ridecamp@endurance.net: RE: Number of feeding a day, was Myths.

RE: Number of feeding a day, was Myths.

Mike Sofen (a-miksof@MICROSOFT.com)
Mon, 28 Apr 1997 17:05:50 -0700

Some horses (like mine - a quarterhorse with lots of 'foundation'
breeding) will eat until the food is gone, and gain weight at a
merciless pace. For this type of horse, continuous feeding, whether in
a pasture or in a stall, is unworkable. That being said, horses have
small stomachs and so should eat fairly often. 3 times per day feeding
is a reasonable compromise.

I recognize that some horses are much more finicky and require a
different routine, but my experience has been that acclimitization to a
particular routine may be even more important than the routine itself,
assuming that nutritional and caloric needs are being met.

Mike Sofen
email: a-miksof@microsoft.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Linda VanCeylon [SMTP:LVanCeylon@vines.ColoState.EDU]
> Sent: Monday, April 28, 1997 1:55 PM
> To: Ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: RE: Number of feeding a day, was Myths.
>
> >A question to you and others, I'm genuinely curious and am not in any
> >way out to insult anyone please don't take this the wrong way!!! Why
> >feed two or three times a day? Why not just shove a load of hay there
> >and make sure it never all gets eaten? That way they just snack a
> little
> >all day and don't eat any more than using the several feedings a day
> >method. There is no meal time as such here, but they still look
> forward
> >to their supplement time. This way I can grab a horse anytime of the
> day
> >without worrying about feeding time being missed and go riding. Or am
> I
> >wrong?
> >
> >Nicco
> >--
> >Open the bay door please, Hal.
>
> Hi Nicco,
>
> The only reason I don't feed hay "free choice" is because of the
> waste. At
> $6.00 a bale I can't afford to have them tromp 1/2 of it into the mud.
> So,
> I try to adjust feeding to exactly what they'll clean up in 12 hours.
> This
> is tricky, but basically if I go out in the morning and see that some
> hay
> was tromped and soiled, I cut back by 1/2 a flake or so. If every
> leaf is
> gone in the evening, I give them a little more. After awhile, I get
> to
> know each horse's appetite and I'm fairly certain they each are
> getting the
> amount they will eat in 12 hours. So, it's essentially
> "all-they-can-eat"
> but not really what you'd call "free choice".
>
>
> Linda Van Ceylon
> lvanceylon@vines.colostate.edu
> phone: 970-491-1428
> fax: 970-491-2838

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