feeding oats???

We just bought a tonne of oats because it was so icreadibly cheap. The whole tonne only cost $100!!!!! I have ppl telling me 2 totally different things, some ppl say "DONT FEED THEM OATS!!! IT WILL SEND THEN CRAZY AND MAY CAUSE THEM TO FOUNDER!!!!!" and other ppl say that it wont change them or affect them one bit. I know someone who feeds all of his horses the same oats that we bought and they are all happy, calm, quiet and well behaved. None of them have any health issues at all. The oats also have a tiny bit of rat poop amongst it. Just wondering what everyones opinion was on it. Remebering that I know someone who feeds the same oats and he has no problems with his horses at all. I don't want an argument, just some opinions. Thanks in advance!!

What are they eating NOW??As in before the change??

Oats are approx 50% Sugars and Starches... they digest in the stomach so not as MUCH worry as corn or barley ... they are not a balanced diet meaning you will need to add a vitamin/mineral supplement to help balance them.

They aer safe to be fed up to about 3 or 4 lbs PER DAY!!

If it has rat poop in it, I wouldnt feed it to my horses, that's gross,maybe that's why it was so cheap

I mix oats with pellets and supplements twice/day for couple years already. Didn't have a problem so far. However I agree oats don't have all vit/min horse needs, that's why I add supplement.

I've fed oats to 100's of horses over the years and find it to be a very good feed for them plus there cheap compared to commercial feeds. I always feed free choice min./via along with them. I've never heard of a horse foundering on oats

Oats are fine to feed. I would worry about the rat poop though.

Along with what else could be in them!

Rat Poop did I miss that ... I would not feed those oats to any animal!! That is why they are so cheap they are contaminated!! Most feed mills have posion down for rodents if you horse eats the poop it is eating the posion!!

You literally bought a ton of oats? Wow.

Yeah, sorry but that is really gross. That is probably why the oats were so cheap... I know people that feed oats and have never had a problem with them, however they are feces free. Sorry but if I were you I would not feed them at all.