feeding oats

[wattsy]

have changed to straight oats and very pleased with the extra stamina, but seem to remember reading somewhere that you should feed extra calcium? he's on haylage, linseed oil and supplement (Benevit). Does anyone know please?

 

[carthorse]

I feed a balancer with oats, benevit may do the job ,do they have a helpline?

 

[the watcher]

traditionally alfalfa would be the balancer..I think this has the calcium

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

I feed alfa a with my oats

 

[JessPickle]

I also feed alfa a with oats

 

[TGM]

There is a helpful article from H&H here:

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/1370/34639.html

 

[MagicMelon]

Alfalfa is high in calcium. I feed it alongside my soaked oats, as well as soya oil and a high-spec vit & min supplement.

 

[wattsy]

thanks very much guys, went on to the link from TGM and very helpful. That in turn linked to Dodson & Horrell who I've just spoken to, and they have recommended their 'Ultimate Balancer'.
(I've only just weaned him off Alfa A as I read that there could be a correlation between alfalfa and cribbing, which he does occasionally.)
So thank you all very much for your help, much appreciated!

 

[TURBOBERT]

Interesting. I fed my chap during the winter on TopSpec and he wintered brilliantly - better than ever before - and I have tried everything. In the Spring I needed more energy food so just added bruised oats and this is working fine - still looks fab and 7/8 TB type so usually hard to keep weight on. It is nice to get away from Mollasses and the usual rubbish the manufacturers grind down and put into pellet form!!