Balancing a diet... helllllllp. [also, Purina's "FreeBalance 12:12"?]

I'm trying to work out "the best" diet for Lacey and according to FeedXL, I've hit some sort of road block.

She's good in allll areas of her diet, except for her vitamin B1, vitamin E, and Folic Acid intake.

I would kinda shrug it off if vE + vB1 didn't have track records of doing helpful stuff for horses with ERU, like Lacey. Since they do have admirable records like that, I would like to get those levels up.

However, no matter what I do, I can't seem to get those levels to even up. I tried adding yeast to the diet since that was FeedXL's suggestion - the percentages changed but vB1+folic acid never evened out. Vitamin E - wise, I have no idea what to add.

Right now she's eating:

1lb Enrich 32
.5oz MSM (it's high because that's another one of those things shown to help inflammation)
1oz Raspberry Leaves
2 tbsp iodized salt
3oz flax seed (was feeding this for vA purposes - L gets the worst mud fever EVERY winter, come to find out it can be anti-inflammartory so it stayed)

The other thing is that she's probably the world's easiest keeper. Even wearing a grazing muzzle for half the day (daytime, from about 10am-8pm) and being worked 3+ times a week (5+mile rides each time, w/t/c, I might add) she's still pushing a 6 on the H scale. I'd really prefer her to be a 5/4 but that darn horse refuses to comply.
She gets no hay, just pasture - wouldn't eat hay if I stuck it front of her face (pasture is much better apparently).

Everything else in her diet is either at 100% "Recomended Daily Intake" or "safely" above the RDI... VitE is at 58.2%, vB1 is at 26%, and Folic Acid is 39.9%...



The other thing: today at the feed store I saw Purina's "Free Balance 12:12"... powder form.
It seems like that could be a mildly cheaper, possibly healthier alternative for Miss L since I could feed her a handful of grass hay pellets for all her "stuff" to stick to without the extra calories/sugars added by the Enrich 32 pellet...
I stuck that into my FeedXL and everything evened up, except for my arch nemisis-es: vE, vB1, and Folic Acid.
Anyhoo, is this stuff as good as it looks? It appears like it could last forever too which would be great for my budget - 25lbs for $18, feeding a daily dose of 2 oz? Having that last for 200 days? Um, YES PLEASE.



So, basic questions: Free Balance 12:12, what's the common consensus?
VitE, vB1, Folic Acid - how does one boost those levels like a crazy lady, without becoming a crazy lady?

Thank you! :)

Bummmp? :)

B vitamins are not a huge concern as they are synthesized in the GI tract.

The 12:12 is a little too generic for me. I favor ADM Grostrong as a nice loose mineral if you can't come up with a nice locally milled product that complements your forages. It does contain B vitamins but doesn't list the values. For extra E, you can add human grade vitamin E capsules.
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Did you ask the FeedXL mob? Interesting that since I changed pasture, I'm having the same issue with FeedXL & very low B1 levels, regardless it seems, what supps I add, short of a straight 'B-Calm' or such. Be interested in hearing if you do ask them. I know B vits are synthesised in the gut but think they need some.

If you decide to use the Grostrong minerals, you may still be "off" when using FeedXL. Ran into this issue myself. ADM doesn't release all the ingredient values on their products to the public or FeedXL. Proprietary formula or some such thing.

I ran into that problem with ADM, too. When I emailed them, their only response was, "If you feed at the recommended levels, your horse's diet will be balanced." I was not thrilled with that answer, but my horses seem to be doing well.
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ADM isn't a brand that's available here, so that's not an option. I looked on their website and it appears that the farthest northwest they've come is southern Idaho - more than quite a few hundred miles from here, haha.

Left, do you mind explaining how 12:12 is too generic? Like it's too "one size fits all" or something?


Loosie, how do I "ask the feedXL mob"? Do they have a forum?

That's just frustrating! Haha

The forum button is at the very top of the page toward the right
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That's a good way to explain it. Every region is going to have distinct deficiencies and excesses as well as different feeding programs so one product can not fill all the voids. Also a 12:12 is designed for a grass alfalfa diet not a straight grass one.

Hoffman's makes a nice blend that you should look at. I beleive they are in BC so you should be able to find a distributor.
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