What suppliments to add if feeding straights

L

Lucyad

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 September 2009
Messages
603
Visit site
As a bit of a follow on from recent fast Fibre thread....

I have been feeding speedybeet and alfalfa pellets, soaked, to my horse and pony(s) for the alst few years. In summer it is only the horse that gets fed (in very small quantities), as he gets Cosequin and Turmeric for bone spavin daily.

In winter they will be in at night and will get 2 feeds a day, along with ad-lib meadow hay at night, and when the grass goes down, haylage in the field during the day. I add competition mix to horse's feed only if extra energy is required - i.e. before hunting or another high energy activity. He is a reasonably good do-er and VERY laid back in temprament. Shod (for my convenience), but with good feet - always looks well with a good shiny coat etc.. Pony is unshod and slightly more fizzy - it will be our first winter with her.

Last winter, I supplimented with NAF pink powder (alongside the Cosequin and Turmeric for the horse). However I believe that it might not be the best (or most cost effective) method of supplimenting.

They get a Himilayan salt lick in the stbale, but are not that bothered about it.

What would you recommend?

Would consider diet change as long as it was cost effective (speedybeet and alfalfa pellets are cheap!).

I did put horse's diet into website that calculated feed requirements, but must have done somethign wrong, as he was getting less than 1/3rd energy required even at maximum quantities (i.e. deepest winter!). On this basis he would, presumably, be dead, rather than condition scoring pretty well spot on, and being shiny and healthy! I couldn't work out how to
 
Not relevant to your question but can I ask what competition mix you feed Oscar? Is it just in the days leading to a competition? I'm assuming you feel it makes a difference?
 
I'm not actually sure that it does, TBH, babybear! I don't stick to a particular brand of it (I think it is Dodson and Horrel or spillers). I don't even have any just now...it's not part of his regular feeding at all.

I think that the weather has the biggest effect on waking him up, followed by psycological (i.e. if it is something that he thinks is exciting), then fitness, then conversely having had some time off (or being worked gently only), then feed comes right at the bottom...

You know how some folk if they eat a chocolate bar will be buzzing, and on some folk it will go stright to their thighs? Oscar is the latter.

It is useful to get him to actually EAT breakfast before a big ride though - he is not great at eating breakfast as usually picks a few mouthfulls and then wants OUT NOW! The fact he always has hay / grass / hayalge means he is never very hungry, and I guess doesn't see the point in a fibre feed in a bucket in the morning, so he gets most of his rations in his evening feed, which he picks at slowly over the course of the night. He will, however, eat breakfast with a bit of mix added.
 
Sounds exactly like Casper - I'm glad that the temperature has dropped as he's got a bit of spark about him again.

I'm currently trying equimins performance booster - it's a liquid that you give them on the day of a competition - primarily glucose, honey and ginseng.

I tried it last night before a group hack - he was perhaps a bit more forward and it was easler for me to lead the hack without having to push im on too much.
 
Sounds interesting! Sort of like Lucozade for horses...will look into it. Though wouldn't anything sugary have a similar effect? I as hoping the oats in the mix would have a more sustained energy effect (though I know that the mix is full of sugars as well).
 
I feed staights ,I add 365 complete as a good general min and vit supplement it has good levels of everything I want and is well priced.
 
I very often feed straights alongside good quality meadow haylage and grazing. The only things I add are brewers yeast (the base for Pink Powder and several others) and micronised linseed; both are good for coat and hoof condition because they are both a digestive aid.
 
Lucyad said:
Sounds interesting! Sort of like Lucozade for horses...will look into it. Though wouldn't anything sugary have a similar effect? I as hoping the oats in the mix would have a more sustained energy effect (though I know that the mix is full of sugars as well).
Click to expand...

Why not feed oats rather than the mix ?
 
I have been looking at Micronised Linseed, Maesfen - also magnesium and salt as recommended by barefoot friends (though i is just the pony with no shoes on, I don't see the shoes as an excuse to feed the hrose a less balanced diet!). Am open minded about these, but would like to minimise number of tubs on my suppliment shelf if at all possible! Wondering if, for example, these 3 things are required, if I could get them in one convenient mixture also containing everythign else I need.

I know ideally I would have forage anylised, however it will be coming from a variety of sources - for the first part of the winter I use my own hay, which is late cut, low calorie home made hay taken from my neighbour's unfertilised wild flower meadow, conaining a variety of grasses and plants (they need to lift it so I get it for free). Haylage in the field is local farmers, and is much richer. Hay once I run out of home made is much leafy-er than my home made stuff, and probably much higher in calories too.
 
Goldenstar said:
Why not feed oats rather than the mix ?
Click to expand...

I have done in the past - I think the reason that I used the mix is that it seemed to give him more oomf, probably because of the sugar. You are right though - oats would be better (due to less sugar!) and cheaper too.
 
Lucyad said:
I have done in the past - I think the reason that I used the mix is that it seemed to give him more oomf, probably because of the sugar. You are right though - oats would be better (due to less sugar!) and cheaper too.
Click to expand...

I swopped about a year ago to feeding micronised linseed and oats I give all of them 100 grammes of linseed a day and 220 grammes oats ( that's the size of my mug )then I increase the linseed to 250grammes if I feel the ones in hard work need it and oats up to 3 kilos but in turth I never need to any of these horses more than 2kilos of oats when I hard work them.
This winter I am adding speedibeet into the plan as well so will have to see how that goes.
 
They are not in hard work - sounds like half a mug linseed (1/4 for pony) and oats only when required for oomf might be a starting point?

But surely then I also need a balancer too.

Ohh, forgot I also feed oil in winter as well - I suspect that this might not be required if I use the linseed?
 
Lucyad said:
They are not in hard work - sounds like half a mug linseed (1/4 for pony) and oats only when required for oomf might be a starting point?

But surely then I also need a balancer too.

Ohh, forgot I also feed oil in winter as well - I suspect that this might not be required if I use the linseed?[/QUOTE

The linseed will take the place of oil but be sure to weight it so you know how much you are giving its very dense.
Click to expand...
 
Linseed is great. You can come look at the change in growth on Jackson's hooves that match exactly with when I started feeding it ;). It's better than oil in a similar way that eating an apple is better for you than a glass of apple juice.

I haven't found anything that includes the yeast, salt and linseed as well as minerals, so I just feed the Pro Balance and add a spoon of salt in summer, and
yeasacc separately if needed (Jackson doesn't get this). Oh and the turmeric :D

ETA there's a good thread somewhere on what's in Pink Powder - worth searching for it.
 
Brightbay said:
Linseed is great. You can come look at the change in growth on Jackson's hooves that match exactly with when I started feeding it ;). It's better than oil in a similar way that eating an apple is better for you than a glass of apple juice.

I haven't found anything that includes the yeast, salt and linseed as well as minerals, so I just feed the Pro Balance and add a spoon of salt in summer, and
yeasacc separately if needed (Jackson doesn't get this). Oh and the turmeric :D

ETA there's a good thread somewhere on what's in Pink Powder - worth searching for it.
Click to expand...

I was just thinking about the Pink Powder thread. I feed micronised linseed (horses love it) , brewers yeast, salt, magox. They have lovely shiney coats :)
 
I recall the pink powder thread - it was what prompted me to stop buying it and look or an alterntive for the winter!

I don't think we need the yeast - tummies are fine.

Where do you get your linseed from, Brightbay? Anywhere local? If I get the probalance, has that got my magnesium in it? (I have lots to use up first though...) I will def start adding the salt as well - cheap, and he doesn't use his lick, so could probably do with some. And the cosequin and turmeric of course....

With oats instead of mix for before hunting etc...that should about cover it do you think?

God, he is going to be so healthy I might end up pulling his shoes off at this rate! ;-)
 
Equimins do a linseed supplement - I've just started feeding it.

What oats will you use Lucy and where will you get them? I considered oats before but there are so many different types - rolled, naked, tiger - I didn't know where to start!
 
Lucyad said:
I recall the pink powder thread - it was what prompted me to stop buying it and look or an alterntive for the winter!

I don't think we need the yeast - tummies are fine.

Where do you get your linseed from, Brightbay? Anywhere local? If I get the probalance, has that got my magnesium in it? (I have lots to use up first though...) I will def start adding the salt as well - cheap, and he doesn't use his lick, so could probably do with some. And the cosequin and turmeric of course....

With oats instead of mix for before hunting etc...that should about cover it do you think?

God, he is going to be so healthy I might end up pulling his shoes off at this rate! ;-)
Click to expand...

I get my linseed from the local pet shop who orders it for me :D £22 a 20 kilo bag and no delivery costs! (Charnwood brand)
 
If you feed a few supplements you can get little lidded tubs about 5cm square in the lunchbox section of Asda and fill them with a days supplements at weekends so all you have to do is pour one in to the feed each day

I do this for my pony who is on tablets and two supplements and it saves me time and saves me groping about the tack room with a torch
 
I feed-

Fibre Nuts
Hi-Fi
Just Grass
365 Complete

which I can vary the quantities depending on what they're doing/looking like

then I add-

Micronised Linseed
Garlic granules
TopSpec Turbo Flakes

to whichever horses need which :)
 
WelshD said:
If you feed a few supplements you can get little lidded tubs about 5cm square in the lunchbox section of Asda and fill them with a days supplements at weekends so all you have to do is pour one in to the feed each day
Click to expand...

I do this for the yard staff as mine is on part livery and the quantities are quite precise.

Mind you it gets a bit worrying when you get up to the yard and they've managed to use 8 tubs in 5 days.

Mine gets
Sugarbeet
Bran
Copra

A mineral mix balanced to forage
Joint supplement
Brewers yeast (has b vits and some amino acids as well as the yeasts and is dirt cheap.
Linseed

I get both the linseed and the brewers yeast from Charnwood but split the yeast with a friend as a sack lasts so long.
 
Lucyad said:
Where do you get your linseed from, Brightbay? Anywhere local? If I get the probalance, has that got my magnesium in it? (I have lots to use up first though...) I will def start adding the salt as well - cheap, and he doesn't use his lick, so could probably do with some. And the cosequin and turmeric of course....
)
Click to expand...

K and I both get our linseed direct from Charnwood. We could probably all save some cash buy doing a joint order ;).

Ditto the magnesium... I always fed the heavy powder, but while he was on hols with K, he ate her crunchy calmag, so I could prob save a few quid using that instead, she buys it cheaply locally by the sack? ProBalance has magnesium, but I still add a bit more because Scottish grazing is notoriously low (it's the rain).
 
Amazing all the feeds you seem to use! Always fed straights,not brands,and no supplements plus good ad lib hayledge.So what hard feed? Bog standard pony nuts/rolled oats/micronised barley ,soaked sugar beet and some mollichaff mixed in to slow down eating.That`s it,and the oats just adjusted to suit oomph and work ratio. Only mix I sometimes buy is a "coarse summer dairy ration" ..full of popular goodies to spoil her.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top