Analysing horse feed - am I the only one?

[Green Bean]

Perhaps it is this whole Covid-19 lock down, but has anyone else checked the make-up of the feed their horses receive daily? The obvious unknowns are make-up of grass and hay, but wonder on the benefit of checking what you feed / over-feed? My example is attached. I don't feed any supplements except I have just started a garlic, parsley and linseed oil mix to try and ward off flies naturally (along with rug and other fly treatments). Can't find its make-up so have requested it so I can add to my table!

 

[vmac66]

I did and still do after my mare had laminitis last year. It surprised me what was in some apparently healthy feeds.

 

[planete]

Laminitis scare here as well (still not sure as vet and farrier disagree!). I went on the Laminitis Site to find out about the safest diet and got rid of my Alfa A and Fibrebeet.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We only feed single ingredients (straights) so that we know exactly what our horses are getting. Not that they get a lot.

 

[dixie]

I have a spreadsheet detailing the ingredients of a fair few of the ulcer supplements.
It’s amazing how they differ.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I did, I worried about getting the right minerals etc without adding weight. Now I feed forageplus and I'm much happier and confident he is getting what he needs.

I'm still eating beans on toast.

 

[be positive]

We only feed single ingredients (straights) so that we know exactly what our horses are getting. Not that they get a lot.

Same here in general, although my old boy had a compound feed to help him through the winter, I do check ingredients even some chops have additives that you dont expect and one I tried had garlic added which I will not feed so that went onto the list to avoid in future.

I used to feed garlic and have had a few liveries use it over the years and can honestly say it made no difference to the flies despite the claims, it does cause sweet itch to be worse and can irritate the stomach so it is something I stopped using but can be tricky to avoid as it seems to be added to almost every feed.