I am working towards getting to my first 50 mile ride, and am now going through the "what to feed" dilemma.
Right now, Alpine is being ridden around 3 times per week, two short rides (5-7 miles) at somewhere between a 5-7 mph pace, and one longer ride (10-12 miles) at about a 4-5 mph pace. He is eating 2 1/2 pounds of 12 % nutrena pellets twice a day, with 1 # of stabilized rice bran (with calcium), and a handful of sweet feed in his dinner. He also gets about a tablespoon of plain white salt in his dinner and sometimes a few alfalfa cubes just cause he likes them. He has hay available to him 24/7. Right now he's in good body condition, but he has lost some weight over his hips. I have thought about adding beet pulp to his diet, but I board him, and with all the things I've heard, I'm reluctant to add beet pulp unless I can soak it, and that that's asking a lot out of the lady who boards him for me. And if I do add beet pulp, do I pull the rice bran? I don't really want to increase his grain...he get extremely wound up on grain, and he's wired enough on a normal basis. Sigh... It's much easier to feed my dogs. Go get premium, organic, dog food, pour in bowl, feed. Everyone is happy, dog is healthy.
Thanks for the help!!
Juli and Alpine (I don't like rice bran...I only eat it cause it's there, and I save it till last. Tell her to cut the rice bran and just give me sweet feed and alfalfa cubes. I like those.)
