Feed for minis

[chandab]

Is the name of the product Purina Enrich Ration Balancer - this sounds like something I could use for all of them. Is this a sweet feed? What has been your sucess keeping for a month or so? Much appreciated to all.

Ration balancers are usually a plain pelleted product with little to no molasses added. I don't use Purina, so had to look it up, they are called; Enrich 12 and Enrich 32 (here's a link to Purina website, so you can learn more about them: http://www.horse.purinamills.com/products/ ), they are both part of Purina's Nature's Essentials line. Not sure, as I don't feed purina; but I think the Enrich 32 is for balancing a grass hay/forage based diet, and the Enrich 12 for balancing alfalfa based diet.

I'm in MT, so a difference in climate for storage time frame, but that said, I don't have any problem with keeping for a month (I also don't use sweet feed, so that might make a difference, pretty much all plain pelleted feeds). I have 10 minis and go through 3 bags of ration balancer per month, 1-2 bags senior, and 2 bags grass hay pellets. Here's where the difference in climate comes in handy; I buy my winter supply of beet pulp in Sept/Oct, same with grass hay pellets (I have to drive 150 miles one-way to get them); and they keep just fine. [Matter of fact, I'm on my last bag of grass hay pellets I bought last Sept, and they are just as nice as when I bought them. Also using up the last of the beet pulp for a hard keeper (new shipment coming soon).]

 

[chandab]

Here is a link to different ration balancers available in the US:

Ration Balancer List

Wow, that's an informative site. Like the list all in one place.

 

[user 3234]

Here is a link to different ration balancers available in the US:

Ration Balancer List

Has anyone used any of the Grass Formula Ration Balancer Products shown on this list and have they had any success with them? Really good information.

 

[chandab]

Has anyone used any of the Grass Formula Ration Balancer Products shown on this list and have they had any success with them? Really good information.

I've been using the Progressive Nutrition ProAdvantage grass formula for about 5 years, I've been the most happy with this feed program over all I've tried in over 24 years of horse ownership. 8 out of 10 minis look great to me on just the ration balancer and grass hay; two are hard keepers and need extra calories (they get more than just the ration balancer and grass hay).

My are mostly pasture-puffs, and are not being fitted for showing, so I don't know if I'd try something different if I were showing the minis (but I highly doubt it, as I really like the program).

 

[user 3234]

I've been using the Progressive Nutrition ProAdvantage grass formula for about 5 years, I've been the most happy with this feed program over all I've tried in over 24 years of horse ownership. 8 out of 10 minis look great to me on just the ration balancer and grass hay; two are hard keepers and need extra calories (they get more than just the ration balancer and grass hay).

My are mostly pasture-puffs, and are not being fitted for showing, so I don't know if I'd try something different if I were showing the minis (but I highly doubt it, as I really like the program).

Can you tell me how much you feed (daily portion) to you minis each day (Example: 1/2 cup for 200lbs, etc.)? Do you base on minis weight? Condition? Some of the directions are vague for the little ones. Much appreciated.

 

[muffntuf]

Condition, work load, genetics and weight. I always weigh my grain - I find a container that makes whatever weight I need to work with (i.e. 1 lb., 2 lb.)it. I eyeball the animals or weight tape them. And then I adjust my feed per animal.

 

[Jill]

Most of our minis do very well on soft, orchard grass hay and a high fiber / low carb pellet

 

[Mominis]

I've been using the Progressive Nutrition ProAdvantage grass formula for about 5 years, I've been the most happy with this feed program over all I've tried in over 24 years of horse ownership. 8 out of 10 minis look great to me on just the ration balancer and grass hay; two are hard keepers and need extra calories (they get more than just the ration balancer and grass hay).

My are mostly pasture-puffs, and are not being fitted for showing, so I don't know if I'd try something different if I were showing the minis (but I highly doubt it, as I really like the program).

My vet suggested that I give ProAd a try and I did. It really didn't work for me. In fact, there were 5 horses at the barn that tried the ProAd: my two minis, an APHA mare, an APHA gelding and a AQHA gelding. It was like minicrack for my boys. They both got a little goosey and after just a week, I decided to drop it from my feeding program. The APHA mare also showed much more energy (to be polite) and ir was eventually removed from her feeding program. The two geldings (AQHA and APHA) both did just fine on it. The AQHA showed not much change from his regular self with the ProAd. The APHA gelding, who has a weight problem and would NOT pick up weight no matter what he was fed did super on it and looks better than I've seen him look ever. Personally, I won't use the product again unless I have a horse that is a super hard keeper. However, I can see how it could be useful to some.

 

[chandab]

My vet suggested that I give ProAd a try and I did. It really didn't work for me. In fact, there were 5 horses at the barn that tried the ProAd: my two minis, an APHA mare, an APHA gelding and a AQHA gelding. It was like minicrack for my boys. They both got a little goosey and after just a week, I decided to drop it from my feeding program. The APHA mare also showed much more energy (to be polite) and ir was eventually removed from her feeding program. The two geldings (AQHA and APHA) both did just fine on it. The AQHA showed not much change from his regular self with the ProAd. The APHA gelding, who has a weight problem and would NOT pick up weight no matter what he was fed did super on it and looks better than I've seen him look ever. Personally, I won't use the product again unless I have a horse that is a super hard keeper. However, I can see how it could be useful to some.

Did you try the ProAdvantage grass formula (regular ration balancer for grass) or the ProAd Ultimate (extra super concentrated)? [Wish they wouldn't have made the name so similar. They aren't the same.]

It is fed based on weight and workload. Progressive provides a feed chart on their website for small (minis and ponies), medium (saddle horses) and large (draft) horses.

Most of mine are currently on maintenance rations. [When I say cup, I'm talking kitchen measuring cup. I did get the cup Progressive provides, but it holds 1/2#; since that's all they get and I want to feed 2x daily, I use a kitchen cup, as a 2/3 cup measure hold 4 oz, 1 cup hold 6 oz.] I have 8 B-size adults (325-375#), 1 A-size adult (175#) and one yearling (by A, out of B). The maintenance B girls get 1/2# daily (2/3 cup 2x daily), A stallion gets 1/4# ration balancer plus 1 cup senior and 1 cup oats (using up oats, when gone he'll get 2 cups senior), yearling filly gets 1#, two hard keepers get 3/4# daily plus calorie source, B-stallion gets 3/4# (1 cup 2x daily). [And, the amounts are adjusted to account for pregnancy, lactation, growth, etc. Right now almost everyone is on maintenance.]

None of mine are hopped up on it, no change in personality (didn't affect my senior half-Arab gelding's personality either, and since I had him for 24 years, only on ProAdvantage grass last 5 years, I would have noticed a change - he got 1-1.5# daily, 2-3 of the Progressive provided cups). It works really well with my hay (and pasture when available).

 

[Marty]

I belong to Club KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid

I am a firm believer that horses are grazers and have to graze. Hay and grass is the foundation of my feed program first. In Arizona, you have little to no grass so I would suggest you find a wonderful hay source to start with. Don't know what you have there but I feed locally grown Orchard Grass which is abundant in my area and I do keep 50 lbs salt blocks outside at all times.

I also feed Purina Strategy twice daily. Its a pellet and I keep my feed in trash cans in the tack room.

During bad weather days when no one goes out, I feed soaked beet pulp for lunch. You may consider doing that daily because in Arizona, you have gobs of sand and that will cause sand colic. Soaked beet pulp can reduce your chances of colic by a lot. There are also many other products on the market to expel sand such as Sand Blast or Sand Clear so I would suggest you look into something like that.

As for supplements such as things to enhance hair coat etc. I don't bother with any of that. The only supplment I would add is something for my horse's artheritis.

I steer clear away from any sweet feed. Sweet feed is nothing but sugars and is the route of all evil named founder so I won't have it on the place.

Good luck and best wishes and happiness to you.