best feed for pregnant mares, and show horses

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Alisha514

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I know this has been covered before but I cant find the other posts.

I know everyone was pretty much saying to feed mares with foals the omelena 300. Is it ok to feed it to them while they are still pregnant? The bag says nothing about feeding it to them while still pregnant just while lactating. There is a Nutrena feed that is to be fed in the last 3rd of pregnancy and while lactating and for foals? Which one is better?

I have a 3 yr old show mare and a 6 yr old show mare. What is the best feed to give them? Can I feed them the Equine Junior since that is what I am feeding my yearling filly or should I give them something else?

I have realized that I have been feeding the cheap grain and noticed last yr my show horses didnt look like other show horses. Mine just didnt have that look and I think a lot of it has to do with what I feed them. I will admit my hay is not the best quality so I want to make that up with good quality grain. I am trying to do everything I can this yr to make my horses as competitive as everyone elses and I know that starts with a good feeding program.

Thanks so much,

Alisha
 
Honestly..I hate Nutrena, never had any luck with their feed. They do have one product, called XTN which is higher fat and that has worked fine before...

I do Strategy and Omolene 200 .... each horse gets either one of the two. Broodmares, maintance horses and a few of the show horses who do better on a pellet get the Strategy and look great. A few get Omolene 200 and look wonderful too. I'll prob put most of the show horses on the Oml 200 here soon and leave stallions, growing horses and broodmares on the Strategy.

Show horses get beet pulp, cocosoya oil and alfalfa cubes soaked as well as orchard grass / alfalfa hay. As well as either Oml 200 or Strategy.

Broodmares get the Strategy mixed with beet pulp pellets soaked and free choice access to roundbales basically...there is one mare that I bring in and feed by herself as she gets cocosoya oil.

We're getting back into the show swing of things here over the next few days
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All of my horses are on basically the same feed program, and I haven't been happier. I feed Progressive Nutrition ProAdvantage grass formula (a ration balancer) and grass hay; any that need extra calories get some oats and/or alfalfa pellets. I'm feeding this to 6 month to 20 year old minis; each get an amount based on weight, age, work (maintenance, pregnant, growth, lactating, etc). Pregnant mares get their pregnancy ration their whole pregnancy. In the winter, I also feed a small amount of soaked beetpulp to everyone to help with hydration and they just love their mid-day treat. Oh, and I put everyone back on a little BOSS for coat.
 
I do pretty much the same as Chanda. All get an alfalfa/grass/timothy mix hay and are on Gro 'n Win Alfa (a 14% ration balancer). From my 16.1h Thoroughbred to my smallest little one, they get the same (albeit in much larger amounts for the big guy ;). All are in excellent "flesh" (as my vet sais the previous week ;).
 
Nothing specific just some general comments:

No one feed plan will work for everyone, so it must be tailored to your horses needs and feed availability. So don't switch feeds just because someone else uses it and it works for them (sorry, I don't mean to offend others who are offering their advice).

I would do as much research as possible and talk with nutritionists at the feed companies to get their advice on your pariticular situation. Your research should help you understand WHY you feed what you feed, not just because "so and so uses this". (My Nutrena Nutrionist told me, for example, that the Senior feed - a complete feed - I was feeding my big horse should be fine for the minis at that stage in their lives).

Having said that, I would start with a good quality hay or forage (e.g. alfalfa pellets, or cubes, beet pulp, or chopped hay if your hay is bad). Testing your hay is a great idea - or buy from a supplier who will test it for you.

And lastly - if you find something you ARE happy with, try to stick with it, even if the cost goes up or whatever.

In my case, I fed what someone recommended to me in 2004, and it was a very high starch feed. I had no idea.... I trusted the person, and she also fed it. But then one of my mares ended up with a heavy neck crest and is insulin resistent. She now has to be on a low starch diet. The other person has also switched to a lower starch feed for her minis. But we both know WHY we did it and checked out a lot of feeds first.
 
I spoke to Purina. My question to the nutritionist was , "What could I feed to the whole herd, broodmares, babies, and stallions." Her reply was "strategy." I feed good qualtiy hay. I reserve alfalfa for foaling. But that just goes to show TargetsMom and I are think alike. Research each feed, talk to teir nutritioist and find what you like. I have tried some wonderful feeds. And the nutritionist will also tell you what to add to it, if anything to achieve your gols.

We still use moorman complete mineral, rice bran oil and if needed a suppliment by ADM I have to read the bag and get back to you.

Beetpulp and alfalfa are wonderful tools aswell.

But being that I keep my horses on show feed year around, Strategy, seemed the most econnomical for us, since we have a friend that works at TSC.

Good Luck and tell us what you decide.
 
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I feed all my horses(big and small) strategy!Been working great!!!They have a nice coat even in the winter!

plus free choice bahia hay..and some alfalfa hay with there feedings..
 
Hi Alisha,

Well, we used to use the omelene 300 on our pregnant mares about 2 months prior to foaling and then the entire time they were nursing. Then we kept the weaned foals on it until they were yearlings. I think its a good feed but my horses were heavier through out on it and the babies seemed to get too heavy very easily on it. They just werent as clean cut looking on it.

So we switched to Strategy, which I was a little skeptical about at first, but it has proved to be better for the minis anyway in my opinion. My babies and mares have less crest most obviously and the babies look good and Ive not had a problem with any bellies or fat pockets on them. We have most of the horses here on the Strategy. Pregnant mares in the last couple of months of gestation and the entire time they are nursing are on the Strategy. All foals, yearlings and show horses are on it as well year round and they look really good. I talked with a nutritionalist about Strategy and she said only premium ingrediants were used in it and that so many farms were switching to it and loved it. I was not totally convinced when I started feeding it but I have used it for three years now and dont even think about switching. I love it too because they really dont need a lot of additive or supplements with it. I just feed a little ground flax seed or black oil sunflower seeds in the mornings for their coats. But even broodmares on it shine like never before when on this feed, some looking like they could go back into the show ring. We do feed an excellent hay with it too, an alfalfa and orchardgrass mix that is really soft and cut when its prime so that helps too in digestion and good quality protein as well.

My energy levels are good on my horses too which helps in their workouts and performance as they are good and alert without being too hot. They have good weight over the top of the back and croup without having fatty deposits or heavy crests. I guess the number one thing I like about it as they are smooth front to back and over the back and croup, so smooth bodied on this feed! For the price its hard to beat.

Different feeds have differing qualities of grain in them, and also caloric content, so that is why some feeds just dont fill out horses even when fed the same amount than a premium quality grain. I think feeding good clean easily digestable hay is important as well and having available trace mineral salt too for them. All of my horses seem to really like it as well.
 
I feed SafeChoice to my horses. My colt gets 4 cups soaked (water included) beet pulp, 1 cup of SafeChoice a handfull of Oat hay and a 2 flakes of grass hay per day (two feedings). My girls that are pregnant get 6 cups soaked (water included) beet pulp, 3 cups of Safe Choice, 1/4 flake of oat hay and 1 flake of Alfelfa hay. This is devided in two feedings. I do add canola oil to the beet pulp when I soak it. I soak everyones beet pulp together and serve it to each horse from a 5 gallon bucket.
 
I have realized that I have been feeding the cheap grain and noticed last yr my show horses didnt look like other show horses. Mine just didnt have that look and I think a lot of it has to do with what I feed them. I will admit my hay is not the best quality so I want to make that up with good quality grain.
I think that "look" is what most refer to as "bloom" Show horses really have to have that to stand out and shine and that is from good nutrition. Especially young horses

Since you are struggling to find good hay (we have that problem right now) then I would suggest feeding a complete feed like equine jr or sr. This has hay and beet pulp already in it.
 
Hi Laura,

I feel the same way you do about the strategy. I was skeptical, but has proven to be wonderful. And we use orchard mix, then add alfalfa for the mares, when they are due. And nursing. This year I had to work on getting the weight up, new to shetlands and their metabolisms, I tried some different feeds. But we have had great success with strategy.

Ellen
 

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