Help - low calorie horse feeds!

[lilaclomax]

Can anyone help me find the lowest calorie horse feeds? (Digestible energy)

I thought the Laminitis Trust would be a good start but all their recommendations are higher in DE then the few I have found myself...

'L' mix from Allen and Page is coming in the lowest so far at 7.0 DE MJ/kg (1,672 cal per kg)
Their Fast Fibre is 8.0 DE MJ/kg (1,911 cal per kg).

HiFi lite is 7.5 DE MJ/kg (1,791 cal per kg) and HiFi Molasses free is 8.5 DE MJ/kg (2,030 cal per kg).

Am I right in saying I should be feeding 'L' mix and HiFi Lite or is there anything else out there?

My boy is currently not at risk of Laminitis but as he is not getting as much work as I would like him to I am trying to find the best diet... his hay is also soaked to remove 31% of the calories.

 

[SpruceRI]

Why are you feeding him anything at all?

If he's having plenty of hay he shouldn't need anything else. A vit/min supplement maybe, but hard feed isn't a necessity....

 

[ticobay831]

Have you had a look at simple systems horse feed, give them a call they are very helpfull, im sure theyl be able to help
http://www.simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk/

 

[noblesteed]

If its any help I would ask for a sample of L Mix before buying a sack. My horse hated it! You have to feed a whole scoop mixed with 2 scoops of water, turns into a sloppy mess then you mix in a scoop of chaff. It ends up way too much to feed in one go.
I feed a few handfuls of Top Spec top chop lite, that's very low calorie, much cheaper and I mix in a vit/min powder. If we are hunting or at a comp I add some HiFi molasses free for a bit more energy but thats it.

 

[ISHmad]

Top Chop Lite as chaff, Top Spec Anti Lam if you need a balancer or Simple Systems would be my choices. Because he is on such a restricted diet you are right to be looking to feed him something to top up his vitamins and minerals, I have to do the same with some of our horses for this exact reason.

 

[Carlosmum]

I use Baileys lo-cal and a scoop of dengie hi-fi-lite. Expensive but a bag lasts about 6 weeks.

 

[katherine1975]

I feed these to my good doer http://www.badmintonfeeds.co.uk/products.php?id=37&from=home they are also good to use as healthy treats and the horses love them.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

If you need to soak the hay, then you really don't need to give hard feed of any kind. One would cancel out the other.

 

[hackinharry]

If he were mine he'd be getting soaked hay and either topspec antilam or bailey's lo-cal rather than a bucket feed, works out very cost effective as a bag will last upwards of 40 days depending on the size of pony. Alternativley you could just give some D&H equibites just so you get the vits and mins in.

 

[hollyandivy123]

if you fill you need the black buckett.....................high fi light and a handfull of bailys lo-cal

 

[pansy]

Hi, I am feeding our fat lad a small handful of happy hoof & garlic just so he thinks we arent starving him - but only have a small amount left so have now brought a snak a ball was going to put some fibre nuts in so he still thinks he is having something- it will take him longer to eat it & he can have a bit of fun as well

 

[SO1]

the equibites are a good idea but may be worth getting a sample first - my pony refused to eat them.

also often you do not need to feed the full amount the feed companies recommend, most in light work cope very well on half rations. my very good doer is on A&P slim and healthy DE 8 and dengie good doer DE 7. I am also going to look into NAF slimline as a vitamin supplement, though my pony is not too fat at the moment as he is working a bit harder.

If he were mine he'd be getting soaked hay and either topspec antilam or bailey's lo-cal rather than a bucket feed, works out very cost effective as a bag will last upwards of 40 days depending on the size of pony. Alternativley you could just give some D&H equibites just so you get the vits and mins in.

 

[Kallibear]

I'm with the 'why are you feeding him anything anyways?' group.

They don't need fed, just hay. Pink powder is a cheap and very low cal way of giving vits and minerals, in a handful of chaff.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

If you need to soak the hay, then you really don't need to give hard feed of any kind. One would cancel out the other.

Not true.
The hay soaking removes calories, but also vits/mins.
IF the OP's horse needs extra vits etc due to being on a restricted diet than a handful of chaff and a vit supplement will not cancel out the amount of calories removed from the hay!