Feeding horses Guinness!

Z

zoon

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 November 2008
Messages
2,339
Visit site
Today my lads gum were loking a little pale. He's ok in himslef so thought I'd try an iron supplement (this has happened before and the vet recommended something - the name escapes me if anyone can suggest a few it'll come to me as soon as someone says it. Was a bottle of thick dark green liquid)

Mentioned to yard owner I was getting something to stick in his feed and she suggested Guinness. Question is - who would you feed it? in a bucket to slurp up? or mix in feed? and how much do you give? And above all is it safe and will it work?
 
When i worked with international event horses one of them was often given a can of guinness mixed in with his feed. I think it was for iron or something like that. It never did him any harm.
 
Mine get Guiness for a treat at Christmas!!
grin.gif


It is full of iron - I just give them a can each on their dinner - they love it and just eat it all up!
grin.gif
 
We always used to feed the hunters a can of guinness mixed in their feed after a day in the field when I lived in Ireland. It was amazing for their coats and they loved it.
 
i would not use guiness personally but i have heard of people giving it because they say it worms the horses. if he has anemia why dont you pop him on propell or vi sorbin witch i am sure would be more benificial!
 
[ QUOTE ]
We always used to feed the hunters a can of guinness mixed in their feed after a day in the field when I lived in Ireland. It was amazing for their coats and they loved it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Snap! On most hunter yards I worked at, a crate of Guinness was normal in the feedroom and the horses loved it. If a horse had been bottomed then it would also have eggs too.
 
My old pony used to love Guinness,used to pour the bottle into a bucket and he would just slurp it up. Was told my an old school hunting chap that it was good for them (now theres an idea for an advertising slogan
grin.gif
).
 
Well my mum drank it when she was breastfeeding me!! It is on old hunting pick-me-up and racehorses (Irish) used to get along with raw eggs for the protein.
 
When I was 16/17 I worked on a full livery yard and 4 of the liveries had a can of guiness every morning- they were comp horses and it didnt seem to do them any harm. I remember hating the smell of the stuff at that age though. The horses usedto know their dinner was ready after the clicking of the can....
 
Our 22 year old Welshie was roped in to do pony rides at the rugby club one year.He got tired after a couple of hours but he was quickly revived by a pint of guiness in a bucket. He licked his lips for ages afterwards. I read a story many years ago of a highland mare who recovered from grass sickness. The owner treated her with stout three times a day and she went on to produce further foals.
My Nan had a glass of stout every day because she thought it did her good.
 
Our cob apparently had a can for Christmas day every year and supposedly loved it. When we gave him a can he wouldn't touch it!
It may well help your ned OP, but, quite honestly, I think you would be better off giving him something made for the purpose rather than a non proven albeit scrummy drink.
You can then send the Guinness to me
tongue.gif
 
My 2 boys get 2 cans of guiness each about every 2 to 3 months. They love it and are literally stretching as far over the door as they can whilst I am pouring it into a bowl for them to drink. Although high calorie, it is good for humans and with all the yeast etc in it, IMO it helps balance the gut flora. Also found that it is a good way of encouraging a horse to drink e.g. in winter when they reduce their water intake when cold. Only downside is that the beds are a lot wetter the morning after having the Guiness!
 
Yep I have fed it to as a cheap alternative to one of the iron supplements! They love it, just put it in with their feeds
smile.gif
As said above though, it isnt compettion legal... if competing, you will be better off giving them red cell or Propell
smile.gif
 
have given guinness to my stuffy grey in the past- he loved it mixed in his feed...its not competition legal but should do the trick if he's a bit anaemic (sp?)- i'd maybe keep an eye on this though and get him blood tested if it doesn't improve....
smile.gif
 
At the risk of going against the grain
blush.gif
I've had a trained professional tell me with 100% certainty that guinness, contrary to popular belief, in fact contains very little iron, and therefore is of no benefit to horses (or us
tongue.gif
) in that respect.

Personally I would never choose to feed my horses alcohol in any shape or form, and would opt for a supplement designed for horses and this deficiency.
 
Like fatpiggy says, Irish racehorses get/got Guinness and eggs. In fact, the wonderful, incomparable Arkle used to get (and I quote from Ivor Herbert's book "Arkle - the Story of a Champion") "No feed, no horse . . . Paddy Murray, Head Lad, doing the most important job in every stable. Six eggs have been broken on top of the mash and dry oats, and in go the Guinness's at the double" . . . and no-one can argue about Arkle's performance!
 
We used to give horses guniness & eggs at a Racing yard i used to work in, its great for getting horses to start eating again or those that are under the weather!! - mine get a can each at xmas!!
grin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top