Tasty feed options

Roxylola

Roxylola

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Bon currently gets saracens releve mix, linseed and sugar beet. He likes it well enough and he's never been a real "clean bucket" horse but he's leaving a bit more in his crumbs than I'd like.
I've reduced his sugar beet a bit but it's not made much difference.
I'm tempted to replace half the beet either with soaked Alfa cubes, grass nuts or Rowan barberry ready mash. He's had all of them at some point, none have caused much (any) weight change or change to energy levels.
I'm tempted with grass nuts as he's not getting and fresh grass currently but open to other suggestions and/or pros and cons of any of the above
 
I’d probably trial swapping-out the saracens, as thats soy and beet pulp majority ingredients anyway, with some dubious addition of ‘flavourings’ - without saying what they are, which despite labelling being somewhat notorious for being vague, they usually do list the type of ‘flavouring’ if used.
I’m not keen on soy and especially soy hulls for various reasons, post would be long to explain, but for extra protein if needed look for a cleaner protein.
He might be reacting to the taste of Saracens if reducing the beet pulp made no difference.

Beet pulp, is not to be under-estimated as a good food source though. I was reading up more closely on its nutritional profile recently and discovered its got the fibre % of hay, so a brilliant fibre source for hindgut health, yet has the calories of oat - so gives energy without it being heating like oats.
The disadvantage is its high in calcium, so traditionally was fed with oats for a balanced calcium-phosphorus ratio.
Thats more of a concern to balance if you’re feeding a significant % of beetpulp as fibre in a horses diet. Most use just 500g-1kg as a supplement carrying bowl feed.

I’d likely try swapping out the saracens for basic grass pellets - not hay pellets, actual grass pellets - there’s some marketing tom-foolery with such terms these days with many naming them ‘grass pellets’ when they’re ground-up hay, not grass…there’s a nutritional difference.
Emerald Green grass pellets i believe are actual grass pellets.
If grass is low intake due to winter, im sure the grassy taste in the bowl will be welcomed…hopefully!

Here’s the ingredients of saracens (sorry big pic!):

12619155-E8E4-4B6C-A8CB-DB38F65B8DE1.jpeg
 
P.s the % of the saracens ingredients above are not listed on their website unfortunately, but usually whats listed first are much large % of the mix. Effectively youre adding a soya hull and beetpulp mix to another serving of beetpulp.

Their grass pellets are listed below molasses, meaning they’ll be less grass pellets than molasses, and molasses are usually just a single figure %. So hardly any grass in there.
 
Thanks @PurBee he likes the saracens - been on it a couple of years and I'm not unhappy with condition or energy with it tbf. I find it's good to have for any times anyone needs to medicate as well as usually they like the taste.
I've used northern crop driers grass pellets in the past. They certainly smell like grass not hay 🤣
 
Mine love grass nuts. I soak them (really small amount) into a thin soup and use that to dampen feeds. Basically grass flavoured water!
 
Roxylola said:
Bon currently gets saracens releve mix, linseed and sugar beet. He likes it well enough and he's never been a real "clean bucket" horse but he's leaving a bit more in his crumbs than I'd like.
I've reduced his sugar beet a bit but it's not made much difference.
I'm tempted to replace half the beet either with soaked Alfa cubes, grass nuts or Rowan barberry ready mash. He's had all of them at some point, none have caused much (any) weight change or change to energy levels.
I'm tempted with grass nuts as he's not getting and fresh grass currently but open to other suggestions and/or pros and cons of any of the above
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There is also Timothy chop which mine love and haycare with handful dry grass pellets
 
Finer Forage do a herby sprinkle / add on for fussy eaters, it's great for getting psyllium into Dave, I've not seen a nasty dinner bowl licked so clean.
You just sprinkle a handful over the feed.
 
IrishMilo said:
What are you trying to do? Put weight on?
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Just maintain mostly, could stand a bit on and/or a bit more energy without causing any concern. Mostly I want him to eat his bucket including a not exactly cheap balancer and not get more picky than he is currently as then he'll lose weight which isn't needed.
@HopOnTrot I don't _need_ a mash as such, I just like them and he's a bit picky in that he likes feed wet but not too wet 🙄🤣
 
We sell feed where I work and I always suggest Spillers Speedy Mash to anyone who wants their horse to clear their bucket. It smells strongly of apples. It’s never failed me yet.
 
If its for weight gain then Allen & Page Care and Gain is well worth looking at. I found it when my horse wouldnt eat much of anything else and he licked the bowl lean with the samples.
 
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