feeding oats

[macintosh miniature's]

I am wondering if someone could help me determine whether I should switch my miniatures to oats from a Purina feed called Equalizer (minerals). Or should I give them a combination. Equalizer is low in fat and protein and I just give them a little in the morning. I just seem to see everywhere that others feed their miniatures oats so I wonder if I should be doing the same. Any opinions? Thanks. Lynn in Nova Scotia

 

[barefoot]

if you are going to feed oats, I have heard of a fantastic product my the natural horse vet called 'just add oats'. I watched some friends horses switch to this from traditional feed and the differance was fantastic. When my suppliments run out I am going to give it a try. I worry about the processed feeds.

I wouldn't feed oats without a supplement though.

Emma

 

[h2t99]

When I fed oats I had it mixed with the vitamins and oil. Right now since we have moved we have pasture so I am not graining. I was told that oats right now are higher than sweet feed, so I am not sure what we will do when we do start graining!! I did love the way our horses looked on the mix I fed!!

 

[chandab]

When I fed oats I had it mixed with the vitamins and oil. Right now since we have moved we have pasture so I am not graining. I was told that oats right now are higher than sweet feed, so I am not sure what we will do when we do start graining!! I did love the way our horses looked on the mix I fed!!

I would stick with the oats; a lot of basic sweet feeds I've seen isn't the best quality, not to mention I don't like to feed corn to my horses. At least with the whole oats you can see what you are getting.

 

[MyBarakah]

I'm one that feeds whole oats... I also feed shreded beet pulp with the oats... I give mine 1 1/2 Cups beet pulp (measured dry) and 1 1/2 Cups of whole oats....

Depending on the size/condition of your minis also depends on the amount that you need to give them. But I am a HUGE/FIRM beliver in feeding beet pulp and like to use the oats since mine DO NOT need sweet feed and are easy keepers ........ but the show horses get a little bit different feed amount that what my broodmares gets. But I sware on the combination of the beet pulp & oats (together) and would not do it any other way and LOVE the results!!

 

[Buckskin gal]

My vet highly advises using oats.....if she had her way our minis wouldn't get any other feed besides grass or hay. I too wonder sometimes just what all goes into the feeds that are sold for we don't always know. I would like to hear more about the diet of oats and is supplements recommended?

 

[macintosh miniature's]

I'm one that feeds whole oats... I also feed shreded beet pulp with the oats... I give mine 1 1/2 Cups beet pulp (measured dry) and 1 1/2 Cups of whole oats.... Depending on the size/condition of your minis also depends on the amount that you need to give them. But I am a HUGE/FIRM beliver in feeding beet pulp and like to use the oats since mine DO NOT need sweet feed and are easy keepers ........ but the show horses get a little bit different feed amount that what my broodmares gets. But I sware on the combination of the beet pulp & oats (together) and would not do it any other way and LOVE the results!!

Hi,

Thank you very much for the information. We have given our horses hay pellets but not beet pulp but I think it is a great idea. I know beet pulp is really good for them. Thanks again for responding.

Lynn

 

[macintosh miniature's]

When I fed oats I had it mixed with the vitamins and oil. Right now since we have moved we have pasture so I am not graining. I was told that oats right now are higher than sweet feed, so I am not sure what we will do when we do start graining!! I did love the way our horses looked on the mix I fed!!

Hi,

I thought that oats had a lot of natural oil in them? Am I wrong to think this? I didn't think that you would have to add oil, but it would be an important thing to get right. My horses get lots of pasture and hay so I don't need anything except minerals right now but in the winter I would need a little bit of what the oats had to offer them. It is so hard to know what to do.

 

[Minimor]

We also feed oats; oats has always been the favorite grain around here. Our horses have mineral blocks (made-for-horses mineral blocks that they do use) and that is all the mineral supplement they need. We've just never been big on pelleted feed, and the majority of our horses aren't even all that keen on pellets.

 

[WLS]

Hello from Ontario. I would suggest you check out the other Purina Feeds as they have an excellent selection. I use Equalizer, but it is indeed just what it says, "vitamins and minerals". I feed this alone to my mature stallions and mares/geldings. My young horses get Purina Juvenile topped with Equalizer and I swear by this feed for young horses. I have had people come up to me at shows and ask, "what do you feed your horses cause they look so nice". Then I feed my pregnant/nursing mares (foals too) the new Purina Evolution Maturity. Yes, my husband complains, why do we need three types of feed for 12 horses!! Well can't feed weanlings and old geldings the same meal plan.!!! Good Luck.

 

[h2t99]

We started adding the oil for a draft we had that needed the extra protein and because we bought a ton at a time we had it mixed that way. I think it adds a lot of shine to their coat and actually helped when they mixed the vitamins in so it did not settle and was evenly spread throughtout the feed! With what we fed all we had out in pasture(dry lot) was a regular salt block that they really never used!! The vitamin we used was the Kent brand equine vitamin. Our horses never looked so good. Especially since they were on a dry lot, we had no pasture so they were grained and hayed only.

I would also suggest rolled oats, I was told if you have a horse that does not chew good then they do not get the full benefits of oats. If all yours are young then you would be ok with regular.

Good luck!!