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Grain and Minerals help

3K views 17 replies 6 participants last post by  Ryle 
#1 ·
Hi. I have know idea what to give my horse. He's 2, and I tend to have trouble keeping weight on him. I've been feeding Mare & Foal twice a day, and he does okay, but I'm wondering if there's a healthier feed to give him to keep him "fat" for the winter. I know corn and mollasses aren't great.
Also I don't know what minerals to give him. I can't afford the 80$ bags of minerals he was given at the stable he boarded at previously, but I don't know what he needs and what brands are good.
 
#2 ·
its hard for to totally say as im pretty sure feeds are different over there than here but these best thing for weight really is lots of grazing. if you dont have a lot of grass then i would put as much money as you can afford into hay. there really is no substitute for grazing :) someone else will likely be able to help you out with grains etc that are available to you.

as far as minerals go, im a big believer in complete supplements but as you said they can be quite expensive. as with the grains, someone else from where you live may be able to help you more with something that is suitable but not as expensive :)
 
#3 ·
It's actually, winter, so no grazing. Unfortunately my horse won't eat enough hay to keep himself a good weight. It's a problem we've had with a lot of the young horses in this breed, back at the farm where he used to be. I wish I could just feed hay, but he seems to need something extra.
He seems to really like eating leaves. Green leaves off trees, and fallen dry leaves. I make sure he doesn't have access to any red maple leaves, cause I know when wilted they are poisonous, but I don't know anything about any other leaves.
 
#4 ·
Just be careful if you decide to grain your horse (complete feeds like the 'mare and foal cycle' feeds included). Any feed that has extra protein in it you have to be careful since it can effect their tendons (ive seen it happen, its not pretty). Actually, if you have a mixed hay (alfalfa, clover, grass mix) there are all the vitamins and minerals they need besided salt which they get from a salt block. If you want to give him minerals, I'd suggest Dr.Reeds. You can buy a big bag and it lasts a long time. You could also try feeding him beat pulp, this works with some horses. My friend has an arab and she feeds him beat pulp with a glug of veggie oil and he put on weight quite fast.

Other than that, make sure his deworming is on track, and make sure he's getting his fill to eat, make sure he's getting to the feeder without being chased away. Some horses are just thinner when they're young. We have 4 2 year olds at the barn. The 2 warmbloods are on the slim side, the QH cross is normal, and the draft cross is FAT. And they're all eating the exact same thing. The 2 warmbloods are at the feeder more often too. So yeah, sometimes there isn;t a lot you can do until they stop growing and you can start graining them.
 
#5 ·
i may be wrong but ive heard that horses eating leaves/bark etc means they are lacking some vitamin or mineral. im not sure which one it is and even if its true but it might be worth checking out :)
 
#6 ·
Any idea where I would check that out? SHould I just ask my vet? The receptionist is kind of a ditz there.

I'm not feeding him much grain. A yogurt container scoop twice a day, which is nothing compared to what he and the rest of the skinny horses at the previous barn ate. It keeps the weight on him, but I'd rather feed him something better.
He's not getting chased away, as he's the only horse in there. He basically has free hay all day, since the quarter bale I give to him twice a day lasts all day and night. He goes and eats his fill, and then wanders off. So the problem is more his appetite than anything. He's also up to date on deworming.
 
#8 ·
Growing horses often have "lanky" stages. Your best bet is to supply free-choice forage and then add a feed like Strategy that is designed for a "performance" horse or hard keeper, like Strategy. Then if feeding according to the label doesn't provide enough calories to put weight on him, try adding fat to the diet as this is a more concentrated source of digestible energy and doesn't increase the risk of GI upset like feeding excess amounts of grains or concentrates does.
 
#9 ·
Ryle said:
Growing horses often have "lanky" stages. Your best bet is to supply free-choice forage and then add a feed like Strategy that is designed for a "performance" horse or hard keeper, like Strategy. Then if feeding according to the label doesn't provide enough calories to put weight on him, try adding fat to the diet as this is a more concentrated source of digestible energy and doesn't increase the risk of GI upset like feeding excess amounts of grains or concentrates does.
Is 'Strategy' a pelltized feed or a sweet feed, a mixture of both, or what?
Or a better question might be....
Assuming that one can choose between feed-types which have simular protein, fat, vitamin and mineral content....and if weight gain is the goal, is one type more desirable than another when feeding the maximum amount stated on the bag?

Thank you.
DGW
 
#11 ·
Strategy is a pelleted feed, but you could feed a sweet feed or even a complete feed though you would need to feed alot more of a complete feed to meet your horse's nutrient requirements. You can definitely choose between lots of different styles of feeds for your horse, but for a hard keeper you want to choose a feed that is designed to provide more energy (which equates to more fuel for the body to work or bulk up) such as feeds for working or performance horses.

The best way to figure out what kind of feed to use in a situation is read the label. The manufacturer tells you what age or work situation the feed is designed for and what is an appropriate amount of feed for your horse's size and workload. Though these amounts on the label are general recommendations and may need to be altered based upon your specific horse---hard keepers will need more, while easy keepers will need less.

Many of the big feed producers like Purina and Nutrena have websites where they can help you select an appropriate feed.
 
#12 ·
So just another little thing. I've been feeding him apple and carrot peels and cores, when I can, because I get them from where I work, at a cafe. Will these benefit his health at all? I've heard there are some necessary vitamins in carrots, and I know apples skins have vitamin in it. Is it okay to feed him an extra "scoop" of these every once in while?
And what's a good source or fiber for a horse? It sounds like that's what he needs the most.
 
#13 ·
Fiber is going to come from his forage---grass, hay, hay cubes, silage, etc. A horse needs to eat 1.5%-3% of his weight per day in forage. For a hard keeper I would go towards the higher end.

As for the apples and carrots, feeding a few now and then is fine unless your horse has certain health conditions like Insulin Resistance.
 
#14 ·
Is there any way he can get extra fiber? The hay doesn't seem to cut it. I feed him as much as he can eat, but he's still eating leaves and chewing on bark. Are there certain mineral supplements that have extra fiber in it?

Thanks for all the help. Sorry I keep having so many questions.
 
#15 ·
I find the Purina Equine Junior to be a great feed for young horses. Also to help keep weight on, I'd really recommend Equine SENIOR feeds. They are made so much to help the older guys keep weight on, they work magnificently for any horse. Purina and Triple Crown make really good senior feeds.

Corn oil, flax seed, and beet pulp (soaked) are all great, fairly inexpensive, ways to add weight.

Also, chopped hays (they come in "bales" in plastic bags) are GREAT. The horses love them and they do a really, really good job at keeping weight on. They are a little more on the pricey side, however.

Mineral blocks you can pick up at most local tack and feed stores. Your area really determines the minerals that your horse is going to lack, but the blocks to a pretty good job. The horses also like them and it's good for them in case they get bored.

Hope that helps you some.
 
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