Barefoot base feed help

[Snipe]

I've started my horse on the forage plus hoof health balancer, but I'm struggling to find something he'll eat it in.

I did have him on calm and condition, which he scoffed (and he was putting weight on which is good), but he's footy on it. So I need something conditioning and also tasty. Also with a decent level of quality protein, as he needs to build muscle.

He doesn't like unmolassed beet, fast fibre or copra, and didn't put weight on with linseed. I'd also like to avoid alfalfa. It has to be something that can be soaked into a mash, or he chucks half the feed out of the bucket looking for his favourite bits.

I thought about the rowan and Barbary solution mash, but heard a lot of horses go off it. I can't afford to keep buying bags of expensive feed only to chuck most of it out! Please someone tell me there's an obvious solution I'm missing!

 

[claribella]

It takes a while for them to used to the idea that they wont be having a diet that tastes likes sweets everytime. Unfortunately most feeds even with laminitic stamps contain high amounts of sugar so horses get used to sweet stuff. My girl took a while to come around to the idea as do most unless they are the type that eat anything. I would look at thunderbrooks or go back to something like fast fibre and linseed and add some apple juice and then over time phase that out. You could also try something like dried mint sprinkled ove rthe top. I tried it but it didnt work. My girl loves clivers so I tend to add that if shes a little stressedand she picks up eating again.

 

[amandap]

Yes, if they have a sweet tooth it does take a while and perseverance to switch over to low sugar feeds sometimes. You could add the cool and condition to un molassed beet and gradually reduce the C&C over time. I personally would stick it out with the balancer myself as it has a very good profile. Micronised linseed recommended to be fed with the balancer is usually very palatable.

 

[Snipe]

He's been on low sugar stuff for ages now, and eats it ok without the minerals. I only introduced the C&C because he needs condition and has done well on it in the past (whilst shod), and I knew he'd eat anything in it.

He goes off unmolassed beet and FF even without minerals . He'd eat the FF with some bran and oats though. But now he's only in light work I don't really want to feed starchy cereals.

He's such a pain!

 

[Scarlett]

Have you tried some dampened/soaked grassnuts? Mine seem to find them tastier than plain beet and you can make them as dry or wet as the horse likes. When I was trying to persuade mine that a no-molassed feed diet was tasty - it took a while - grass nuts was something he would eat but without getting footy or fizzy.

I have one who won't touch beet or anything that has to be soaked, luckily though he will happily eat his supplements mixed in his usual feed as along as there is linseed in it.

 

[Snipe]

He likes grass nuts without minerals ( not tried with) but they're quite sugary - usually have a similar sugar and starch combined figure as C&C, so didn't think they'd be suitable if C&C isn't.

 

[SCMSL]

You could try the Solution Mash by Rowen Barbary. Only 4,5% starch and less than 1% sugar.

I've also ordered some for my horse but the reviews on it are really encouraging.

 

[amandap]

I see that's a soya base. Interesting.

 

[Snipe]

I see that's a soya base. Interesting.

Interesting in a good way, or in a watch carefully for signs of imminent disaster kind of way?

I thought about using it, but read on here that people have found their horses go off it, which is my horse's trademark! Its also quite expensive, if he decides it's not all that...

 

[Scarlett]

He likes grass nuts without minerals ( not tried with) but they're quite sugary - usually have a similar sugar and starch combined figure as C&C, so didn't think they'd be suitable if C&C isn't.

Some feeds seem to be more tolerable than others when it comes to sugar and starch content. C&C really affected mine, grass nuts don't and I've seen the same thing with other horses. I put it down to the fact grass nuts are more 'natural' than C&C which is obv highly processed to make it how it is.

Re Soya, some horses can't tolerate it in large amounts and can be affected by it.

ETA: Just looked up sugar and starch for Simple Systems blue grass nuts as a guide and only 7% sugar, 1% starch...

 

[SCMSL]

Re Soya, some horses can't tolerate it in large amounts and can be affected by it.

The issue with soy is the quality of the protein in it - its actually the richest protein available. When its given whole horses can't handle it because of the quantity and quality of the protein.

The solution mash uses the hull, which is mainly fiber, so horses shouldn't be sensitive on it.

 

[Snipe]

Some feeds seem to be more tolerable than others when it comes to sugar and starch content. C&C really affected mine, grass nuts don't and I've seen the same thing with other horses. I put it down to the fact grass nuts are more 'natural' than C&C which is obv highly processed to make it how it is.

Re Soya, some horses can't tolerate it in large amounts and can be affected by it.

ETA: Just looked up sugar and starch for Simple Systems blue grass nuts as a guide and only 7% sugar, 1% starch...

Might give grass nuts a try then, before the R&B. The simple systems ones have rubbish levels of protein, so was going to get normal ones .

 

[Scarlett]

The issue with soy is the quality of the protein in it - its actually the richest protein available. When its given whole horses can't handle it because of the quantity and quality of the protein.

The solution mash uses the hull, which is mainly fiber, so horses shouldn't be sensitive on it.

And thats my thing I've learned today - thank you!