Unmollassed, low/no alfalfa chaff?

[tonitot]

As Ethel's now barefoot and shes about to run out of Alfa A Oil I want to put her on an unmollassed, low/no alfalfa chaff to help her feet as much as possible. I have asked in the feed shop and they told me they don't have a chaff that has no mollases or alfalfa. The chaff they recommended was Unmollassed Hi-Fi Lite as it apparently has the lowest amount of alfalfa in it. I just wanted to know what other people recommended and whether or not I should go for the Unmollassed Hi-Fi Lite.

Thank you

 

[JoJo_]

You could try Happy Hoof or unmollased Hifi.

 

[tonitot]

Hasn't Happy Hoof got a lot of sugar in it? Think I read somewhere it did ..

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We use Graze-on, or if the shop has run out Redi-grass. Both are just grass, with nothing at all added. I prefer G-O because it is a mixture of grasses, R-G is rye-grass only. A very few companies do make straw only chaffs but I've found it very difficult to get hold of them.

 

[martlin]

Freeze dried grass, so Graze On, Ready Grass, Just Grass, Supreme Grass... ermm, I'm sure there are more, but I can't remember them at the moment

 

[piebaldsparkle]

My local feed merchants do a chop straw chaff, with nothing added - bloody expensive for what it is, but idea for my girl and makes brilliant rabbit bedding

 

[Erin]

There is a Molasses free Hifi, but not a molasses free hifi lite.

 

[coss]

just out of curiosity why avoid alfalfa with no shoes?
My pony is on greengold (alfalfa) which has no molasses and had never had shoes

 

[NicoleS_007]

I've got my barefootie (well half barefoot anyway) on Just grass. She loves it and well its just grass so no alfalfa or added mollasses I also started her on fast fibre as her white lines started separating in the summer, there nearly back to normal now and her feet look better than ever.

 

[tonitot]

I asked in the shop about Graze On and Readi Grass and was told that it's likely to send my mare loopy as it's just like feeding pure grass but I did think that just adding two handfuls to her feed wouldn't do that much, would it? Also how much do you pay for them? They didn't have any prices for them in the shop and my mum is taking me tomorrow ans she hate hanging around whilst I'm trying to make my mind up

 

[Erin]

just out of curiosity why avoid alfalfa with no shoes?
My pony is on greengold (alfalfa) which has no molasses and had never had shoes

Some horses are sensitive to it and it can make them footy so best to avoid unless you know your horse is fine with it

 

[tonitot]

Erin it was most likely Mollasses Free Hi-Fi, I have a rubbish memory and just put what I thought it was but now you told me that I remember

Coss, alfalfa can make BF horses footy, or so I've been told

 

[coss]

fair comment
re the readigrass etc - some horses it affects, and some it doesn't. My horses didn't like it, they wondered why i was putting grass in a bucket and they actively ate round the grass but they (well down to one now) loved the alfalfa.

 

[tonitot]

Just to add, afaik Ethel isn't affected by alfalfa but I haven't ridden her out, well at all, so I don't know for sure. She seems fine in the field and walking to and from the field but obviously that's not much to go by so I want to do everything possible to prevent her from being sore

 

[tonitot]

I think Ethel would eat it .. She's not fussy

 

[JoJo_]

Hmm I dont think Happy Hoof is sugary. Its laminitis trust approved so shouldnt be.

 

[BlairandAzria]

My barefoot tbx is on alfa a i really like it, hes really doing well on it, only some horses have problems with it, not all of them.


If Ethel hasn't had any problems and you've had her on Alfa a oil i'd be a bit hesitant to change her onto a plain chop, i imagine you've had her on the A oil for the calories?

My feed merchants do their own "senior' chaff which is completely plain unmollassed and very soft so easily digestable (hence senior) but this would be the kind of thing i would feed if i was looking for non-sugar plain chop. I think your best bet is to maybe ask advice your feed merchant....just read back your post and realised youve asked them already....doh. Hi-fi lite is just a mix of alfalfa and chopped hay and straw, and it does have a low alfalfa ratio, however, imo this makes it expensive for what it is.....and again i would be wary of taking her of the higher calories of the A oil onto the lower calories of the hifi....unless she is a good doer tb?

Is there any other reason behind changing her feed other than reducing the alfalfa for her feet?

 

[BlairandAzria]

Hmm I dont think Happy Hoof is sugary. Its laminitis trust approved so shouldnt be.

Im afraid having the laminitis trust approval does not make it sugar-free, or even particulary low sugar.... the feed manufacturers pay to have the name on the bag as with everything its always best to check the actual ingredients and the quantity (if available)

 

[bumblelion]

Hmm I dont think Happy Hoof is sugary. Its laminitis trust approved so shouldnt be.

I was told by an equine nutritionist that happy hoof is full of molasses. She said they buy the right to display the laminitis trust approved logo! No idea if it's right or not! Just what she said!

OP- I feed my two greengold and one of mine is unshod and he's not footy.

 

[bumblelion]

Im afraid having the laminitis trust approval does not make it sugar-free, or even particulary low sugar.... the feed manufacturers pay to have the name on the bag as with everything its always best to check the actual ingredients and the quantity (if available)

Lol, your post hadn't loaded up until I posted! Pleased you mentioned this also!

 

[coss]

I was told by an equine nutritionist that happy hoof is full of molasses. She said they buy the right to display the laminitis trust approved logo! No idea if it's right or not! Just what she said!

OP- I feed my two greengold and one of mine is unshod and he's not footy.

how recently did they say its full of mollasses? i used to use it but it got really dense (so mollassed) but know someone else that uses it and having seen it since it doesn't seem as bad

 

[anguscat]

Badminton Horse Feeds 'Easy Rider'. No alfalfa, no barley, no molasses.
We use it because a mare we have has a bad allergy to alfalfa. She also gets Tiger Oats and linseed oil.

 

[caitlineloise]

Could I hi-jack the thread and ask if anybody knows what HiFi lite is like nutrition wise then for a very good doer? What would be better for him if that's a load of rubbish? Feel like a bad owner all the time! I thought that was good now not so sure!

 

[tonitot]

TNE, yes she is on Alfa A Oil for calories as she is a poor doer but I was going to add oil. Seeing how many people feed BF horses alfalfa with no problems I'm thinking I will just keep her in the chaff she's on now and see how she is once being ridden. I can always change her over later on

No her feet are the only reason I'm thinking of changing

 

[tonitot]

Oit get your own thread caitlineloise






I joke

 

[bumblelion]

how recently did they say its full of mollasses? i used to use it but it got really dense (so mollassed) but know someone else that uses it and having seen it since it doesn't seem as bad

It was about August/September time of last year (2011, that is! Still feels weird saying that!).

 

[BlairandAzria]

Yep Santa hooves we cross posted I think!

It's a bit like "The British Skin Foundation" conjures images of a government run dept where old professors merrily check and test skin creams for the good of the world, not that its just an advertising strategy lol ...it drives me bonkers...sorry op bit of a side-track there!

 

[coss]

It was about August/September time of last year (2011, that is! Still feels weird saying that!).

really does feel odd saying that - maybe its because its still in the bag where my friend has it, i tip it into a feed bin and could see it getting denser and denser, changed to dengie's healthy hooves, the same happened to that hence changed to greengold -lasts more than twice as long

 

[tonitot]

TNE I'm sure I can forgive you

 

[Dizzle]

I feed my full tb graze-on, not had any issues with it sending him special and he's pretty sensitive to these things, he was also barefoot for 18 months so also no issue in that respect, he only gets a 1/2 a scoop a day of it though so that might have a bearing on it but if I add a little more it doesn't effect him.