Progressive Earth or Forageplus for fussy feeder?

[Charlie31]

I’m thinking of trying one of the Progressive Earth or Forageplus balancers for my horse with slow hoof growth and very brittle feet. He is a very, very fussy feeder though and turns his nose up at lots of things!

I’ve heard that the Progressive Earth and Forageplus stuff isn’t very palatable so I’ve avoided it so far and have tried other stuff but I’ve not really been impressed.

Can anybody recommend which of these they’ve found easier to get their horse to eat or any tricks they’ve tried to bribe them? Or recommend another product that they think is good that has a decent spec?

I should add that I really don’t think the grazing at my yard is very hoof friendly but I’m stuck there for the time being for various reasons. So I might be limited in what I can achieve but I like to feel I’m at least trying!

 

[Ambers Echo]

Don't know about Progressive Earth but Forage Plus is not very palatable. It's a dry powder and Amber needs it buried in a lot of other things or she won't eat it.

 

[Leo Walker]

Equimins Advance Complete is probably a better bet for a fussy horse. They do a pelleted form which seems to be the most palatable!

 

[paddy555]

I feed equimins AC powder. They all eat it with no problems and it has produced normal hoof growth on one horse with otherwise very slow growing feet.

 

[Surbie]

My horse has similar hoof issues. He won't eat his feed (speedibeet & linseed) now he has the full rate of forageplus balancer for feet in it, unless I make balls of it with a treat buried in the middle.

I bought 2 bags of the balancer and am regretting it a bit.

 

[ester]

another equimins feeder here, I did manage to convince him to eat plain minerals at one point but it took a while. Agrobs was also a bit of a revelation, apparently other grass chaffs just never matched up!

 

[Leo Walker]

My horse has similar hoof issues. He won't eat his feed (speedibeet & linseed) now he has the full rate of forageplus balancer for feet in it, unless I make balls of it with a treat buried in the middle.

I bought 2 bags of the balancer and am regretting it a bit.

try some ribena! Bobbie has been driving me mad and it didnt completely work, but copious amounts of ribena got about half of her feed down her! I've given in and started giving her Re-leve with just the supplements, no chaff or anything and shes wolfing it down, so maybe a sprinkle of something like that over the top?

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I feed both of mine Progressive Earth pro-balance. I feed it with either speedibeet or pink mash and never had a problem with them eating it.

 

[TPO]

Progressive Earth and Equimmins has been fine with 2 of mine although they were introduced gradually.

I've only fed FP to one and I had to go back and reintroduce it because when it got near the full amount he wouldn't eat it. Second time around it was fine but after the second bag I went back to PE.

Randomly fat greedy cob is refusing all feed with equimins (& vit e) in it. Two weeks later and he'll now ear half rations of equimins powder in pink mash but that's the limit. Tres frustrating!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I have never had a problem with my two eating the Forage Plus balancer but then neither of them is fussy, both are very food orientated and only get one tiny feed a day.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I feed pro-hoof minerals-I can feed it in straw chop if they are hungry enough but its more reliably eaten in something like the soaked hay cobs. I have fed Equimmins powder which smelled quite strong and one pony was quite reluctant (he seems to not like linseed as he wont eat linseed oil coated chaffs either-he is generally not a fussy sort being an Exmoor!). I also add salt to feeds which helsp I think.

 

[HLOEquestrian]

I have struggled getting horses to eat ForagePlus in the past, and one was not usually fussy by any means - the other was not a big eater though.

No experience with Progressive Earth though sorry!

 

[Griffin]

Mine is a fusspot and would only eat Pro Earth if I mixed it with Thunderbrooks chaff, a handful of hedgerow herbs and a very precise amount of warm water! I gave up in the end because I am not always the person who feeds her!

We have tried Equimins pellets, which she ate despite the slightly fishy smell.

Currently we're back on Spillers Lite balancer which she eats without issue.

 

[Brownmare]

My very fussy mare has her minerals (home mix but based on Forageplus recipe) with mint, parsley and sage mixed in at 8g each daily plus linseed at 50g daily. I use Dengie grass pellets and sugar beet as a base feed

 

[pistolpete]

Equivita might be another option. I use pro earth pro hoof mixed with extra brewers yeast and salt and it disappears in chaff.

 

[vam]

I've been tearing my hair out trying to get mine to eat pro hoof. She would eat the full dose in grass nuts and speedibeet but when I started a new bag she stopped eating it. I've resorted to using a bit of molasses but even that can't convince her too eat a 2/3 dose with any enthusiasm. I've tried lots of different variations of her feeds but its a real struggle, she has salt and linseed which she has always been fine with and is a piggy, might try with brewers yeast as she liked that before but don't want to keep adding more supplements.
My next stop is some re leave and see how I get on with that but if not I will try Equimins to see if that is better.

 

[McFluff]

I've never managed to get mine to eat the Forage Plus - so I have a tub that I'll have to throw out. I tried juice and mints and all sorts of disguises, but I think they just don't like the mineral scent. Given up...

 

[peanut]

I swear by Progressive Earth Pro Hoof for my mare with dreadful feet and previous laminitis.

Brilliant stuff and I've never had a problem feeding it.

 

[Leo Walker]

I've been tearing my hair out trying to get mine to eat pro hoof. She would eat the full dose in grass nuts and speedibeet but when I started a new bag she stopped eating it. I've resorted to using a bit of molasses but even that can't convince her too eat a 2/3 dose with any enthusiasm. I've tried lots of different variations of her feeds but its a real struggle, she has salt and linseed which she has always been fine with and is a piggy, might try with brewers yeast as she liked that before but don't want to keep adding more supplements.
My next stop is some re leave and see how I get on with that but if not I will try Equimins to see if that is better.

Releve was the only thing to get my fat, greedy pony eating again. She had downed tools completely and wouldnt touch ANY feed after I tried to up her salt dose. One feed of releve and everything went back to normal!

 

[Charlie31]

another equimins feeder here, I did manage to convince him to eat plain minerals at one point but it took a while. Agrobs was also a bit of a revelation, apparently other grass chaffs just never matched up!

Resurrecting a bit of an old thread here but I'm about to order some Pro Hoof to try. The lady there has recommended trying it in some Agrobs so can you tell me which specific product you recommend please? Can you get it on line at all as I expect I'll struggle to get it by me.

If that doesn't work I might just give it a go in a bit of Releve as at least I know he likes that

 

[HappyHollyDays]

You can buy Agrobs from Efeed online. It's not cheap but they deliver quickly and are reliable. In the past I've tried Agrobs Muesli and Wiesencobs as a carrier but went back to soaked grass nuts with chaff as they seemed to prefer it.

 

[Charlie31]

Thanks. Grass nuts are probably easier get hold of round here so I'll try those too. I've also asked for a sample of alfabeet to see if he'd go for that. He doesn't really like most chaffs though.