Purina Strategy feeds

The boarding facility that we recently had our horses boarded, fed them strategy healthy edge (for the geldings and mares) and strategy gx for the colt. We have subsequently purchased a farm and have moved them there. Anyway, when they started eating the purina products I noticed that all of the horses have seemed really hot? They are all a little on the lazy side so this was very noticeable. Has anyone else experienced this and if so can y'all give me any feed recommendations?

The feed may be a bit too rich for the amount of exercise and turnout they get. I would cut back on the Strategy for them and introduce alfalfa or timothy hay pellets. Unless they are in heavy work or need weight, they really don't need such a high powered feed.

Our horses get soaked beet pulp and alfalfa pellets (one can't have alfalfa so he gets timothy pellets) and they are doing quite well - even our five month old filly. We do give a three quart scoop of Paddock (the equivalent of mare and foal) to our nursing mare and her filly - just for the calories this winter. We also used it last summer while the filly was nursing heavily because the mare had lost a LOT of weight just before foaling (long story). Even though she was nursing a filly, Dancer has regained much of the weight she'd lost and is finally starting to look good again.

You couldnt PAY me to feed Purina unless it was their ration balancer. Purina feeds do not have fixed forumals (each bag will vary in ingrediants/amounts) and they have the highest NSC (sugar/starch) levels out there, hence the reason it made your horses hot. The normal Strategy has an NSC of 30% Sweet feeds are 30%+. Nutrena Safe Choice has an NSC of 23%...

Also, if you arent feeding the recommended amout of feed then you are shorting them on nutrition.

There are MUCH better feed options out there. If youd like more nutrition help, let me know. Im here to help =)

I have been feeding my TWH mare Strategy Healthy Edge for 2 weeks today and am very, very pleased with the results so far. At only 3.5# per day it is pretty cost effective as well. The NSC in H.E. Is only 18%.

I have heard the HE isnt so bad, but I still feel there are better options out there

BUT, you have to go with what you can get in your area.

Sdm 18X3.5= .63lbs of sugars and starches and who knows if Purina is even telling the truth with that number LOL

Good point!

BUT, as you know PS, I can't get a ration balancer here. I have tried and tried but nobody will order it for one person. The H.E. Is the best option I have found between the two dealers I have local to me, which is Purina and Nutrena, and the Nutrena dealer does not plan to stock the new Empower ration balancer since she "doubts it will sell."
Just got back from seeing my mare and she is shiny in her full winter coat and has bloomed Forgot to take my camera

I feed Purina Strategy and my horses started getting hot too. I was upset because everybody said that this was the best feed to give them, and since being on it they are both fat and their coats are incredible. I cut their feed back and started them on 2 tablespoons of cornoil once a day, and they stopped being so hot and kept the weight and shiny coats. I would suggest trying cornoil. It's also supposed to help a little in preventing colic.

Just straight up corn oil? Interesting! Worth a try! I have 2 very fat qh, Arabs who seem to be harder keepers, and 1 easy keeper welsh pony, and 1 tb who is a little harder to keep also. On the strategy they look wonderful and they seem to be calming down a bit. I'm going to keep them on it for a while and see how they do. I am thinking about the corn oil though, sounds like it might have a lot of benefits. Thanks for all the responses! I'm new here so I'll probably have a million questions!