Barley Rings?

[superpony]

My tb has lost alot of weight recently, I have tried him on Top Line Conditioning Cubes but they sent him silly. Went to the feed merchant today and I asked about Topspec Cool Conditioning Cubes but they recommended Barley Rings. So bought a bag as they assured me its slow release energy and not heating, however I have been googleing it and lots are saying its v high in starch and has sent their horses mad..

So I dont want to open it if its goes to send him loopy! Any feedback?

 

[somethingillremember]

Dont know about going loopy but mine (altho they were very well soaked and I chopped them up and I fed the recomnd amount ) he snuffled thru his feed and ate all of them in his feed first and had impacted colic ! Ended up at The Dick for 4 days .I binned the rest !

 

[Polos Mum]

I've been feeding them to my companion pony who's struggled with weight this year, haven't noticed anything in his field behaviour but he's not ridden so possibly not a great example.
He had a sack of it, without me seeing much difference, I then added miconised linseed as well and have finally seen some improvement - maybe start with that?

 

[superpony]

Dont know about going loopy but mine (altho they were very well soaked and I chopped them up and I fed the recomnd amount ) he snuffled thru his feed and ate all of them in his feed first and had impacted colic ! Ended up at The Dick for 4 days .I binned the rest !

Oh gosh thats not good mine has just recovered from impaction colic!! Thank you both of you. Will see if they will exchange it (not opened it yet).

 

[marmalade76]

I would give linseed a try instead too. It's quite slimy once chewed so may help everything travel through well

 

[mandwhy]

I think they are a bit of an old fashioned way of putting on weight with starch/carbs, but these days people seem to conclude that horses aren't really meant to eat that kind of thing. They do work though! Just fibre and oil compares better to their natural diet.

You often see 'non heating' feeds are the ones without barley which would imply barley equals crazy, they can still have loads of other rubbish in but that's a different matter!