"Veteran" Feed Recommendations

GrassChop

GrassChop

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Sorry, I know this has been done to death!

I'm looking to change my 18yo mare's feed to something a little extra to help support muscle and weight as she's not a very good doer. She will be going onto haylage shortly too.

She's currently on Fast Fibre, pony nuts for bulk and linseed but it's not seeming to be enough and grass has been rubbish this year (all round turnout) so I need something a little extra for her that won't cause silliness as she is in light work to keep ticking over and something that my yearling can have a token amount of.

I was looking at swapping the nuts and FF out for Veteran Vitality as it looks to be good and has more calories, though it sounds stupid but what are field beans?! I scrutinize ingredients as I worry that cereals etc will make her loopy, not that I've even tried it to know! Some of the mixes do sound nice but I overthink about these things.

Very grateful for some suggestions! Thank you! :D

ETA: She has had ulcers in the past. Put veteran in quotes as it doesn't feel like she is one!
 
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SEL

SEL

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I've used Spiller's veteran mix a few times without silliness

I think field beans are the ones that look like broad beans when they're growing. I know they go in cattle feed but had no idea they were in horse feed
 
T

TPO

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Britestar said:
Spillers senior super mash is very popular for older horses.
Click to expand...

I used this when my "not a senior" horse was ill and dropping weight quickly, he also lost his appetite. This did a good job until he got even more ill, but I'd recommend and would use again.

I'd drop Fast Fibre as it's specifically made not to be conditioning. Grass nuts are a good addition for easy calories, along with micronised linseed.

A higher calorie chaff might work too. I usually feed Dengie Meadow Grass but due to previously mentioned ill horse I put him on Alfa A Oil and it's helped put weight on. He's barefoot etc and has been fine on Alfa.

If you don't feed one already I'd look for a balancer or vit/min supplement. All the goodness will be out of the grass soon and in winter many are deficient in vitamin e because there's no greenery. If you got a pelleted balancer that might also work as the token feed for your youngster with some chaff.

Having found out the hard way I'd highly recommend getting a vet (dental specialist) to sedate and look at teeth. I've used an EDT regularly and it was only using a vet at the start of the year that a serious issue was found that has been underlying for years and missed all that time. You maybe already do this but I just learned the hard way and wouldn't want anyone else to.

ETA what worked for putting condition on mine [when he was ill] was Saracen Re-Leve mix, Baileys Outshine & micronised linseed with Alfa A Oil. He gets oily herbs, salt & vit/mins too. Re-Leve might be a bit of a faff for you at a field because it needs to be soaked and fed straight away.

E (AGAIN) TA the dental specialist vet I now use advised against haylage in my case. He said it's harder to chew if dentally compromised (not saying that your horse is, just thinking re age) and better with a hay replacer in those cases if hay can't be chewed.
 
GrassChop

GrassChop

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TPO said:
I used this when my "not a senior" horse was ill and dropping weight quickly, he also lost his appetite. This did a good job until he got even more ill, but I'd recommend and would use again.

I'd drop Fast Fibre as it's specifically made not to be conditioning. Grass nuts are a good addition for easy calories, along with micronised linseed.

A higher calorie chaff might work too. I usually feed Dengie Meadow Grass but due to previously mentioned ill horse I put him on Alfa A Oil and it's helped put weight on. He's barefoot etc and has been fine on Alfa.

If you don't feed one already I'd look for a balancer or vit/min supplement. All the goodness will be out of the grass soon and in winter many are deficient in vitamin e because there's no greenery. If you got a pelleted balancer that might also work as the token feed for your youngster with some chaff.

Having found out the hard way I'd highly recommend getting a vet (dental specialist) to sedate and look at teeth. I've used an EDT regularly and it was only using a vet at the start of the year that a serious issue was found that has been underlying for years and missed all that time. You maybe already do this but I just learned the hard way and wouldn't want anyone else to.

ETA what worked for putting condition on mine [when he was ill] was Saracen Re-Leve mix, Baileys Outshine & micronised linseed with Alfa A Oil. He gets oily herbs, salt & vit/mins too. Re-Leve might be a bit of a faff for you at a field because it needs to be soaked and fed straight away.

E (AGAIN) TA the dental specialist vet I now use advised against haylage in my case. He said it's harder to chew if dentally compromised (not saying that your horse is, just thinking re age) and better with a hay replacer in those cases if hay can't be chewed.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply. She gets 6 monthly dentist visits due to some minor diastemas! Chaff is okay providing it's very soft and short.
ETA she gets salt and oily herbs already too but no vit/mins other than what's already in the feed.
 
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ILuvCowparsely

ILuvCowparsely

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GrassChop said:
Sorry, I know this has been done to death!

I'm looking to change my 18yo mare's feed to something a little extra to help support muscle and weight as she's not a very good doer. She will be going onto haylage shortly too.

She's currently on Fast Fibre, pony nuts for bulk and linseed but it's not seeming to be enough and grass has been rubbish this year (all round turnout) so I need something a little extra for her that won't cause silliness as she is in light work to keep ticking over and something that my yearling can have a token amount of.

I was looking at swapping the nuts and FF out for Veteran Vitality as it looks to be good and has more calories, though it sounds stupid but what are field beans?! I scrutinize ingredients as I worry that cereals etc will make her loopy, not that I've even tried it to know! Some of the mixes do sound nice but I overthink about these things.

Very grateful for some suggestions! Thank you! :D

ETA: She has had ulcers in the past. Put veteran in quotes as it doesn't feel like she is one!
Click to expand...
I like pure feeds veteran mix https://www.purefeed.com/feed-for-veteran-horses/

fast fibre switch it to veteran vitality https://www.allenandpage.com/product/veteran-vitality/
 
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