Readi-Grass - Any good? Pro's & Con's?

[Lippyx]

Hi,

As some of you may know (or not) my mare can not go out in the fields whilst the ground is so wet and muddy, due to the work that she has had done to her foot.
She is happy in her stable, and concrete pen with hay, but was thinking about giving her Readi-Grass during the day just to vary her diet. I feel bad as she hasn't really had ANY grass for 2 wks, now, just hay, and there are no grassy area's around the yard that I could stand with her whilst she has a munch.

Just wondered if anyone has used Readi-Grass, and if its a good form of forage to feed?

Thanks

 

[spike123]

a few people feed it at our yard for their horses which are not such good doers. They alll swear it is good stuff.

 

[SirenaXVI]

I find the chop too variable, and when it is coarser my old girl won't eat it. I prefer Badminton Ultra Grass, cheaper too!

 

[Spyda]

I couldn't get Readi-Grass when I first wanted to and was sold Graze-On, instead. Think it's pretty much the same - and maybe a tad cheaper? I was really pleased with it. Took the horses a few days to adjust to the taste but once accepted it was readily eaten. I liked it alot and the horses looked great.

It's very light so a little goes a long way, so it's a good fibre feed to keep the horse occupied.

 

[eoe]

I prefer Graze-on as its not so dusty and my mare as COPD. I also feed grass nuts, which you soak like sugar beet and either mix it in their feeds or just mix it with some chaff for them to munch on.

 

[Fransurrey]

I prefer grass nuts, too. A friend was feeding ready-grass and found it very prickly and dusty. She ended up soaking it like beet.

 

[MontyandZoom]

I love it! It worked really well for my skinny old man. It is really good for getting some weight on in winter but the only snag is some horses don't seem to like it. One of mine loves it....the other won't touch it!

 

[Walrus]

Only thing I would point out about Readi Grass is that remember that it's essentially dried spring grass - so it has quite a high energy level. If you would be cautious about your horse eating spring grass e.g. laminitic, ties up etc. then remember that that's what Readi Grass is. On a personal note - I adore the smell!

 

[MrsMozart]

My mare likes it. I used it like you're suggesting, as something different in the stable to nibble on in passing. All our neds like it, but don't give it to a laminitic!

It is a tad dusty to be sure, and make sure you open the bag along the long side (where the dotted line is) - if you open it at the top of the short side it takes forever to pull it out!

 

[Cuffey]

Non of mine would eat it
Use soaked Graze On grass pellets mixed with Speedibeet
Ask to try a handful but you may be better leaving a bucketful of Hi Fi Lite or similar if lami is a risk

 

[Lippyx]

I just want to offer my mare something else to munch on during the day. I/m hoping it will also stop bordem and more crib biting!
i'm a little unsure of Readi Grass if it is an Energy giving food, as she won't be in alot of work.

 

[catdragon]

I could safely give my cob a large scoop of readigrass a day, any more than that and she was mental... I found 1 large scoop of readigrass mixed with 2 of AlfaA lite (good doer) was the way to use it....& i added a little water... and it does smell lovely

 

[perryhillbay]

I have always been told that a horse should eat something succulent every day so if you are trying to replace the succlulence of grass in a diet then readigrass is not neccesarily the best way as it is dried. It is a good feed, although consideration must be given to the fact that it may make the horse go a bit loooooopy!!
What about feeding a bucket of carrots a day? I mean a WHOLE bucket? I used to give this to my old horse when he was not allowed to be turned out and it kept him amused for a good half hour if not more munching through a whole bucket of carrots, and this also provided the succulence needed to? The big bags of carrots that you can buy in the sacks can work out to be quite cost effective? Or, as I did, contact some local arable farmers who grow carrots as they often have axcess that they can't sell to supermarkets etc and they may be able to sell you larger quantities?

 

[Enfys]

I have never fed readi grass so can't comment, but if you intend to feed a lot of carrots I am sure you are aware that they are very high in sugar.

The merest whiff of a carrot used to bring out one of my horses in hives and have him rubbing himself raw.

My horses don't see grass (or the ground) generally, for about 5 months of the year and I feed them soaked alfa/timothy cubes. As for hay all the time, they'd much prefer green grass I am sure but they do just fine on hay for nigh on half the year.

 

[Lippyx]

I wouldn't be too keen on feeding a bucket of carrots! I was thinking of putting a swede on string in her stable, but wanted something she could munch on daily as an extra to Hay.
Thank you for all your comments though!

 

[Theresa_F]

Personally I prefer just grass or rough stuff from Simple Systems, though my beasties were happy to eat the Readi-Grass when I had a bag of it.

I like to feed some form of dried grass through the winter along with green gold (alfa).

 

[kickandshout]

i don't use readi grass but i use a version of it called 'just grass' by Dodson and Horrell.
i find it great i only feed it in the winter just to bulk up the feeds and replace what isn't available in the fields.
i add it to alfa a oil along with a scoop of oats. I've not found any adverse effect so far.
i mix my feeds in the morning with plenty of water so by the time they have their tea the grass has soaked up the water which then i find they're more eager to eat it this way.