Meet Apollo, he is my double registered new WP gelding. He is Perfect.
Almost.
I bought him two weeks ago today.
After the first week when he had what I thought was two colic scares I did some research.
Turns out he is HyPP N/H.
I was not told this when I purchased him.
And being the good horse owner that I am I brought him home and started to fatten him up with
Orchard grass,
Grain,
and
Cookies w/Mollasses
I could have killed him being the good horse owner that I think I am.
HyPP positive horses cannot have high potassium diets.
Everything I was feeding him was WRONG, Everything.
So in the past week I have scoured the internet to find any and every piece of information on HyPP.
I have seen every opinion from 'All N/H horses should be put down' to 'Owners just need to be aware and HyPP N/H horses can live a long productive life'
I choose to believe the latter.
I have started to adjust his feeding program and he has been symptom free.
Currently on 4 feedings a day
2 flakes grass hay a.m.
1 flake grass hay midday
2 flakes grass hay p.m.
1 flake grass for midnight snack
Grain
Crimped Oats
Lite Balance grain
Super Gain (Great for HyPP horses that need to gain wgt) 1/2 suggested serving
HorseShine
The above is what was recommended by a reputable feed company.
The Hay I'm still nervous about because I don't know what the potassium level is. I'm going to have this tested. I'm also having some Timothy tested to see if it's lower in potassium than the current local I'm feeding.
We are slowly working on getting him into shape as stress free as possible.
I still have high hopes for this boy. He is EVERYTHING I have always wanted. Slow, kind, and gorgeous!! He just has issues, that I intend to work through.
Now would I have bought him if I had known? No. But I did and he is mine to take care of and make sure he lives the most productive life he can....
