For The Love Of Ben: Missing Puzzle Piece

I just recently ran another Succeed Fecal Blood Test on Ben to check for any possible ulcer activity that may be creeping up on us with the cooler temps & constant weather fluctuations. Results are he is holding nice & steady! The internal specialist has given the thumbs up & go ahead to continue doing what we've been doing! Just running that test I give myself ulcers & can hardly bare to watch it run. Once it does & the results are good a huge weight is lifted off my chest! An even better one is when the specialist is happy with his progress! Ben has been off all medications for about 3 months now. Doesn't sound all that long but considering the extent of his ulcers & the chance of recurrence this is a big deal! I find myself still having flashbacks of it all & it is not a place I want Ben or myself to go back to. The countless hours of research I have done making things close to perfect was a long journey of trial & error, but seeing him now healthy & happy makes it all worth it. Sometimes it hard to see even a hint of a glimmer of light when things seem so dark around us, but always remember it is the light that cast the shadows to the darkness.

As I have mentioned previously I had been searching on something that would put weight on Ben for the upcoming winter months ahead. Lets be honest searching for a weight gain supplement is quiet overwhelming.....what's even more overwhelming is finding a weight gain supplement that is safe for horses with ulcers. I know most of you are probably thinking why not add more grain. If you asked that you haven't been paying attention to my blog at all..... Grain is never the answer. Forage first always because that is the staple to any horses diet. When forage isn't cutting it like for Ben you need to look into safe alternatives that do not involve grain overload. Do your research & don't choose the first thing you see. Look at reviews, talk to the company about any concerns, & have a price point in mind. After doing all those things I came up with Platinum Performance Heathy Weight! It has been a miracle worker! What does it consist of that makes it so amazing? It is cold compressed flaxseed oil. The oil is loaded with calories, omega 3 , & natural vitamin E. I can't even make up the results they speak loud & clear for themselves. Since the day after he started the oil his appetite spiked from barely eating 1-2 flakes grass hay a day if I was lucky to eating 4-7 per day!!! That doesn't include his alfalfa but he has always eaten that great! I questioned the company asking if it had an effect of increasing appetite & what I was told is that no it doesn't but it does however reduce inflammation in the GI tract making them feel better because of all the omega 3 in it. I am a believer because I see such a change for the better. I highly recommend the product if you are looking to add weight safely & effectively without adding any more feedstuffs to your routine!

So what is Ben's current routine for maintaining the previously ulcer horse?

3 Quarts Cavalor Fiber Force given 3 times a day

Free choice grass hay in nibblenets

1-2 flakes western alfalfa hay (each flake weighing around 5-7 lbs)

1/2 scoop Assure Guard twice a day

Assure Plus once a week monthly for sand removal

2 oz Chia seeds given twice a day

1/3 cup Healthy Weight twice a day

Adequan for joint support

Massage every 4 weeks

Toe trim every 4 weeks

Chiropractor every 4 months