Pony nuts + supplements

[My_breadbagel]

Long story short, my cob was extremely lacklustre last year. He went from off my leg to a plod and although it wasn’t a big deal because he mostly hacks and does a little dressage, I was worried he was seriously lacking something. Under the advice of my instructor I put him on a balancer (365 complete). It was basically a mineral and vitamin supplement with joint supplement etc added in and I stuck it in with happy hoof & healthy tummy. However, chaff sent him through the roof and I took him straight back off it when I realised.
Cob is now on a separate joint supplement my vet recommended as a precaution, so this year I’ve opted for that mixed in with a broad mineral and vitamin supplement. I’m sticking it in with a handful of pony nuts and some water so the powder sticks.
He loves it and will lick the powder straight. i refuse to put him back on chaff ever again, and I’m not feeding for energy as a goal. I just want to keep him in good health. His hay is straight up grass (home cut).
will this send him loopy too? Or is it a safe bet? Any experiences?

 

[Otherwise]

Could he be sensitive to alfalfa? I know a few that lose their head if given any, they're fine with grass or straw chaff, they just cannot tolerate any alfalfa

 

[My_breadbagel]

Could he be sensitive to alfalfa? I know a few that lose their head if given any, they're fine with grass or straw chaff, they just cannot tolerate any alfalfa

I believe that’s the issue- the only thing with chaff is that it’s so varied so it’s hard to tell

 

[Nasicus]

I believe that’s the issue- the only thing with chaff is that it’s so varied so it’s hard to tell

Could always try something like Topchop Zero, Honeychop Chopped Oat Straw etc if you wanted to rule out Alfalfa as opposed to all Chaffs.

 

[planete]

You do not need to feed chaff if you are lightly soaking the pony nuts. I have not done so since my vet explained it got stuck between the teeth and could foster gum infections. I believe chaff was useful to slow a horse down when eating cereals in the old days but can be superfluous if you already feed a high fibre diet.

 

[MereChristmas]

You do not need to feed chaff if you are lightly soaking the pony nuts. I have not done so since my vet explained it got stuck between the teeth and could foster gum infections. I believe chaff was useful to slow a horse down when eating cereals in the old days but can be superfluous if you already feed a high fibre diet.

I have to change my pony’s diet. The dentist has advised no chaff because of spaces between the teeth. I need a soakable non weight gaining nut without alfalfa, molasses, linseed and sugar beet. I am not sure this exists.

I hope My_old _warmblood you can find a suitable feed.

 

[My_breadbagel]

You do not need to feed chaff if you are lightly soaking the pony nuts. I have not done so since my vet explained it got stuck between the teeth and could foster gum infections. I believe chaff was useful to slow a horse down when eating cereals in the old days but can be superfluous if you already feed a high fibre diet.

I thought so too- I like to mix some hay in or feed it by hand to slow him up. To keep my young one busy I just throw some pony nuts on his stable floor- he has a hell of a time hoovering them up and it stops him from being jealous of the one I feed.

 

[My_breadbagel]

I have to change my pony’s diet. The dentist has advised no chaff because of spaces between the teeth. I need a soakable non weight gaining nut without alfalfa, molasses, linseed and sugar beet. I am not sure this exists.

I hope My_old _warmblood you can find a suitable feed.

I’m hoping I’ve found one- I’m only feeding him pony nuts to get the supplements into him. Otherwise, he’s a good doer who doesn’t need it

 

[My_breadbagel]

Could always try something like Topchop Zero, Honeychop Chopped Oat Straw etc if you wanted to rule out Alfalfa as opposed to all Chaffs.

I’m no longer comfortable feeding chaff. It also meant he wasted a lot of the supplement tbh

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I have to change my pony’s diet. The dentist has advised no chaff because of spaces between the teeth. I need a soakable non weight gaining nut without alfalfa, molasses, linseed and sugar beet. I am not sure this exists.

I hope My_old _warmblood you can find a suitable feed.

It does

I won't use pony nuts now for certain reasons

I switch to https://www.dengie.com/horse-feeds/grass-range/grass-pellets/ can be fed wet or dry. As long as some sort of fibre in there but wet they can munch away on it's own, mine adore them

Started my boy on purabeet but because he had a taste for the grass pellets he stopped eating his feed and supplements till i switch back to grass pellets.
They smell yummy too




.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

duplicate sorry

 

[Peglo]

Northern crop driers do dried grass chaff and grass nuts. Just 100% grass. I use their grass nuts. They are better priced than some others.
https://www.northerncropdriers.co.uk/products/graze-on-original/

 

[cauda equina]

Simple System Haycare is Timothy nuts, low sugar and starch, soaks to a mash so good to carry supplements and mine love it

 

[Gift Horse]

I dampen my (good doer) cob’s hay and tip the measure of powdered minerals on the hay, the minerals stick and get eaten with the damp hay.

 

[My_breadbagel]

It does

I won't use pony nuts now for certain reasons

I switch to https://www.dengie.com/horse-feeds/grass-range/grass-pellets/ can be fed wet or dry. As long as some sort of fibre in there but wet they can munch away on it's own, mine adore them

Started my boy on purabeet but because he had a taste for the grass pellets he stopped eating his feed and supplements till i switch back to grass pellets.
They smell yummy too




.

Why no pony nuts?

 

[My_breadbagel]

I dampen my (good doer) cob’s hay and tip the measure of powdered minerals on the hay, the minerals stick and get eaten with the damp hay.

Mine is out with another pony so it’s likely he wouldn’t get everything that he needs.

 

[COldNag]

I have to change my pony’s diet. The dentist has advised no chaff because of spaces between the teeth. I need a soakable non weight gaining nut without alfalfa, molasses, linseed and sugar beet. I am not sure this exists.

I hope My_old _warmblood you can find a suitable feed.

Does it need to be a nut?
How about Agrobs Weisenflakes or Weisencobs? They soak well and are very palatable.
I use the flakes with a mineral balancer (Pro Balance) .

 

[My_breadbagel]

Does it need to be a nut?
How about Agrobs Weisenflakes or Weisencobs? They soak well and are very palatable.
I use the flakes with a mineral balancer (Pro Balance) .

Why change it?? My horse clearly loves them

 

[Auslander]

People are suggesting alternatives to nuts, as they are not a particularly healthy or nutritious thing to feed a horse - they're generally low quality ingredients with lots of filler, stuck together with molasses.
I keep a bag in my feedroom to dish out as treats, but I don't class them as feed.

 

[COldNag]

Why change it?? My horse clearly loves them

I was replying to Meredith's comment.

 

[MereChristmas]

Does it need to be a nut?
How about Agrobs Weisenflakes or Weisencobs? They soak well and are very palatable.
I use the flakes with a mineral balancer (Pro Balance) .

Apologies My_old _warmblood for interrupting your thread.

No, nuts not essential. Something to carry the supplements so a soaked nut or mash would be fine. Not chaff which gets caught between the teeth.
I will look up Agrobs. Thank you.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I have to change my pony’s diet. The dentist has advised no chaff because of spaces between the teeth. I need a soakable non weight gaining nut without alfalfa, molasses, linseed and sugar beet. I am not sure this exists.

I hope My_old _warmblood you can find a suitable feed.

Simple systems Haycare might suit. I’m feeding it as a hay replacer to my veteran.

https://www.simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk/products/viewhorsefeed.asp?id=47&name=HayCare

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Why no pony nuts?

mare is magnesium sensitive - boy well he was the only one on them so no point buying two lots, also I never know what goes into pony nuts and known a few horses go skitzo on them.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Simple systems Haycare might suit. I’m feeding it as a hay replacer to my veteran.

https://www.simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk/products/viewhorsefeed.asp?id=47&name=HayCare

Second this, My boy and welsh adore Haycare and it also smells lovely