>Really folks, back to the basics of good base feed, properly conducted work
>and a mentally prepared rider and you will have a greater success than all
>the formulas can ever produce.
>
>Let me know what you think.
========
I couldn't agree more! My eyes sometimes glaze over with all this talk of
supplements and special feed schedules and custom feed mixes and giving
electrolytes based on formulas of height, weight, and when there was a full
moon last.
We have good pasture and hay, feed a basic corn/oats mixture, use no
supplements, electrolytes when needed, horses are out all time, wormed
regularly and that's it. I do use electrolytes but that's the only additive.
This is not to belittle those that use supplements or agonize over feeding
schedules - perhaps some horses need that on a regular basis. I've just
never owned one.
You know what? The all look great, are in great heatlh, don't colic, have
great hooves and do fine in competition (by fine I mean in terms of vet
scores and metabolic health). Now, I don't have the record Mr. Morris has
but my experience perhaps better matches some of those being scared off from
recent discussoins. Anything can be made complicated if you pick at the
parts enough and put them under scrutiny. Step back and look at the bigger
picture - you are taking a horse and asking it to do something that is
relatively easy for it do - travel long distances at moderate paces. Doing
that does not require a PhD in horse nutrition, a farrier's license and a DVM.
It *does* require good basic horsekeeping, lots riding, and _knowing_ your
horse.
I'm glad for the Susan's and Tom's and all those other folks out there that
are interested at the molecular level what's going on inside our horses -
that's how we get better feed, better elect, better whatever. However, in
the interest of common sense, feeding and conditioning is both much simpler
than recent posts have made it and perhaps evern more complicated than any
of us know. How's that for muddying the waters?
Tina - with her calendar out to schedule the spring rides
hickst@nichols.com