Oats!

[moneypit1]

I have been advised to feed my 5 yo some oats to give him a bit of a boost (so laid back and sluggish despite being fit)! The thing is, at the moment he is stabled 24/7 apart from his day off and has two meals of 1 x scoop Working Mix, 1/2 scoop sugar beet and 2/4 scoop Hi Fi lite. (He is a good doer). He is exercised 5 or 6 days a week, all hacking for 1 hr a day except one day a week intensive schooling (in lesson). What type of oats should I buy? Rolled, Crushed etc and how much should I feed, don't want him to become silly just want a bit more ommmph!

 

[SSM]

Please don't hold your breath for the oats to give you the extra oomph - Donkey is fed them morning and night and I am still searching for the oomph!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Scarlett1980]

I wouldn't feed oats to a five yr old. They are so variable in quality and deficient in most vits and mins.

What are you feeding him at the moment? You could just move up an energy level from whatever your on - for example - Cool Mix to Instant Energy Mix or Horse and Pony Cubes to Instant Energy Cubes.

 

[SSM]

This is the soaked oats plan that PapaFrita sent me, I cannot stress how wonderful my girl looks on this -
This is a diet I reccomend for all horses but especially for horses that are not 'doing well' or showing dietary problems like spots or sweet itch or just simply being 'hyper'. It suits all horses and is much more cost effective as well as healthier.

OATS are classed as both as a herb and a food, they are a strength-giving, low in starch but high in minerals. Also rich in Vitamin B, they contain alkaloids, glycosides and fixed oils which are an important source of vitamine E. They are a nerve tonic and bone building and contrary to modern day thinking, are the best possible feed for horses that are in work. The best way to feed them is soaked as explained here.

Soaked whole oats, soaked for 12-24 hours in cold water, this makes the oat a living enzyme again, which enables the horse to digest them more easily. Because they are now a living enzyme and easier to digested, the energy is released into the system quicker and without any build up of lactic acid, so no tying up, and also the horses hold their weight better, also as the starches are broken down easier it does not affect the temperment, also the benefits of soaking inclunde the fact that any chemical residue from sprays etc...are washed away, but not the goodness of the oat, also as vit E is in the outer husk of the oat, after soaking it becomes absorbable. The oats should be drained if possible overnight or for at least 1 and a half hours before starting to feed, and enough can be put up to last a whole day. If they are put up for example at 5 pm and drained at 5 pm the next evening, once a routine is established it is very simple, all you need is a hessain sack and a spare dustbin.

In light work I would suggest approx 2 to 3 lb of oats twice a day with alfalfa (weigh soaked oats not dry) and of course good hay. The amount can be increased gradually if and when work increases.

Carrots are excellent for the liver and the digestive system and full of calcium. Always make sure they are sliced sideways to avoid choke, another good vegetable that horses like is turnips or swedes, cut half a turnip into the feed trough twice a week to let them play with it, it is very nutritous.

The best supplement to feed in seaweed, one 15ml measure once a day, it is high in minerals and trace elements. It is rich in copper iron magnesium and phosphorus silicon and sulphur. The iodine content, which is a supreme gland builder and conditioner, reduces excess fatty tissue and removes toxic elements, along with iron which of course is premier importance to the blood, promoting oxygen absorbtion and building red corpuscules.

Alfalfa is classed as a herb cos it is very deep rooting, it is a rich source of calcium and also contains chlorine, magnesium, phosph.. potass.. sodium and sulphur..it is also rich in vits. It is high in protein, it is also a diuretic and more importantly it has 8 digestive enzymes in it which stimulate the digestive system, enabling the proper assimilation of the nutrients provided. It is a very good 'balancer' to be fed with oats, although it is a complete feed in its own right. To add to the oat diet add a double handfull mixed in with each feed.

Sugar beet, prefably unmolassed helps to keep condition on, it is also good for keeping bowels working, and is high in calcium.

A bran mash twice a week with a small handfull of epsom salts to keep their system clean, this has become unfashionable due to modern day nutritionists, however it is as good for horses nowadays as it was in the past. Cider vinegar internally, is good for them, an egg cupfull daily, this is also excellent used externally for any sore and inflamed joints.

Salt should be available, the best source is rock salt, not the man made licks but the rock salt that is dug out of the ground and many feed merchants sell it.

For those horses that need to put on weight or hold condition boiled barley linseed and flaked maize are all good fattening foods.

And finally but equally important is good quality hay. If you have to feed haylage for some reason than feed good quality oat straw to bulk them up.

I realise that this diet is 'old fashioned' and that the modern day nutritionists say that it is bad for horses, however, as it was all that horses were fed in the past, and the horses were far fitter, healthier, les colics, ulcers, hardly any sweet itch, fewer cases of tying up, fewer cases of fractures and bursting, far less cases of laminitis, it think the evidence speaks for itself, and I am confident that you will be delighted with the results, apart from the fact that it will save you a lot of money!!

For the best source of unmolassed sugar beet and Alfalfa contact a company called simple systems tel no 01371 870753 Simple systems also provide grass nuts and other beneficial feeds.

 

[JessPickle]

Seriously they really dont give a HUGE amount of oomph they only work for some horses. Pickle is fed them when he gets very very sluggish! but only when I know its not due to his tendency to get very slightly anemic try the likes of

Blood Liquid Or Equisup it really gives there immune system a boost and certainly got pickle more up for things

 

[Scarlett1980]

So stinkerstonkersmum, you feed soaked oats, seeweed, alfalfa, carrots, salt, cidar vinegar, unmollassed sugar beet, linseed, flaked maize and boiled barley!?

Doesn't sound like a very "simple system" to me!

I agree with what you say about there being less feed related conditions years ago but also think this is due to how we manage them now and how much we feed.

I would always use a feed formulated by experts where I could guarentee the quality of the product and nutritional value of the raw materials and call the manufacturer to ask about quantities etc - you would consult a saddler for a new saddle, farrier if you were concerned about your horses feet - why not a feed expert for your horses feed?

 

[ThomasTank]

Im in with stinker stonkersmum on this one. I feed oats and have found it sooo much better than the floorsweepings they call mix !!!

 

[ThomasTank]

Scarlett mould you eat ready meals every day or make your own. Ready mix to me is a microwave dinner. Oats and such like is proper veg and home cooking

 

[Scarlett1980]

I think that depends on who makes the mix. If you only buy own brand or economy mixes then yes, they are full of rubbish but feed manufacturers like SPILLERS and D&H hav to comply with strict industry regulations.

I did my disertation on this and feel really strongly about it.

I think you can tell the quality of the feed by how much rubbish they coat it in.

People are so quick to praise a supplement or gadget when things are working but blame the feed when things are not going so well.

Sorry for ranting!! x

 

[Tia]

I second SSM on the soaked oats front. Oats are a terrific feed and particularly great for me as they are a natural feedstuffs.

I don't follow the soaked oat diet to a tee though - my horses have whole oats (soaked when temperatures allow), black oil sunflower seeds, hi-fibre pellets and a tiny bit of coarse mix. They are also fed ad-lib top quality hay which is running with about 20-30% alfalfa throughout.

I don't use the bran or any of the other cereals as I have babies on this feed mix. All of my lot thrive on pure soaked oats and the mix as above, but sorry to tell you that none of mine have any added ooomph! from it. Just lovely fit and healthy horses.

 

[Tia]

LOL!! Wonderful analogy Thomas!

 

[ThomasTank]

Mixes are covered in molasses to make it more palayable for the horses and what are all the dried peas about. since when have horses eaten dried peas ??
I am also left wondering how much input spillers and D&H had in the writing of your text books. The whole industry is inter connected and ia a scam.

 

[ThomasTank]

Must have a chat with you about those seeds one day Tia

 

[Tia]

The one that gets me in the coarse mix is - what is the maize about?? Horses don't eat maize LOL!!

Our coarse mix over here is nothing like yours over there. It's really just a bit of crushed barley, loads of oats (what else - there isn't really anything else LOL!!) and a teensy sprinkling of molasses. I buy the lo-sugar one that my local mill makes up for me.

 

[Tia]

You won't look back, I promise you.

 

[moneypit1]

Thanks everyone, but WHICH oats do I buy to try!!!!!!!!!???????? Do they come as Rolled or Crushed? and what is the ones I should try adding to his diet? What is the difference to him?, ie. are crushed easier to absorb and eat? Thanks again.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

To get the full benefit you need to use whole oats as the goodness is in the husk(Tia is that right?)

xx

 

[TGM]

Whilst oats fed with bran and poor quality hay can lead to a deficient diet, if they are combined with alfafa, good quality haylage/hay plus a broad spectrum vit/min supplement they can be a very useful diet for some horses. I like to take my advice on horse care from a variety of sources, not just from those who will profit financially by the advice! Whilst I value the advice of vet, farrier, dentist, saddler, etc, I still like to read equestrian books and publications to get a broader view.

This article from H&H on feeding oats is quite interesting and is by an independent nutritionist:

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

I don't subscribe to the school of thought that all commercial feeds are rubbish, and indeed they are very convenient for the one horse owner and can also be invaluable for the horse with special needs, ie those with azoturia or laminitis.

However, I do believe a diet based on straights can offer a cost-effective, flexible and nutritious diet, especially when the owner is feeding more than a couple of horses.

 

[Tia]

Whole oats!! Whole have all the goodness in them.

 

[ThomasTank]

BUT .....if you cant, dont want to be bothered, then crushed is ok...its what I feed mine.(a friend and i share feeds and we need to agree on the soaked bit. I may be winning i think and we will be on soaked oats soon)

 

[the watcher]

I buy what are called bruised oats from my feed store, but they look like whole oats to me. My three are doing very well on a combination of soaked oats, speedibeet and alfa a oil with pink powder. I just vary the quantities of each to suit individual needs

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

when my lad was at riding skool i used to feed him tiger oats - they really worked aswell - was just to take the edge off - now he has moved and lives out and not skooling any more he does not need them

 

[moneypit1]

OK guys, got some Tiger Oats today. Will introduce slowly and let you all know in a couple of weeks. FINGERS CROSSED!!!!!!!!!!!