“Definitely no over cleaning- he’s only had two bathes with soap in the last month. I’m pretty judicious about using soap on my guys.

Diet is the same as all of mine (hay, alfalfa, SBM, Himalayan salt block).

I did add a probiotic to the diet, I’ll stop and just withdraw SBM.

Bedding doesn’t make a difference- he’s on straw now but was on shav… Read more

Doc T, a friend wants to know if you have ever come across a horse who…..stinks…on this diet. Not his manure or urine, but his skin. Hair coat looks good but the horse stinks- like weird mechanical sour smell. Friend has been feeding no grain with SBM to various horses for several years. Said this is really weird and has her wor… Read more

Weird thing today. This was the second time in a month that one of my teenage horses passed manure when I was hacking home and turned around and sniffed and ate some of it. 😳 He always wants to sniffs strange manure on trail rides but only sniffs. He usually poops at least once and often twice when I ride him and I’ve never seen him sniff his o… Read more

Welcome Dinah! My sensitive horse has thrived on this diet and I am happy to hear how well your mare is responding. Great to have you here.

You made a sink on wheels!

Thanks! So interesting that sand accumulation is a result of decreased gut motility from inflammation. But I don’t think it’s what’s going on with my horse. It made no difference when I soaked all his hay for a couple months when he was first diagnosed with asthma. Since then I’ve been steaming all his hay (homemade steamer). Again no differe… Read more

Signed up. Very timely topic for me. Thanks Doc T!

I listened to the podcast today on soaking. I’ve had to start soaking for a horse recently diagnosed with asthma, and I’m actually interested in hearing more about steaming. I’m not dealing with metabolic issues with him, just don’t want him inhaling dust and mold.

The Wikipedia link talks about how dirty the water left after soaking hay is,… Read more

Glad you are seeing improvements already. The contentment and lack of meal-time anxiety is a common improvement observed on this diet. Your horses are right on schedule!

That’s a good point!

I sometimes use a smaller screen with a really messy bag but it takes forever to sift. The 1/4 gets most corn and pellets and is quick and easy and is what I use 95% of the time.

A very good read that IME applies to horses as well as to people. It’s not an imbalance of calories in vs. calories expended (I.e. exercise). It’s about what is eaten rather than how much:

“Diets that can successfully resolve obesity are not those that induce us to eat less, per energy-balance thinking, but those that reduce circulating level… Read more

I’ve found a large variety of things in my SBM from various sources. I’ve taken to screening all SBM before feeding to my horses. I found some nifty gold-miners screens on Amazon that fit on a five-gallon bucket.

SE Patented Stackable 13-1/4″ Sifting Pan, 1/4″ Mesh Screen – GP2-14 htt…

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Hi Doc T:

I’m not sure of the best forum to post this. My GP dressage horse struggles when he needs to pass manure. I have trouble getting him through and engaged and using his back until he’s comfortably passed everything. In fact, I have trouble getting him to even move when he needs to go. As a prey/flight animal horses are supposed to be abl…

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I’m not sure what the dimpling is, but his overall condition looks great in that second photo.

I am SO happy to hear that Remi is feeling so much better!! I look forward to reading any comments Doc T has to your questions. I hope you’ve cracked the code for this horse.

I personally prefer the hay form because it’s less processed than pellets or cubes but nutritionally I think it’s pretty similar by weight other than the fiber length.

Mine all eat it dry, by itself. They will also eat it wet.

I’ve paid more for non-gmo ($25.50 per bag) and one store was getting I think $35 for organic (I never bought it as neither the store nor the mill could tell me if it was Dehulled). The regular SBM is $18.50 at one store and $20 at another IIRC and the price is pretty steady.

Thanks Jenny! That was our first weekend at Grand Prix’ last month. 2-1/2 years ago, before finding this diet, I was going to have to sell this horse or likely get badly hurt. His response to pulling grain was dramatic and quick. The protein supplementation from SBM has him beautifully muscled and strong with all the strength and endurance he n…

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I’ve been completely compliant with this diet for 2-1/2 years. Two years in, I spent $300 to run a full blood panel on one of my four horses just to check and it came back showing he was getting everything he needed from pasture, grass and alfalfa hay, dehulled SBM, water and free choice naturally mined salt.

Appreciate the additional info and am looking forward to the zoom!

Interesting research about the impact of diet and about calorie regulation. In keeping with what we are seeing with our horses once we eliminate grain.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/well/move/weight-gain-amazon.html?referringSource=articleShare

I’m thinking about trying unsweetened dried coconut chunks/chips as a treat. If it’s nothing but dried coconut and possibly sea salt, would this be a non-inflammatory option consistent with the diet?

 

I usually use mini alfalfa cubes as treats but am looking for something not so messy to feed to a horse with a bit in his mouth and he isn… Read more

My best advice is to be patient and trust the process. At two months in I think it’s the point that folks are most likely to bale because the fat is leaving and revealing the loss of muscle underneath, and the protein supplementation hasn’t been going on long enough to see the impact it will make on topline. It just takes longer to build mus…

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I don’t see a picture with your post. I’m viewing on a phone.

My four horses have been on this diet 2-1/2 years. We are completely compliant and I’m absolutely thrilled with the results. They are out 24/7 with access to coastal burmuda pasture in the summer and coastal rye in the winter, Himalayan and/or Redmond’s salt blocks, and an automatic waterer. In the winter they get Canadian Timothy or timothy mix…

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A friend was able to save her 25yo EOTRH horse’s teeth when Doc T recommended she try Equident. Local vet was recommending extraction but the situation has been greatly improved. Hopefully you will experience similar results. 🤞

I’m signed up and looking forward to it.

I found Doc T and the no grain challenge in Sept 2018 when my FEI dressage horse was dangerously explosive at a show. I realized he was screaming to me that there was a problem and I knew I had to find it and fix it or sell him to a pro.

 

I was looking at everything (vet, body work, saddle fit, bridle fit, farrier, management). It was my… Read more

I keep wishing we could find clean dehulled SBM without the errant corn kernels, molasses chunks, food pellets and even cotton seeds that I find in SBM from a variety of mills. I screen the crap out, but it would be nice if we could find a clean source, even better if it’s one that folks could order a bag from via UPS (Chewy and Amazon and Petco s… Read more