> >Dear Malin, >That is real interesting. -I found that to ,as I lived and grow up in Sweden everybody was very concerned about their horses to founder in spring.
>Surely horses who forage in Iceland have very rich and then lean >periods, depending on the growing sesason. Do no horses get sore- >footed when the rich grass has come in? And if not, has anyone >assessed those incredibly lush-looking Icelandic grasses for the >level of NCS (non-structural carbohydrates, which causes pasture >founder here; measuring in the late afternoon)? Is it possible that >your grasses have much lower NCS than US pastures? Or are there no >IR (insulin resistant) horses in Iceland? -There have been a study about NCS in Icelandic grasses but I don�t remember where to find it it was dun by agriculture schooll at Hvanneyri ( www.bondi.is or www.lbhs.is ). -the Icelandic horse are used to since 1000 of years to live by the nature law so if the where very sensetive to founder they surley would have died out ,as my horses are out all year around eating that they find and get moore food hay in round balls when needed (start usually around christmas and is given to around middle of june) I think as they are on hay and when the new grass is coming the have to go for big spacec�s to find enough amount they not founder ,the grass grow�s gradually in spring and so the hosres get it gradually by nature. Not like in sweden as the summer pasture are saved to get more grass (smaller spaces) and when it�s ready you let the horse out on it�s new pasture!.... -The horses that are stabled during winter stallions ,training horses and foals are not going out on pasture untill around 20 of june and as stallions often has a lot to do with mare�s this has not been a problem,training horses need more energy and foals/yerlings Grow alot also. -I was at a clinic about breeding the otherday they talked about as the horse population was down to under 3000 horses in 1743 the genepool is very little so with this nature have weed out many bad gene�s as we do have very low genetic problems within the breed. the also talked about that we have to look out for inbreeding % is increasing much know after this BLUP system was set on as the hosrse that are high in BLUP is very related. >Also, please explain to me the pronounced hoof rings that are so >common in horses just imported from Iceland. Those rings sure look >like what in the States are generally considered to reflect founder, >or near founder episodes, usually from binge eating. >Thanks! >yours, Barbara >in Maryland they are called "food change rings" and are not founder as long the hoof doesn�t have increased heat . it is look at this as a very normal they often get this when brought in for training from winter pasture or when we change hay roll�s ,(giving from hay from a new field ) I have several time asked my farrier if he see�s some change in the hoof sole ,walls ect.ect and never have he found anything. regards malin in Iceland PS. my spelling program is gone so you have to put up with my bad www.kolugil.tk spelling
