Feeding barley alone?

[Governor]

I went to the feed suppliers to get some barley rings to take Governor into winter in good condition but they only had severly overpriced ones so I was a pikey and opted for cooked flaked barley.

He's been on it a good two weeks now and despite being told that is very high energy he's looking and feeling fantastic. It gives him a nice energy level to the extent he can handle his workload, keep condition and not lose his head. He's getting about 1/2 scoop of barley per day along with 1/2 scoop of Spillers Horse and Pony Cubes.

I don't think the H+P cubes are necessary really and i'd rather not pay for them if I can get away with not - but a friend said cooked flaked barley shouldn't be fed alone?

He'd probably get 2/3 scoop of barley a day along with Equivite and Linseed. So basically can I feed it alone - and if not what can/should I feed it in conjunction with?

 

[spike123]

Not sure about the feeding it on its own.At my yard we feed barley along with maize,oats and sugarbeet plus grass nuts in winter.All the horses seem to do fantastically well on that combination.

 

[PapaFrita]

If you want to feed cheaply (and straights) you should go with oats. Soaked for 12-24 hours they are not heating and with alfalfa have worked absolute miracles on my hot-headed, hard-to-keep-weight-on TB mare. Got a fact sheet if you're interested

 

[Maesfen]

We always used to feed a lot of it years ago but it would always be with either bran or chop but always with sugar beet and they would have a supplement which I think was Equivite (about the only one about in those days!) The horses always looked and went well and weren't any fizzier but they always kept their condition very well too. If you could feed it with SB of some kind and a supplement and chop, you could have a winning combination if it suits your horse!

 

[so03]

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to feed cheaply (and straights) you should go with oats. Soaked for 12-24 hours they are not heating and with alfalfa have worked absolute miracles on my hot-headed, hard-to-keep-weight-on TB mare. Got a fact sheet if you're interested

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, oats are higher in fibre than barley too. Make sure you feed with alfafa (as stated above) and if not add limestone flour if you do decide to use this option.

 

[Governor]

Ooh i'll have that factsheet if you don't mind PF.

I've got a bin full of Speedi Beet that i'll introduce as it gets a bit cooler and i'll probably phase out the cubes and try oats if I think that'll work for him.

Then it'll be approx. 1/3 scoop of barley, 1/3 scoop oats, HiFi - although I gather i'll need to replace this with Alfalfa...does anyone know a low sugar/molasses variety/brand?, Full measure of Equivite and his normal supplements.