Hi Mewlie
Our vet has my elderly PPID gelding "Banjo" on a rice bran product; Max-e-Glo, by Manna Pro. Works great. All of mine are on free-feed Timothy hay, and have been for years. They all get a ration balancer pellet, and except for Banjie, a small amount (1/2 scoop, perhaps 3/4lb) of standard sweet-feed for "breakfast" as well. They also wear blankets in bad weather, or severe cold. The younger animals may not need blanketing, but they do appreciate it. Yes, it _is_ a little bit of extra work, but they "stand" for it at liberty (or they don't get their blankets; this being how I gauge if they want them or not), so it's just a matter of bringing them out of the barn, and putting them on; a couple of minutes per critter. No big deal. (No, I do not clean them off before blanketing, If they are muddy-wet or snowy, I will squeegee the worst of it off their backs before tossing the blankie on, that's about it.)
I like to see a BCS of 5.5 or 6; more like 6 going into winter. This management routine does just that.
"Spoiled Horses _R_ Us"
Steve
PS: I have converted my "cowgirl" neighbor to free-feeding her horses (as opposed to the conventional "two flakes twice a day" routine). She reports happy-happy-happy horses, and can't believe she didn't do this long ago. Just FWIW.
Our vet has my elderly PPID gelding "Banjo" on a rice bran product; Max-e-Glo, by Manna Pro. Works great. All of mine are on free-feed Timothy hay, and have been for years. They all get a ration balancer pellet, and except for Banjie, a small amount (1/2 scoop, perhaps 3/4lb) of standard sweet-feed for "breakfast" as well. They also wear blankets in bad weather, or severe cold. The younger animals may not need blanketing, but they do appreciate it. Yes, it _is_ a little bit of extra work, but they "stand" for it at liberty (or they don't get their blankets; this being how I gauge if they want them or not), so it's just a matter of bringing them out of the barn, and putting them on; a couple of minutes per critter. No big deal. (No, I do not clean them off before blanketing, If they are muddy-wet or snowy, I will squeegee the worst of it off their backs before tossing the blankie on, that's about it.)
I like to see a BCS of 5.5 or 6; more like 6 going into winter. This management routine does just that.
"Spoiled Horses _R_ Us"
Steve
PS: I have converted my "cowgirl" neighbor to free-feeding her horses (as opposed to the conventional "two flakes twice a day" routine). She reports happy-happy-happy horses, and can't believe she didn't do this long ago. Just FWIW.
