Pegasus feed - thoughts?

Love

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Hi all,

I’m looking for some opinions on possibly changing from topspec lite balancer to Pegasus cubes.

My 14yo Connie is currently worked about 4-5 days a week (in the school after work and generally a good couple of hours one or both weekend days on hilly fast hacks). We go out competing/fun rides 1-2 times a month (pre covid). I currently have him on topspec lite balancer and topchop lite with added table salt if he has sweated up when worked. This was all advised by a topspec feed advisor and he does well on it. He is stabled at night through the winter with hay and out during the day. Lives out 24/7 in summer and is a pretty good doer.

I was browsing different feeds and came across Pegasus cubes -( I’m under the impression it’s made by spillers). There is a big price difference to what I’m paying for topspec lite but I can’t see a huge difference in the nutritional analysis (at least not one that I think would be detrimental to us?). I’m not a nutrition expert so was hoping some others may be able to give opinions?

The main difference is 6% less protein in the Pegasus cubes, however there is still 9% protein which, when I googled the optimum amount to feed for his workload, 9% is pretty bang on. Do you think the drop would be an issue for what we do?

The other difference is there is no calcium or magnesium in the Pegasus cubes compared to topspec lite however I could feed these as supplements. Would you do this straight away or only if I noticed a difference? He has access to a Himalayan salt lick all year round too (not sure if this is relevant to any decisions)

Topspec lite is about £23 for a 15kg sack whereas Pegasus cubes are under £8 for 20kg. I’m more than happy to keep paying for topspec if it’s worth it but I can’t help but wonder that maybe Pegasus is enough for what we do? Especially at the moment when the spring grass isn’t too far off and lockdown means we still can’t go out and play anywhere in the trailer!

any and all help is greatly appreciated :) and extra points if you made it to the end of my ramblings!
 

Dontforgetaboutme

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Not the equivalent type of product. You might get the same vitamins & minerals in the Pegasus cubes but you’d need to feed recommended quantity which I’ve always found too much for my natives. I’ve fed top spec when I just wanted tiny feed, some people don’t rate it but mine did ok on it
 

milliepops

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yeah you would have to weigh up the quantity of cubes you would need to feed if relying on that to meet nutritional requirements, vs the cost of a vits and mins supplement if you weren't wanting to feed the full RDA which may be quite a lot. I feed them to my retired horses as treats or bribery when i need it because they are cheap and tasty, but personally i prefer a higher spec balancer for my working horses.
 

holeymoley

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It's two different things. The Topspec Lite is a balancer and Pegasus Cubes are just a pony cube. If I remember correctly they are the lower end of Spillers Horse & Pony Cubes, they don't have much value to them, more for sticking a handful in a treat ball. Basically they're not really something I'd expect the horse to get great value from.
 

honetpot

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As always check the nutritional content. I ended using a balancer because I had youngstock and fatties, in the end I went for Spillers Suregrow.
The basic ingredients of all feeds are basically the same. The cheaper one tend to use straw pellets, which is fine as long as you are paying straw pellets prices, because to maintain weight you only need a DE of about 9.
When you check the amount that most horses would have to consume of any total nutrition feed, in kgs to get the levels of vits and minerals required, its just too expensive. The only feed I give as on the bag, is Spillers Super Senior, because the old pony had very poor teeth, and he likes the taste.
 
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