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Kelly

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Stormy & Breezy we’re getting a little thin and with winter around the corner I tried to fatten them up, so I put them both on the minimum amount of Purina Equine Senior, a complete feed. They were on it about a month or so, I can’t remember when exactly they started it, but they also got free choice hay.

Senior feed… Bad idea!!… for us anyways. They both stopped eating last Sunday night. They didn’t eat or POOP all day Monday. Monday they just laid there looking all sad, poor babies! I was really starting to FREAK out!!

And of course this is right before our trip. I almost canceled our anniversary trip, but luckily they got better and luckily they didn’t get sick while I was gone.

Monday I put them both on Uclergard, I followed the directions on the tube…. It said it was for healthy horses, but I gave it a try and it seemed to help. Tuesday they were eating and POOPing again, YAY! I feed them alfalfa pellets and unlimited coastal hay.

It’s been a week now, so yesterday I tried to start them back on the ration balancer. They ate it in the morning but not last night. So I stopped that. Last night they did eat alfalfa pellets and hay. When should I start them back on the ration balancer? Do they even really need it? Right now they are getting alfalfa pellets and unlimited coastal (plus salt in the evenings).

I have them on a small amount of Uclergard every other day. How long should I give that to them?

I always try to do what is best for my little boys and it upsets me & makes me soooooo mad that I gave them both, what I assume, is an ulcer!!😤
 
Poor little fellas! The bag of Purina isn't old or musty is it? That's my first thought. my second thought is they probably don't need a complete feed. Mine do not do well digestively on any sort of "grain" (using that term to cover a lot of bagged feeds) and just get a mix of 1st and 2nd cut mixed grass hay and vitamins mixed with timothy pellets. For their weight, a little bit of oil can add weight (mine get one or two tablespoons) and you can get apple flavored oil :). Maybe some soaked beet pulp? I know some people don't soak it but I always have as I had a horse choke on it years ago. I'll be interested to hear what others use for weight gain, too. Oh, and how are their teeth? Wonky teeth can cause weight loss.
As for the ulcergard, I've given a ton of it over the years and always go with my "gut" lol. Depends on the situation. I think my vet told me to taper it before stopping if they are on it for more than a week or so so they don't get rebound acid.
 
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Generally speaking, yes, they need more than just their forage, as no forage is complete and provides all nutrients. A ration balancer is usually a good choice for that purpose.
I have no idea why they may have had a bad reaction to the Purina Senior, it's possible that particular senior is not a good fit for your horses. It's possible the 12% starch plus 7% sugar (particularly the starch) is too high for your littles (amounts according to Purina website for regular senior); I know with mine under 10% starch fits better for our needs and it's also some what dependent on the source of starch (I prefer not to use feeds with whole or ground corn in the mix, as I do have one that is corn sensitive). They are still reactive, so perhaps it did upset their stomach enough that they ended up with ulcers, so are now reactive to the balancer. Give them more time on just the forage, and then try again to reintroduce the balancer, go slow reintroducing. Or, try a vitamin/mineral supplement to fill in the gaps left by forages. Manna Pro Sho Glo is a decent vit/min supplement, it's pelleted and available at TSC, so readily available most places.
Not all brands or formulas are created equal, so sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to find what works for your horses and your situation. I've gone through quite a few trial and errors along the way in finding what works for my herd and my situation; it's not always easy, and when you find something that works, I suggest don't change until it doesn't work any more.
[Mine get a vit/min supplement that balances our hay. My easy keepers get a carrier of alfalfa/orchardgrass blend pellets; those that need more calories get TC senior, and the soy sensitive girls get the regional senior that is soy free (also a bit higher carb than TC, but so far, they all tolerate it well).]
 
I have two little ones on a senior feed. Tilly is 23 and Finn(last years foal) isn't weaned, her weight was good all summer so she didn't get any but she gets a bit now that it's getting colder and the grass is going down, so far she's fine with it. I also have an IR mare who gets senior, beet pulp without molasses and some hay, no problems with her either, but they're all different. I'm not a big grain feeder, I normally go with more hay(I would love to do free choice but they get too fat), beet pulp and oil or a hay extender with fat added if I'm being lazy. Alfalfa pellets are great too especially if you want higher protein and it's good for ulcers. I ALWAYS soak beet pulp, hay pellets and hay cubes. One of the worst chokes I ever had was from 1 dry hay cube. One of the best things I know to do for ulcers is free choice hay and beet pulp. I might add beet pulp (and maybe fat if they are still thin) for your little ones but would stay away from all grains if you even suspect ulcers.

Ulcerguard's an acid reducer isn't it? They do cause rebound acid when you take them off. I use the ulcer products from either Mad Barn or Omega Alpha and have had great results. They coat instead of reducing acid and I've never had a problem when they were taken off. You can put them on those for a while when you take them off the Ulcerguard too to prevent any problems.
 
Chandab, I use the Manna Pro vitamins too, best I've found and the amount is small so they clean it right up. In fact, they'll eat it out of my hand! They perked up my old gelding, even made him feisty :D. And the soy sensitivity is a good point, my three don't do well on soy at all. They got hot feet, gassy, and one got diarrhea :( when on a soy based complete feed, that's one reason I went to timothy pellets and vitamins.
 
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The bags of feed weren’t old nor musty, I just bought them and I do float everyone’s teeth once a year in March. 😁

If I were to go with the Manna Pro Sho Glo, i would feed that instead of the ration balancer, not in addition too? I think ill probably try to get them back on the ration balancer in another week or two… yes, introducing it very slowly. If I can’t get them on the ration balancer, then Ill try the Manna Pro.

They both were actually starting to look really good, darn it. I wonder if I should start them on the Prebiotic I have Thunder on for his colic?…once they get better of course.

Maybe I should start weaning them off the Uclergard by giving it to them every 3rd day? I’ll look up Mad Barn & Omega Alpha. If isn’t not one thing it’s another 😝

What kind of apple flavor oil Cayuse?? Did you get it from the grocery store? I’ve never heard of that.

Thanks for your help and y’all’s replies, I really appreciate it!!
 
That is both frustrating and worrying. I have fed Purina Senior with no problems, but have also fed only alfalfa pellets and free choice hay(mainly winter months - May through April 🤣 ). It was a time when I was trying to find the best feed program for 4 elderly ponies, all over 27 and one in the upper 30’s.

A report from a university in Kentucky discussed the successful use of alfalfa pellets as a sole source of feed, or with hay. It has worked well plus has always been available at any of the three feed stores closest to us.

Don’t feel guilty. Easy to say hard to do! Personally I think a well honed feeling of guilt is a requirement for all horse owners.
 
Manna Pro Sho Glo vs ration balancer :
Is one preferred over another??
Just a matter of what works for your horse. The Sho Glo is a much lower feeding rate and calories, as it's mostly just vitamins and minerals with a bit of binder to make the pellets. A ration balancer has a higher feeding rate and calories, as there are more ingredients than just the vitamins and minerals.
Which one to chose depends on the horse and situation. The Sho Glo is good for those that don't need a lot of calories from commercial feeds, and do well primarily on their forage. The ration balancer works for those that need a little more calories than their forage provides.
 
The apple flavored oil is HealthCoat. Comes in quarts and gallons. I get it at Tractor Supply, but I think Valley Vet and Stateline carry it also.
 
Thanks!!



Kelly,
How are your little guys today? It's so worrisome when you notice they are not feeling good. I'm hoping for the best.

They all are eating and pooping little machines today. Yippie! Hopefully the trend will continue. I still haven’t tried to give Stormy & Breezy the ration balancer again yet, I’ll probably try over the weekend. Im not going to give them the Uclergard anymore either, unless they need it and they don’t seem to need it right now. I think the alfalfa pellets are helping too, they seem to need them and are gobbling them right up.
 
Thanks!!





They all are eating and pooping little machines today. Yippie! Hopefully the trend will continue. I still haven’t tried to give Stormy & Breezy the ration balancer again yet, I’ll probably try over the weekend. Im not going to give them the Uclergard anymore either, unless they need it and they don’t seem to need it right now. I think the alfalfa pellets are helping too, they seem to need them and are gobbling them right up.
This is so good to hear. :) I don't tell people that I count my manure piles morning and night. 😂 After reading this thread I'm looking into the ShoGlo vitamins/minerals.
 
Should I be worried? Breezy is absolutely fine and doing good, but Stormy isn’t eating the alfalfa pellets anymore. Well, he is eating a little of them, but NOT all, less than half. He is eating his coastal hay ALL day & ALL night long. I am thinking he is ok, but this has been happening for a couple of days now. He just isn’t interested in the alfalfa pellets anymore. He seems to be pooping ok and is acting pretty normal. So…. should I be worried???

PS. I worry about EVERYTHING!! LOL LOL💕
 
Should I be worried? Breezy is absolutely fine and doing good, but Stormy isn’t eating the alfalfa pellets anymore. Well, he is eating a little of them, but NOT all, less than half. He is eating his coastal hay ALL day & ALL night long. I am thinking he is ok, but this has been happening for a couple of days now. He just isn’t interested in the alfalfa pellets anymore. He seems to be pooping ok and is acting pretty normal. So…. should I be worried???

PS. I worry about EVERYTHING!! LOL LOL💕
Curious, do you soak the alfalfa pellets?
 
Could it be that particular bag of pellets? Went through that a few months ago, same brand, same feed store, same product. One of the minis just turned her nose up. The others ate it over time and life returned to normal with next bag.
 
Nope, I don’t soak my pellets. Yep, same brand, same feed store, same product, same everything 🤪…. I really think Stormy is a picky eater, has kinda always been that way. I even tried changing feed bowl, thinking he was associating his feed bowl with his tummy being upset. This morning he just looked at the alfalfa pellets took a half heart nibble and started eating hay. The others gobble it right up.…then those little piggies go over and ate Stormys 🤣💕 I do separate at feeding time so he does get a chance to eat.
 

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