Shadow - Her transformation on a mineral balanced diet.
Shadow is a 2006 Mustang/Arab/Draft cross mare. She was born here on my ranch to a her
wild mustang/arab mother, Layla. Layla was in reasonable shape when I adopted her in late
2005. She gave birth to Shadow on April 14, 2006. Shadow was huge at birth and in very good
condition. The first two years of her life were picture perfect. She looked great, she felt
great, everything was as it should be. Link to Layla & Shadows story.
In early 2008 I began to notice her coat texture and color changing and she started to
develop some skin allergies. I didn't know the exact cause but I was certain it was
enviroment/nutrition based.
I knew that Shadows new issues had to be based in some sort of deficiency or overload, but I
couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly.
Shadow is a 2006 Mustang/Arab/Draft cross mare. She was born here on my ranch to a her
wild mustang/arab mother, Layla. Layla was in reasonable shape when I adopted her in late
2005. She gave birth to Shadow on April 14, 2006. Shadow was huge at birth and in very good
condition. The first two years of her life were picture perfect. She looked great, she felt
great, everything was as it should be. Link to Layla & Shadows story.
In early 2008 I began to notice her coat texture and color changing and she started to
develop some skin allergies. I didn't know the exact cause but I was certain it was
enviroment/nutrition based.
I knew that Shadows new issues had to be based in some sort of deficiency or overload, but I
couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly.
The photos below are from June & August 2007. Her coat was jet black at that time but her
mane and tail were beginning to get rusty colored tips. She had no skin allergies at that time.
She was also still living with her mother Layla who you can see in the back ground. Shadow
was attempting to nurse from her mother right up until the time I separated them in late 07.
You can see from Laylas coat that it was very washed out looking. In August she should have
been the picture of health.
mane and tail were beginning to get rusty colored tips. She had no skin allergies at that time.
She was also still living with her mother Layla who you can see in the back ground. Shadow
was attempting to nurse from her mother right up until the time I separated them in late 07.
You can see from Laylas coat that it was very washed out looking. In August she should have
been the picture of health.
What I learned over this past winter has changed how I feed my horses significantly. I learned that
even though it seemed I was providing them with all they needed, I really was not. My nutritional
information up until this past year has been flawed. I was only seeing small parts of the nutritional
puzzle. For my whole horse career, I had been feeding based on the idea of getting everything into
them it seemed that they needed, rather than really understanding what I was putting into them and
understanding the effects each nutritional supplement had on the other. I had no real
understanding of how minerals, both major and trace worked in the body, nor did I understand how
they worked with each other. I did not know that an overage or deficiency of one can lead to an
overage or deficiency of another. I understand this concept in the human diet, but as most horse
owners, I did not apply this information to my horses diets. I just fed what was the norm.
Below is a video of Shadow from the beginning of March 2009. You can clearly see her rust tinged
coat and then she comes in for a close up and you can see the rust tipped hairs on her mane. No
signs of any skin issues at this point.
even though it seemed I was providing them with all they needed, I really was not. My nutritional
information up until this past year has been flawed. I was only seeing small parts of the nutritional
puzzle. For my whole horse career, I had been feeding based on the idea of getting everything into
them it seemed that they needed, rather than really understanding what I was putting into them and
understanding the effects each nutritional supplement had on the other. I had no real
understanding of how minerals, both major and trace worked in the body, nor did I understand how
they worked with each other. I did not know that an overage or deficiency of one can lead to an
overage or deficiency of another. I understand this concept in the human diet, but as most horse
owners, I did not apply this information to my horses diets. I just fed what was the norm.
Below is a video of Shadow from the beginning of March 2009. You can clearly see her rust tinged
coat and then she comes in for a close up and you can see the rust tipped hairs on her mane. No
signs of any skin issues at this point.
By summer of 2008 Shadow had completely rubbed out her mane, she had a very itchy belly, her coat
really didn't look very good. It was fine in places and rough and discolored in other places, it was
also had the appearance of being bleached out. Her mane, forelock and tail all had extensive red
tips. She had very itchy skin on her face and neck. She was not happy. She couldn't tolerate having
the top of her neck touched, even for scratches.
I had the vet out, he looked her over, and diagnosed sweet itch (well that part I already knew) I
wanted to know why she had sweet itch. She had been so healthy up until this year. He didn't have
an answer, he just said that it happens. For those that know me personally, they know this in not
the kind of answer I like. There is always some kind of reason. And why was her coat looking so
poor, sweet itch doesn't do that?
I began working backwards, looking at photos, going over diet and noting the changes that had
occurred over the last few years. One of the big changes being that Shadow had been nursing on
her mom, far past what we (humans) would consider acceptable. The only reason I made the choice
to separate them (stop the nursing) was because it was taking to great a tole on her mothers body.
Shadows problems began showing up shortly after she stopped nursing. I knew this was part of the
key to the problem, but still didn't understand exactly in what way it contributed, beyond she
obviously was no longer getting something that she had been getting from her mother.
The diet Shadow was on seemed adequate at the time. Each day Shadow got good quality low sugar
grass hay, two different types, a small amount of grass pellets as a medium for her vitamin
supplement. She also got a daily probiotic and a calcium/Phosphorous mix as well as a trace mineral
mix and of course she had access to a white salt block. At the time, this all seemed very adequate.
really didn't look very good. It was fine in places and rough and discolored in other places, it was
also had the appearance of being bleached out. Her mane, forelock and tail all had extensive red
tips. She had very itchy skin on her face and neck. She was not happy. She couldn't tolerate having
the top of her neck touched, even for scratches.
I had the vet out, he looked her over, and diagnosed sweet itch (well that part I already knew) I
wanted to know why she had sweet itch. She had been so healthy up until this year. He didn't have
an answer, he just said that it happens. For those that know me personally, they know this in not
the kind of answer I like. There is always some kind of reason. And why was her coat looking so
poor, sweet itch doesn't do that?
I began working backwards, looking at photos, going over diet and noting the changes that had
occurred over the last few years. One of the big changes being that Shadow had been nursing on
her mom, far past what we (humans) would consider acceptable. The only reason I made the choice
to separate them (stop the nursing) was because it was taking to great a tole on her mothers body.
Shadows problems began showing up shortly after she stopped nursing. I knew this was part of the
key to the problem, but still didn't understand exactly in what way it contributed, beyond she
obviously was no longer getting something that she had been getting from her mother.
The diet Shadow was on seemed adequate at the time. Each day Shadow got good quality low sugar
grass hay, two different types, a small amount of grass pellets as a medium for her vitamin
supplement. She also got a daily probiotic and a calcium/Phosphorous mix as well as a trace mineral
mix and of course she had access to a white salt block. At the time, this all seemed very adequate.
Summer 2008
The photo below is from the Summer of '08, when she was at her most miserable. She had no
mane left, most of her body itched, she was cranky and did not want to be touched. The vet
prescribed a strong antihistamine which I gladly gave her. I couldn't stand to see her so
miserable. The drugs gave her enough relief for me to be able to touch the areas that were
causing her so much misery and stress. For the remainder of the summer I treated her issues
topically, it was all I could do while I researched and looked for the answer to her problems.
I knew that I basically had a winter to figure this out. I was acutely aware that the allergic
reaction would probably be twice as bad the following year. I began taking classes, reading,
talking to anyone I could about skin issues, coat issues, etc. The most promising information I
found was from Dr. Kellon. She is a vet who specializes in Nutrition and its effects on the equine
body. Here is a link to her site http://www.drkellon.com/
The photo below is from the Summer of '08, when she was at her most miserable. She had no
mane left, most of her body itched, she was cranky and did not want to be touched. The vet
prescribed a strong antihistamine which I gladly gave her. I couldn't stand to see her so
miserable. The drugs gave her enough relief for me to be able to touch the areas that were
causing her so much misery and stress. For the remainder of the summer I treated her issues
topically, it was all I could do while I researched and looked for the answer to her problems.
I knew that I basically had a winter to figure this out. I was acutely aware that the allergic
reaction would probably be twice as bad the following year. I began taking classes, reading,
talking to anyone I could about skin issues, coat issues, etc. The most promising information I
found was from Dr. Kellon. She is a vet who specializes in Nutrition and its effects on the equine
body. Here is a link to her site http://www.drkellon.com/