HANDY HINT 1:If you find it difficult to use a paste wormer

– your pony spits it out or rears up - then granule

wormers in the feed can be used. If your pony

sifts out the worming granules, then try mixing them into a bran mash sweetened with molasses - and if he still won’t eat the granules - freeze the packet of worming granules in the freezer. Then quickly add the correct dose rate to his favourite feed mix - he won’t be able to smell or taste the frozen granules - and oops - he’s been wormed. “Oh, drat!”, says the pony - but it is good for him.

HANDY HINT 2: Is your pony eating very slowly or dropping ‘juicy’ lumps of feed from his mouth as he eats hard feed or hay? This is called ‘quidding’ and is caused by the formation of sharp edges on the inside of his top molar or ‘grinding teeth’ and the outside of his bottom teeth, especially when you are feeding hard feed and hay which is harder to grind up. Your pony may lose condition despite an adequate amount of feed and may ‘toss his head’ around when the reins pull the bit and mouth lining back onto the sharp teeth! Have your pony’s teeth checked and rasped to remove the sharp edges - this should

be carried out once a year to ensure your pony’s teeth are kept in good order for efficient digestion and optimum value from his feed!

HANDY HINT 3: Although many horse owners have a ‘Jenny Craig’ paddock set aside for ponies during winter and spring, low pasture with short, stressed grass can actually be high in sugars and increase the risk of laminitis, even with limited grazing. Studies have shown that short dominant grass tufts exposed to frost and/or a sudden dry spell, actually contain higher levels of soluble non-structural sugars (NSCs) and

carbohydrates as the plant tries to maintain its viability. Ponies are attracted to the ‘sweet’ tufts and many that are bordering on laminitis and Equine Metabolic Syndrome can go ‘over the knife-edge” and develop laminitis within 24-48 hours. Avoid grazing stressed pastures 24/7 particularly after a heavy frost. Allow susceptible ponies only limited day time grazing

for 1-2 hours, and confine them to a yard overnight with bulk

provided by soaked hay to reduce the NSC content and

lower the GI of the diet.