Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

Re: [RC] Nutrition/Feeding - heidi



Hi all.  I hope some of you can help me out with a feeding dilema.
After doing blood and allergy tests on my Arab mare I have learned,
among other things she shows sensitivity to molasses.  I am trying to
mix her own "personal" feed now and neither one of us is very happy with
it.  On advice she is getting A grain blend from Pennfield feeds of
protein 8%, fat 2% and fiber 7%.  Added to this is suggested Micro
Phase, a vitamin and mineral supplement, 2 oz/daily with this being a
minimum of 14% protein per 4 oz.  To make this supposedly more palatable
and since we are tring to avoid molasses I am adding corn oil. Three
cups to approx. 4 lbs. of grain.  Another note here, she tied up approx.
a month ago on another supplement I was giving her but it had a much
higher protein content and she was not ridden for a week.  (My fault).
Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated here.  All this
corn oil is very messy and like I said she is not particularly thrilled
over it.  Thanks.

Karen is right that the oil is apt to make the feed LESS palatable, not more.

I'd also suggest feeding LESS grain since she has had a tying up episode,
even though you are likely correct that not riding her was also a factor. 
(Consider selenium levels, too.)

If I were in your shoes, I'd cut the grain ration by at least half, and
would probably feed either dry COB (corn-oats-barley--although it usually
doesn't have very much corn in it) or mix rolled barley and rolled oats. 
And I'd feed just enough oil to get the vitamin-mineral supplement to
stick to the grain.

Additionally, you might want to try soaked beet pulp, with some
oats/barley for flavoring to get her used to eating it.  If you can get
her onto that, you can feed the vitamin-mineral supplement in that easily,
since it is wet.

Heidi


============================================================
There are few places where the horse does not fit in; at least in my world,
as delusional as that one may be.
~  Howard Bramhall

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

============================================================

Replies
[RC] Nutrition/Feeding, karend