Feed - Ready made mixes or back to basics?

[billy]

I was just wondering what people thought about what they feed their horses. I now take much more notice of what is in my food. I was wondering whether I should stop feeding a ready mix and chaff, and start feeding basic food again - like we did years ago!!! Say oats, chaff and bran. Would I be able to monitior my horses energy in take more efficiently I wonder. Would it just be better allround? What does anyone else think?

 

[CrazyMare]

I've not fed mixes for a few years, I stopped because I came to the conclusion that the cerals in the mixes were sending mine mildly psychotic. I went down the balancer route, which I top up with AlfaA and if she needs more weight, black sunflower seeds.

 

[MissDeMeena]

Not sure how to search this site.. but there's been alot said about the 'soaked oats' diet.. which i feed and love!! it's very much back to basics, and i feel a much better way to feed.. as you say, with modern feeds you just don't know what you're getting..

 

[Britestar]

Just use pony nuts, alfalfa and oats to pep them up when needed. Always believed that mixes are for owners not horses as they are pleasing to the eye.

 

[Faithkat]

Being a bit of a fossil I like straights, I'm afraid, you know exactly what your horse is getting and in what proportion. I have fed mixes and they are cerainly easier in some ways but there are always the unidentifiable things in them, and as for cubes/nuts . . . well, just don't go there . . . .God alone knows what's in them (sweepings off the floor . . . . ???)

 

[parsley]

In winter mine gets oats, chaff, bran, kwik beet, linseed and sunflower lonzenges and a general pupose vitamin and mineral supplement. I only started doing this as I find it easier to adjust his feed to his requirements without necesarily reducing the bulk (he likes his food) and I like to have a reasonable idea as to the contents of their feeds.

 

[gothdolly]

I feed unmollased sugar beet (Kwik beet or speedibeet), oats, bran, and chaff (hifi or alfa dependant on what I need it to do) in varying quantities according to what each horse needs. I also add a feed balencer for one horse, vits and mins for the others, magnesium and limestone flour if necessary. I find it much more flexible to feed that way as I can work out what I need to cut out or add to each horse's feed, and play with quantities according to work/condition/digestion etc.

 

[lilym]

[ QUOTE ]
Being a bit of a fossil I like straights, I'm afraid, you know exactly what your horse is getting and in what proportion. I have fed mixes and they are cerainly easier in some ways but there are always the unidentifiable things in them, and as for cubes/nuts . . . well, just don't go there . . . .God alone knows what's in them (sweepings off the floor . . . . ???)

[/ QUOTE ]

a common misconception........i have been in these feed plants, and have seen the ingredients, they are of the highest quality. it's not a case of "bung in any old thing" or trading standards would have alot to say. Manufacturers have extremley strict guidelines that they must stick to, i know this for a fact as we had them in at work investigating protein levels in horse feeds, and this includes quality and source of ingredients..... cubes most definatley have their place, many owners are just not geared up to be feeding straights, and cubes are a good healthy alternative.

 

[Flibble]

My Gulliver has been fed Spillers H&P nuts for 13 years and been absolutly fine on it.

 

[scotsmare]

I think straights are good for folkies who know what they're doing but for the average owner who perhaps doesn't have masses of experience then mixes and nuts definitely have their place.