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[RC] To Sue - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: ti tivers@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Unless a horse is pig fat and in dire need of losing weight, IMO, all horses should have something to munch on in front of them 24/7. If they throw some around, tromp on it, sleep on it, pee on it, fine. Much cheaper than a $400 vet bill for an emergency colic, or $8000 for surgery. So allow for 25-30 lbs a day, and be happy if they spend their time wasting hay rather than eating sand. Don't feed rich, leafy, high protein alfalfa or clover or whatever in your area is fed to the high-producing dairy cows. Feed a decent quality grass hay, supplement the deficiencies as needed in your region, throw out some salt, become a fanatic about water quality and quantity and that's that for 95% of the horses out there. Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS>> I'm going to save this one, Sue, because it is so precisely correct. The statement is based on the assumption that you're not dealing with an athlete, and in this forum, save for 5% or less, you're not. At least 95% of the horses here do far less exercise than they would if they were grazing wild on the prairie. So, perfect call. Rids the list of all its delusions simultaneously--except one. That 95% of RC-owned horses would do better if they WERE running loose on the prairie. ti =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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