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Barnyard Buddies:  Horse Feed  |
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 28 2012 : 2:41:31 PM
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| I think to begin with I would want to start with an easy keeper. Mainly because I do work and wouldn't have much time to spend on the horse which wouldn't be fair. I sure do appreciate all the good advice I have gotten from all of you. |
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stefffic
True Blue Farmgirl
151 Posts
Stephanie
Cherryville
NC
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2012 : 6:09:56 PM
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Horsefeed my 'hard keeper' is much easier for a novice than my 'easy keeper/air fern' pony.
I believe the NSC on the Nutrena feed is quite high, in the hig 20%s, but I could be off. It's been a while since I looked at it. I try to keep my horse's feed in the mid teens.
"A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself."
"One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries." A A Milne |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Mar 01 2012 : 07:38:46 AM
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Beet pulp has some nutrience, but is mostly used as a filler so that horses don't feel as hungry. I don't recommend it. If you decide to take the horse off it, you have to slowly wean it off. If taken off too quickly, he could crash. I just don't like it. If you want a filler type feed, look into the Blue Seal strider or what you can find equivalent to in other brands. It is a pellet, but can be soaked. Good for geriatric horses. Has a high fat content for hard keepers. You can also look into hay stretcher (alfalfa pelleted feed) which can be soaked as well. Is also good for geriatric and hard keepers.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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leigh12354
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Leigh
Riverside
CA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2012 : 08:57:59 AM
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| I thought you could soak the beet pulp as well that way the horse won't have problems digesting it. |
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2012 : 09:33:21 AM
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| That's the first I have heard about the horse could crash if taken off of beet pulp to quick. So far what I can tell the main thing that a horse should get is good quality hay and grass. Then other things as necessary. Thank you so much. I really need to think about this before i jump in. |
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stefffic
True Blue Farmgirl
151 Posts
Stephanie
Cherryville
NC
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2012 : 6:36:14 PM
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I've never heard a horse will crash if you take them off beet pulp too quickly. It's a great feed to put weight on a horse, and I feed it on cold nights. They get a scoop or two, soaked in warm water when it's cold. My hard keeper gets some in the winter, unsoaked, with his regular feed.
My mare can't have grass - she wears a muzzle and gets hay and grain and beet pulp. When she has sore feet she gets only soaked beet pulp and soaked hay.
Remember there's no one answer for every horse and if you ask horse people you will get three opinions from two people and we're all sure we're right! LOL
I've worked as a farm manager and groom for about 5 years and was an apprentice for 3 years and I've got horses of my own in the front yard, but that doesn't mean I know what I'm doing! LOL
"A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself."
"One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries." A A Milne |
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MEWolf
True Blue Farmgirl
358 Posts
Margaret
Byers
Colorado
USA
358 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2012 : 11:09:01 AM
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I know Paula...it is why we took our guys off of Nutrena Safe Choice. We currently are giving Purina Strategy Healthy Edge a try. We do not feed much grain, and only during the fall and winter months. We feed according to their needs, but all our guys get less than a pound of grain a day. We do however feed grass hay four times a day during those months.
In my experience when we fed beet pulp, none of our guys ever had an issue when we stopped feeding it to them. We always soaked ours, and it was fed with other things like flax meal, salt and rice bran.
I agree hard keepers are an easier issue to have versus the air ponies! LOL
Margaret
“Kind hearts are the gardens, kind thoughts are the roots, kind words are the flowers, kind deeds are the fruits. Take care of your garden and keep out the weeds, fill it with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1808-1882)
Farmgirl #3020
www.grey-wolf-farm.com |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2012 : 10:31:09 AM
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It happened to my friend who had to rescue her mare that she free leased. It was a bad situation where the animal welfare agents were called in. my friend (I'll call her Anne for privacy sake)had to take the other party to court to get the mare back. "Anne" took the mare off the beat pulp. Not only did she lose a pile of weight, she almost colicked to boot. The other party was apparently feeding strictly beet pulp with very little hay and nothing else to all their horses (the state gave back 5 of the 15 they had. 2 died (one was euthanized)while in the custody of the state). I was there for the entire time and helped "Anne" when I could after she got the mare back. Had "Anne" known that was all her mare was being fed, things would have been done differenly.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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leigh12354
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Leigh
Riverside
CA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2012 : 12:04:01 PM
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| You know we all have to weigh the situation before we do anything concerning what we feed the horses. It just saddens me when someone loses a horse because of neglect, or mistreatment. I've been told that beet pulp will help put weight on a horse as well. But to feed it to them as the main source of nutrition? |
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2012 : 12:35:42 PM
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| What a sticky situation we can get ourselves into trying to do what is best for our animals and it seems like nothing works. Seems to me that what you feed your horse really needs to depend on that horse and no other, but suggestions are always nice. |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2012 : 07:08:11 AM
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I raise trail horses and barrel horses in New Mexico. Some I stall and some are on free range. My Thoroughbred types eat about 2x more than my mustangs and the quarter horses, paints, appaloosas and tennessee walkers are in between. There is a big variance between breed types and if they are kept on pasture or pens or stalls. Basically the best way to start out is to try to be consistent with what the horse is used to and go from there. Especially if the horse is doing well already. The activity level is a consideration also. If you have space and a nice stand of grass you may just let them graze in the summer and feed alfalfa grass mix hay in the winter. This is what we do here in New Mexico. We live at 8000 ft elevation so we are in a mountainous area and get loooong winters as I would imagine you do also. However you probably get taller grass than we do here so you would want to be careful to not turn the horse out on too much grass to begin with. Maybe a gradual working up to it. I used to travel with my mom to WI almost every year to visit her family in Watertown WI and I can assure you that if my horses were turned out on that lush grass up there they would probably explode.lol. The only horses of mine that get grain on a regular basis are the broodmares, the ones that we are using for competition at the time, the Thoroughbreds. and the old ones. Our babies get a little too. But anyway I think there was some good info in the other posts too. Hope you have loads of fun with your new horse. Remember get something you are matched up with. Basically new rider = old horse and experienced rider = young horse. But don't let anybody saddle you with an aged horse or a lame one. As for old I never buy anything over 12. And it doesn't take any more special training to ride a gaited horse than any other horse unless you are showing it. I never expect anyone to help clean up after or feed my horses without teaching them to ride and making sure they are having fun, first. Especially if they are paying. Unless they are small children and even they get to sit on the horses. But anyway in my book less is more with feed changes and medicine. The most important thing at first is to make sure your new horse is drinking plenty of water because sometimes horses don't like to drink water they aren't used to at first, and you don't want them to eat unless they are getting enough water. Horses have 70ft of intestines with all sorts of twists and turns and one does not want any dry impactions from eating without drinking water.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies. |
Edited by - crittergranny on Mar 14 2012 07:49:29 AM |
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stefffic
True Blue Farmgirl
151 Posts
Stephanie
Cherryville
NC
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2012 : 8:49:21 PM
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Also - western Alfalfa is far different than eastern/southern alfalfa. ;)
Out here Alfalfa is pony crack, out west it's not as high in nutrients and is more feedable. Not sure what you have in WI!
"A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself."
"One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries." A A Milne |
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2012 : 12:08:04 PM
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Wow. It looks like I have my homework cut out for me. I have only ridden trail horses before. One other time I rode a horse that wasn't a trail horse. but he was an older horse too. I guess From the sounds of it I would have to start with an older horse to really get the feel of it. Then as I become more experienced I could get a younger horse. Thank yo all for the great advice |
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leigh12354
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Leigh
Riverside
CA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2012 : 1:57:50 PM
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| Laura, during your long winter months do give your horses beet pulp to help keep on the weight or what do you do??? |
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2012 : 2:55:42 PM
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| Thank you to all of you for the wonderful information on how to feed a horse. I gather from what i read here that you need to pay attention to your horse to know what to feed them. |
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Bella
True Blue Farmgirl
274 Posts
Karen
USA
274 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2012 : 07:38:05 AM
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I feed my donkeys Southern States feed, which is for horses. The vet at Southern States has provided me with lots of information via email about what to feed my donkeys. He walked me through feed and supplements when my jenny was pregnant, then again after the baby was born. He advised what to feed both mom and baby and even sent me detailed information about quantities and weight measures. Then, he sent me several coupons and a measuring scoop. My jenny is now on SS Triple Crown Lite with some EquiMin Horse Mineral supplement. The gelding is still on SS Mare and Foal until he's a year old. Trouble is mama prefers her baby's food so I'm having to mix in a little of it with the Triple Crown Lite. Donkeys love the taste of molasses, which is in the Mare and Foal.
"Just living is not enough, said the butterfly. One must have freedom, sunshine and a little flower." -Hans Christian Anderson |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
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leigh12354
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Leigh
Riverside
CA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2012 : 06:24:24 AM
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| Oh man now something else to look out for GMO sugar beets. Whats next? Looks like we will have to grow our own if you don't want GMO's. |
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2012 : 07:00:58 AM
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| What is with all the GMO's now sugar beets. I hope they don't think we will all feed our horses this. |
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leigh12354
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Leigh
Riverside
CA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2012 : 07:26:18 AM
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| So where does one get good beet pulp without it being a GMO product? Anyone found a place yet that is willing to tell you the truth? |
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2012 : 08:31:54 AM
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| I have done some research and found this great site for horse feed, plenty of information. It helped me a lot. |
Edited by - horsefeed on Jul 06 2012 09:07:34 AM |
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leigh12354
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Leigh
Riverside
CA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2012 : 06:54:54 AM
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| I checked out the link for beet pulp. Pretty good article, you can find just about anything you are looking for there. |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2012 : 09:16:55 AM
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I feed SafeChoice, have for quite a while. Then, on another horse board, a well respected member told me to do some more research on it. I read up on SC (google or Bing it) and I'm not really happy with what I read. I usually feed Purina but SC is what Mr. Leo was eating when I got him, so I stuck with it. When it gets close to the bottom, I'm changing him over to either Strategy or dry COB. He's on pasture and just needs a little bit. I feed because if the pasture gets too far down, his gut is used to it already. Same with some grass hay. Just in case.
My website: http://antlersantiqueswindchimes.weebly.com
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horsefeed
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Carol
Wrightstown
WI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2012 : 09:01:01 AM
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| With all the different horse feeds on the market we need to make sure we do our homework and get what is best for our horse. |
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leigh12354
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Leigh
Riverside
CA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2012 : 12:55:04 PM
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| Well it looks like that we will all have to do research on beet pulp to get what our horses need. |
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Barnyard Buddies: Horse Feed |
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Horse Feed
