    
    Has anyone ever seen Equi-Hist sold thru those discount vet supply
    places?  I've been looking but haven't found it yet.

    Horse Hage is baled and shrink wrapped before the grass dries out.
    It isn't soaked in water, although they sometimes add some molasses.
    Wrapped up in the plastic it ferments. When you open up a bale it
    has a very distinctive odor--a little sweet. The consistency is
    limp, it never shatters like dry hay. 
    
    It's about $5.20 a bale delivered, which is a lot more expensive
    than regular hay. But hage is more nutritious so you can feed less
    grain. My Morgan gets only two very small coffee cans of sweet
    feed a day--not even 2 pounds--and four flakes of hage. He's still
    roly poly. I swear by the stuff.
    
    -Andrea-

    
    
    
    Equi-Hist is available through the Rockford Vet Wholesale catalog.
    I don't have the catalog with me but I believe the address and toll
    free number are posted elsewhere in this notesfile.  They take visa
    and mastercard and usually ship within 24 hours via UPS.  If you
    can't find the other note let me know and I will bring in the catalog
    and post it here.
    
    Pat
    

    
    
    I got the wholsale catalog and they list Equi Hist as being
    available only with a vet's written prescription.  It is on page
    151 order number 521.  20oz jar for $19.95.  Phone orders call
    
    1-800-435-6940.
    
    Orders for prescription drugs:
    
    
    If you are a licensed vet or pharmicist all orders must list the
    your state license number.  All others, orders for prescription drugs
    must be accompanied by your vet's original prescription showing
    his and your name, address, and phone number.  Prescriptions are 
    non-returnable.
                                           
    Pat

    I just called and requested a catalog.
    
    Can't thank you enough!
    
    

    My 18 year old mare also coughs and was on Equihist, but I took her off
    and just tried the hay-wetting routine. I use a hay net, and let it
    soak all the way through then let it drain excess water. She NEVER gets
    dry hay, and the wetting really helps her. She rarely coughs at
    all...but if I find that her hay has not been soaked, I notice a
    difference. I also mist her stall lightly with the hose. 
    
    Of course the vet recommends she is out all the time, but
    unfortunately, we have limited turn out, so she is not out every day.
    I keep her stall window open and she is situated near the barn door so
    she gets plenty of air. 
    
    Perhaps I am lucky that she responds so well to just wet hay and so
    forth, but it has paid off (I don't need to spend $$on Equihist). Of
    course the older she gets, she may get worse. But good luck!
    
    

    Yes, I couldn't agree more - wetting the hay really helps!
    
    Haven't tried misting the stall yet but I will next time.
    We are very lucky because she can come and go from the barn
    any time she pleases.  And she usually chooses to be outside.
    
    Last week at this time the pollen situation was at an all time high
    around here.  So I kept her on the full dose of Equihist.
    But in the last few days, the pollen has lessened, and she is getting 
    only half a does per feeding.  And that seems to be enough.
    
    Thanks for all the help!