Feeding Oats?

Sprig

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I used to add them to the feed of my TB when we were doing endurance. I don't like traditional competition mixes as they tend to have molasses and all kinds of other things added. I did not find they sent him loopy at all. I fed bashed oats - they get called all sorts of things but basically you want the ones where the husk has been proken but the oat has not been completely pulverised! I try to keep him on as natural a diet as possible so the rest of his bucket feed was unmolassed chaff and high fibre nuts. In addition to that he has ad-lib forage. He has no probs doing his endurance on this.
 

AngieandBen

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I feed them to my 22 year old Welshie

Its nothing like giving Red Bull to a toddler, and I don't do serious work, only light hacking, Ben does very well on them, he's so laid back, the oats just give him a little more energy.

People make feeding far too complicated, nothing wrong with a scoop of oats :)
 

wellsat

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I feed them to my PRE for added condition. I try to avoid mixes and nuts that have all sorts of additives like molasses or moglo. They don't hot him up at all.
 

Leg_end

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I've not found they give loads of energy TBH but a nice controlled amount :) I feed as an addition to add condition. I feed crushed oats as they have the most fibre content.
 

Mariposa

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To give one of the polo ponies more energy. She had 2 full scoops, twice a day when playing hard, along with Power & Performance and all sorts of oils, herbs, potions and more.....

They don't hot her up at all, I almost wish they did, she's sooooo laid back!
 

Boxers

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We used to feed them to a reasonably laid back cob type for energy when he went hunting. If he hunted on saturday he had oats on wed, thurs and friday added to his chop, s.beet and nuts. The rest of the week he just had the basics.

Def worked, he stayed out all day and was full of beans.
 

JillA

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There is less digestible energy in oats than in barley and way less than in maize, but like most people I found oats to be heating whereas barley never was whan I used to feed it for condition. Someone I know reckons that the horses who get fizzy on oats are in some way allergic to them - he is prone to doing scientific research so I wouldn't think it is just a throwaway comment.
 

tallyho!

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The reason why the is so much contradiction is because every horse is different. It is much more nutritious than barley or maize and has a higher fibre content so in that sense, it's a good grain to feed. Like any grain though, it can cause other problems as its starch content is high, but not as high as barley or maize.

I have fed it for condition to a young horse, no fizz whatsoever. Feed her haylage and kaboom - little miss mental head. There is no magic formula.

Suck it and see....
 

Equilibrium Ireland

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I don't know where all this stuff comes from. Mine have been on oats for the last 5 years doing various things from competing to time off and growing horses. Nobody is nutso. These are TB's and warmblood/TB crosses. And even the ponies that come in. Obviously if I fed a huge amount to the horses that don't need it I might have issues.

Thing is oats are very healthy for us to eat because it's slow release energy. And has other health benefits. Sugar isn't great for people or horses. Yet somehow oats have become this evil feed people need to stay away from. I wonder where that comes from? I guess people selling things like soya and wheat products all wrapped up in fancy bags that say oat free. It's hog wash. Obviously an odd horse or pony may not be able to tolerate them but it's not to the extent we are led to believe.

Oats, wholesome goodness. But if you're feeding straights you will know they're high in phosphorous so it's why they're a good compliment for beet which is high in calcium.

Terri
 

Sprig

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The ones you see in the supermarket will be rolled oats (will be very flat with no husk left and quite powdery) the ones you want for the horse will have the husk in place but this will have been cracked to some degree to ensure they are broken down instead of just passing throught the horse whole. You will not do your horse any harm giving it porridge oats that have nothing added but it will cost you a lot more than oats from the feed merchant and they are not really the right sort anyway.
 

tallyho!

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Sorry! I know I can be terribly flippant sometimes :)

You can get many types of oats... Flaked, rolled, crushed... You can get all types for horses too, even husked ones like porridge oats.

Here, this is helpful as it described all the different kinds... Except sprouted oats which is a whole different kettle of fish altogether and frankly too much faff for not much gain!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/1370/35292.html
 

Roasted Chestnuts

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I feed oats to the coblet to give her some zing without having to stuff her full of food (good doer) it switches to topspec turbo during comp season.

Means I can give her cups of oats/turbo and a handful of chaff rather than full feeds that she doesn't need :)
 

Oberon

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I have been feeding organic porridge oats from the supermarket to my old boy.

I used to feed rolled oats - but I found him stressed on them and his rider begged for a reprive :eek:. Because they come in a 15kg sack, it was too tempting to tip the scoop also.

The porridge oats have given no reaction at all other than being tasty and giving him a bloom.
He just gets a handful soaked in his copra.

I made the mistake of buying 'naked oats' from the feed store once (all starch and no fibre) - he was very unhappy on them :eek:
 

Bionic Boy

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Was looking for posts on feeding porridge oats and found this one but what I’m after is how much to feed.
I have a 23 year old retired boy who struggles to keep weight on over the winter. He is on a complete balancer and hifi senior, I add sugar beet normally from October to March.
I have been given a load of porridge oats but not sure how much to give him and do I have to soak them first or add to his feed dry?
 

JillA

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I would just add a handful daily and see how he responds. I got condition on my elderly poor doer with a course of Protexin to boost his gut bacteria. I feed straights so unmollassed beet pulp, micronised linseed and micronised barley plus grass pellets and grass chop - nothing radical for weight gain except the linseed. The Protexin really made a difference
 

Bionic Boy

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Thank you. I will try a handful, is that dry added to his normal feed?
I have tried microlised linseed a few years back but that sent him a bit loopy, mind he did look in excellent condition from it ?
I haven’t heard of Protexin so will have a look at that.
 

JillA

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Yes dry added to his feed. I think they are very thoroughly rolled, unlike so called rolled oats which barely damage the husk and in my experience often don't get digested much - my horses' droppings were full of them, expensive bird food. Check the packets though in case there are any nasty additives
 

windand rain

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One thing I have found is that feeding oats to a laid back, fat, lazy horse only results in said horse being fatter and lazier. When I first had a horse he got through tons of oats and proper bran it was the only feed available. The bran was wonderful stuff came in big flakes like sheets of cardboard. We added molasses tea in winter but the horses were always lean bordering on skinny. Oats have their place in feeding well crushed oats add a good source of starch and fibre. They are good, but probably not as good as barley and linseed boiled to jelly, as a weight gain feed. I am not sure where they got the bad rep from either unless it was because most grain is likely to cause digestive issues in some horses. I don't have tbs and warmbloods so wouldn't consider oats for the ponies because they are good doers any way
 
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