With regard to the "Sunday Night Smorgasboard", I would not be concerned with what
probably amounts to a lb of dry matter. However, if the purpose of the bran mash is to
get water into a horse, I wonder if there are any good reasons for some of what is
included (other than to make it palatable). Other than a couple of carrots or an apple
for treats, I have a very specific reason for what I give my horses, and I am aware of
what is in the overall combination that is total diet.
Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@gte.net
Jeff & Bambi Forbes wrote:
>
> Susan wrote:
>
> The recommended rule of thumb in the industry is not to increase
> > grain by more than 1/4 pound per DAY (not per feeding), with no more
> > than a one pound increase per week. That is, you can start out with a
> > 1/4 pound per day and gradually increase it so that you're feeding one
> > pound a day by the end of the first week, two pounds by the end of the
> > second week and so on.
>
> > I realize these are very conservative
> > increases, but it's much better to err on the side of caution,
> > especially since a bad case of colic or founder is a really lousy way
> >of
> > finding out your horse doesn't tolerate dietary changes well. I used
> >to
> > work in an equine surgery and it was really sad the numbers of horses
> > that showed up for colic surgery because their owners had innocently
> > made a sudden (often minor) change in the horse's diet, thinking it was
> > perfectly OK.
>
> I know people who do the "Sunday Night Smorgasboard" for their horses,
> beet pulp, bran, apples, carrots, crimped oats, molasses, corn oil and
> boiling water to make the "mash". Wouldn't this be considered a drastic
> leap in food type and amount for one night per week if the horse is used
> to just crimped oats during the week? Not that I would do this to my
> horses, but can anyone comment on this practice?
>
> Bambi