Chaff/chop help please?

[usernamepending]

Currently my extremely good doer is on Mollichaff veteran but it contains molasses which i am now trying to avoid as it heats him up. He just has half a scoop with tiny hand full of pony nuts on a morning to keep him ticking over.

I was also told to avoid alfalfa as it can make them spooky and he doesn't need any feed to help him with that!

So whats out there that doesn't have any added sugars and wont heat him or make him gain weight...? Is HoneyChop out straw suitable?

So rubbish with all the feeding lark so any help much appreciated!

 

[WetandMuddy]

I am having the same sort of problem.

I ordered, from my local feed merchant a bag of Graze-on Gold Blend. It looks quite good - just grass, straw and some soya oil with a little low sugar molasses (I am assured there isn't very much). I also ordered a bag of their grass nuts - so he could just have a handful of each twice a day.

Unfortunately, they couldn't get it for me this week - so I took home a bag of Hi-Fi Good-doer. However, having opened it - it has a huge amount of molasses.

I am seriously hoping they get them in for next week!!!!!

I am afraid this is not much good for you as I haven't tried them yet - but it looks good, having studied the protein, energy, fibre, etc. on the bags.

 

[Heucherella]

Readigrass or Justgrass - simple, unadulterated, yet horses wolf it down.

 

[MochaDun]

SlinkyUnicorn on here recommended Top Spec Top Chop Lite to me for my ultra good doer as no sugar in it. It does have alfalfa in it but it's caused no problem with my native/cob cross. However he is an expert at not burning too many calories through hurtling about unless he absolutely has to!

http://www.topspec.com/products/topchop-lite/

 

[usernamepending]

Thanks wet and muddy! Its a nigthmare isnt it?

Also tried good-doer and and it went mouldy within 2 weeks! Offered to send me another bag but wasnt right for him anyway.

Ill give Graze-on a try, was half tempted last time i was at the feed shop!

Thanks for all the replies, Think trial and error might be the way forward.

 

[usernamepending]

Ooh Thank You, never tried him on alfalfa so he might be fine on it!

No sugar is my main buying point so will have a look see at that too, thank you!

 

[WetandMuddy]

It is so hard. I have always had natives that lived out and didn't have hard feed. However, I now have one on a livery yard (even though we are DIY). Unfortunately, everyone else gets fed twice a day, so mine has to think he is getting some too.

Readi-grass sounds good. That will be next try after the grass nuts!!!

 

[dalidaydream]

Ooh Thank You, never tried him on alfalfa so he might be fine on it!

No sugar is my main buying point so will have a look see at that too, thank you!

Hi Fi Good Doer has alfalfa in it. Honeychop Chopped Oat Straw is literally just that. My pony loves it but it did take my feed merchant 4 weeks to get it in for me

 

[Hippona]

Have you tried Fast Fibre?

Its low starch, no sugar, no molasses....good for fatties and veterans.

All 3 of mine love it and its easily available....

 

[Trot_On_Dressage]

There is no such thing as no sugar in feeds. Every ingredient contains sugar and horses need sugar for their brain to function.

The sugar in feeds isn't the sugar you find in your cup of tea, it's natural sugar.

Molasses is lower in sugar than actual sugar but most companies feed a lower sugar alternative nowadays which is even lower in sugar.

Grass contains more sugar than anything else so I would avoid feeding readi grass if your horse is heated on it.

I'd go for a simple chaff from a known feed company but not molli chaff.

 

[sue12345]

I'd go for a simple chaff from a known feed company but not molli chaff.[/QUOTE]



Why not Mollichaff?

 

[showjumpingfilly]

Trot onn dressage - any particular brand?

 

[Suelin]

Honeychop do a plain unadulterated oat straw chop. We use this and it is excellent and far less expensive than the others on the market.

 

[AFlapjack]

My native is fed Pure Easy. It is free of alfalfa, cereals and molasses.

 

[Trot_On_Dressage]

I just don't like it! It's not balanced and just a bulk feed.

I use Spillers Cool Fibre for my boy in winter as it is nutritionally balanced, low starch and low energy which are the important factors to look for not sugar. I use it with high fibre cubes in winter.

In the summer he just gets a low cal balancer as he doesn't need the hard feed.

 

[Jnhuk]

My good doers are on fast fibre with some Honeychop oat straw and they get farriers formula too and staypower museli when doing more work than just now

Was on Dengie Good Doer (with farrier formula and museli) before but recently just changed to try and get away from alfalfa and molasses

Horses are very happy with this new arrangement at the moment.

 

[Hen]

I'm currently using a plain unmollassed oat straw chop from Halleysfeeds; I've also used their Greengold unmollassed alfalfa chop which smells delicious and all the horses love it (rather more than the D&H and Dengie versions) but they are not in training now so it's back to oat straw for them.

 

[YorksG]

We feed grass nuts and ready grass to our elderly mare, which keeps her weight on! We feed the two good doers honeychop oatstraw chaff, it helps with their weight loss diet. Check the sugar content of any feed, as fructose is still very high in calories.