Help finding a low energy, higher protein feed?

[wench]

Thinking towards winter! Horse will be out during the day, and stabled at night, probably on hay. She will require some sort of feed, but I honestly don't know what, I've looked through a few, and can't really find what I'm after.

Needs to be fairly low energy (9-10 de approx), higher protein (10-12%), and not coated in molasses. Would prefer lower starch, below 15%.

Horse will be fed by livery yard, so needs to ideally be easy to feed, preferably no soaking, and not to be fed in vast amounts.

Pure feeds fits the bill, but I cannot afford the cost of it, I need something cheaper. Horse doesn't like anything made by dengie.

 

[deicinmerlyn]

Grass Nuts/Alfalfa pellets/ERS Pellets/Micronised Linseed ? Or a Balancer and Graze On and or micronised linseed

 

[wench]

I daren't give anything like grass nuts due to the soaking factor. Otherwise if I was feeding that's probably what she'd be getting as grass nuts are as cheap as anything.

Not keen on balancers, as it will involve scoops out of more than one sack, different members of staff feed, so it's easier all round if it's literally just one scoop out of a sack!

 

[BraidedTail]

Simple systems do a grass nut/pellet that doesn't have to be soaked - can't remember which one it is though atm - possibly Lucie pellets I think?
There's Coolstance that's high protein and you can feed dry if necessary although better dampened, and it's cost effective too. Although some horses are quite fussy about eating it.

 

[npage123]

A while ago at a previous yard, I used to save myself time preparing feeds and I bought about 10 large pots with screw-on lids, similar to those in oldy worldy sweet shops, and 'dished out' all the feed that I wanted to feed AM and PM into the separate pots. I used to feed speedibeet, northern crop driers grass pellets, alfalfa pellets, micronized linseed, brewers' yeast and seaweed, and soaked this for a good 10mins before each feed (even better with hot water). Yes the speedibeet should be fed as a mash, but the grass and alfalfa pellets can be fed well soaked instead of completely dissolved. Do you think the staff would remember/can be trusted to start soaking one of your pots in good time before feeding? Or even better if they could start soaking the feed to be given AM from the night before, and start soaking in the morning the feed to be given PM?

 

[wench]

I have thought about getting something like a tub trug and soaking a few days worth of feed in one go (as it will last a few days over winter), unfortnatly chances are that someone else will see it and give it to their own horse. Hence why straight out of a sack is generally the best option.

It would be possible to put portions of feed into containers, and generally the feed would be soaked, but there is always a chance it might not be.

 

[npage123]

How horrible is that that someone will help themselves to your feed! I know of yards where this happen, even feeds being taken from someone else's feed sacks in closed metal containers. I was going to suggest Dengie Healthy Hooves molasses free but then noticed she doesn't like any Dengie feeds. I'll have a think.

 

[wench]

Feed not "stolen" on purpose, yard is fairly busy, all feed stored in one area, and it's easy enough to get mixed up if it's left open in a trug. Getting feed out of a bag is a different matter.

Done a bit of research and allen and page quiet cubes seem to fit the bill.

 

[npage123]

Oh sorry, I misunderstood you.

Just check - I think the quiet cubes contains molassed sugarbeet. Maybe a little bit of it won't matter and just entice him to eat the new feed, more than anything else? Don't know how strict you want to be on feeding no molasses.

 

[wench]

Yes I've checked the ingredients a bit of molasses is ok, just don't want it coated in molasses like a lot of the cheap mixes/molichop!

It's hard work finding feeds for horses once you "know" what your looking for!

Just works out easier all round if I say all my horse needs is one scoop out the bag at each feed time, and it doesn't need soaking. (I am aware the quiet cubes say they need dampening, but if they are not then it won't matter !)