• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Horse Nutrition

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
RoperAB said:
I tend to think hay bellys have more to do with lack of conditioning<muscles> on other parts of the horse than the size of the belly.
I feed straight alfalfa< all they can eat all the time> plus oats and I have no troubles but my horses are getting rode everyday.
I dont know why there is so much anti alfalfa stuff on the net? Im thinking its from people who live in areas where they dont grow alfalfa for one reason or another?
Click to expand...

The key is they need to be rode, if they aren't they get hay belly. Never had one get hay belly if he was kept in shape. But keeping a wrangle horse in I have to keep switching so they don't get the hay cough (which some are prone to) and the hay belly.
 
OT,

You can soak flax seed overnight in warm water and get nice results.

For a little better start, you can put in in the blender and pulse it just a couple seconds to crack the hulls.

Start with warm water, then put it on top of the furnace to sit, and keep warm.

Really just need enough water to cover it with maybe 1/4" more in a bowl.

Once you soak it, though, you want to use it, as it will go rancid quickly.

I would soak it over night and use it the next day.

I wouldn't save it for even 1 day.

Even a cup 2X a week is great though, it doesn't take much.

A little is good, but a little more doesn't gain too much, so a little is enough.


Badlands
 
Hey OT I went to one of those the otherday and they didn't feed us!! But I did learn a lot. I also realized that I was asking a lot from my horse and giving him little back. You know some horses don't handle prosperity very well so we never over grain our horses. I bought two bags from Pat . Our horses have a great body score but their top line muscles are caving in so they said to feed more amino and protein. We'll see.
BL we used to get flaxseed oil. Comes in a little bottle but you only need a little.
FH who is your shoer??
 
Where I'm at, we feed alfalfa, but 150 miles east is a bunch of race trainers that swear by limiting the alfalfa so as to have sufficient stamina for the longer races.

Recently I bought a 20 year old rope horse from a 75 year old man. The horse has won over $100k, sound legged, but is heavie. I put the horse on grass and oats and mostly settled the heavs. I wonder if he developed an alergy, but I'm quite sure the alfalfa he was getting was premium - no mold.
 
Heel Fly, Jerry McCormick from Wibaux is our shoer. He has shod for us for at least 12 years now. We are really picky and if he quit, I don't know what we would do. Besides that, he's a fun guy to know.

And really good-looking, I might add...though that has nothing to do
with his shoeing ability. :wink:

So you got some Progressive Nutrition from Pat. You'll be really happy with it. I need to post a picture of our horses that have been on that all winter. Just 2# and grass hay. Some Texans were here in Dec. and they were amazed at how good the horses hair was. They were expecting long-hair like usual and the hair on these horses was really nice. Anyway, that was their comment.

We were at a branding yesterday and our horse had far and away the
best coat of hair there. He looks a little too fat to me, but Casey says, "That's MUSCLE". Sooo....
 
I live where there is Blue Grass Strraw available. The horses have free choice access to it. Partof it is that with my travels, the wife can go out 1 time a day and give them a little grain and Horse Guard. The horses are content. I feed Alfalfa to younger growing horses, but tend to like a grass mix on older ones. Big thing is to feed to the level of use.


On the Ulcers deal, first I heard of it was travelin thru Seattle area. When I heard it I thot about all of the stables there. Take a very sociable animal and lock them in a box away from everyone else.

Heck, even when teaching trailering, well, they go woth mom or a buddy at first. They learn that where we take them there are other horses and new things that break the monotany.

BTW, FH, the guy that starts our horses is apparently good lookin to....I've been told, he does nothin for me, LOL....

PPRM
 
FH I love the Oaky. And I too find him rather handsome. My brother Jesse worked under him for a little while.
I am anxious to see the results of the feed. Pat said at least 2 mo. ( Speaking of handsome men. Hope niether of them are on here!!!!)
 
In the mid 1960's I attended a Purdue short course on care and nutrition of horses and they gave a mixture that was supposed to be what a horse needs without killing your pocket book.

It has worked well for me over the years and I have not found a reason to change it.

Start with 500# of cracked corn = = = whole corn will pass about 50% without digestion

300# of oats = = = whole is best unless you have and older animal then you can get them "flaked"

100# molasses = = = great energy

100# soybean meal = = = takes care of the protien needs, really shins the coat year round

They recommended 15# of loose salt added per 1000#. I no longer put the salt in and have free choice mineral available.

For Quarter horses they recommended 6# per head per day for moderate pleasure horses and up to 12# per head per day for hard working horses. Good quality pasture or hay available free choice in either case.

When going with a program like this I have never had a hay belly and my horses always looked and preformed great - - - I have been picked on when you could lay a tennis ball on a horses back and lead them at a walk and the ball does not fall - - - I call that back muscles but some of my critics call it fat - - - oh well they look great to me. I only have one horse now - - - a 1970 model stud I used for years but he is skinny now no matter what you do, if he quits enjoying life I will put him down but he still buddies with the cattle and seems to enjoy himself so I will continue to feed him.
 
There has been alot of research done since the 60's George.

I'm certain there is some Senior feed that would benefit your
old friend. It is partly digested so the older horses can get more
out of the feed. Give some a try, you will be pretty amazed.

Another real good thing to do is Power Pack worm your horses with
Safeguard. It really works. You dose them for 5 days and it really
gets rid of worms that nothing else will.

Heel Fly: WELCOME TO THE BOARD!!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top