Lyn J.....................Curious I think it was you and the no hay diet

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]" Lyn does this thing where she says she "feeds into condition" and admits she never exercises her halter horses which I personally think is bull, "[/SIZE]

I think some are missing the part where I say these horses are out most of the day with a buddy or two.... not stalled except at night...even the broodmares are not stalled but can come in and out as they chose. I say I feed into condition and that is true that I dont round pen lounge exercise them but they are exercising all day long chasing each other.... seems like people can pick whta they want to argue about out of a thread without reading the whole thread.... like I feed a no hay diet, That is incorrect, I dont feed baled hay but the forrage is chopped dried alfalfa and the complete feed has chopped hay in it as well. You can take it that I said I dont exercise when really it is that I dont work horses as in lounging. They do get exercise and they are not bored. We dont any of us do things exactly the same but to insinuate that if my horses are not left with grazing or free choice hay all day that they are miserable unhappy horses with bad stall vices isnt really fair either. I may be a little touchy this week but, I didnt start this "you should all feed my way" thread...... I was asked about how I feed. and Marty Im not sure what "Bull" you were refering to.

Lyn

 

[Shari]

When Hubby was stationed in San Diego for 4 years...our horses just got hay cubes. Then tend to have a bit more roughage to them than pellets. BP....that was so far back ago I just did not have access to it.

They had no problems with it and were happy and healthy.

When I lived in NH... we used Dengi because it was available and very good quality.

Moved to WA...tried to find cubes or Dengi...after a while I did find the cubes but after a bit I could not find any more. So I had to used Hay. Got some good quality stuff.

Here... If I asked for Cubes or Dengi... I would get a glazed over look and they would say, What's that??".

Good hay right now is very hard to find.

Do have some of the best local grass I have ever seen, just got 2 tons of it, but the horses do not like it near as much as the Eastern OR Orchard Grass hay. But right now I can't get that.

They get Grass hay and the Riding ponies are out in the 10 acre pasture for 1/2 of the day. As the spring grass comes in I will have to limit their time more.

If I could get Timothy or Grass hay cubes I would in a heart beat.

Anyway.... what I am trying to say... everyone has a different feeding program than each other. One might work better for one and not the other.

Each person figures out what would be best for their horses, with what feed is available in their areas.

:

 

[nicole]

Thats all we feed here for the past two years, we only give about a handful of hay per horse.

My horses look awesome and they are not bored, in fact they do leave hay cubes in their pale and much throughout the day.

I would not feed any other way.

Very little excersice for my guys as well, they are out during the day and in at night.

 

[Leeana]

I got a question, probaly has nothing to do with this topic but am just wondering.

Our horse judging team was at a Buckeye Horse Nutrition seminar weeks ago and from what i got (not sure if its right), but isnt there Cecum made to digest there hay? Does it digest the complete feed or does that go to there stomach?

Now horses stomachs are not that big right, at least what he showed us wasnt that big?, Wouldnt feeding that much feed pelleted not be good for them to take in at once?

He told us that grains are only there for nutritional purposes and they should only get what they need or it causes problems (such as race horses, then after there done with there racing carrer it takes a year to get there stomach working right agian).

So if your feeding complete feed there Cecum is pretty much not doing anything?

Can feeding that much grain cause a problem?

Or do i have this wrong?

I might be completely off on this

I'm just curious, lyns horses look FABULOUS. I'm just curious though.

Sorry if i confused anyone.

Leeana

 

[hhpminis]

I never have fed large amounts of hay to my minis.

I feed quite a bit of 10% protein grain, quite a bit of beet pulp, and some other additives for balance. I then only feed about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of hay on an average twice a day. My brood mares get more hay in their last trimester and after they foal. I have some young colts that run off so much calories that they may get more too, but before I add hay I will up grain and beet pulp.

I would say I do very similar to Lyn only I use fresh hay rather than pelleted. We happen to live in an area where good quality hay is usually in abundance. When feeding this small amount it is imperative that it be quality hay.

 

[MiLo Minis]

My personal feeling on the matter of horses diets is that the closest we can come to the way nature intended the horse to live the better off they will be. If your circumstances are that you cannot easily provide good forage for them then pelleted feeds are a good second choice. Here in Ontario where we have easy access to excellent quality hays I feed handfuls constantly throughout the day. They almost always have hay in their stalls. I only feed grain (whole oats) to the ones that are working and can't eat enough hay to sustain them or pregnant/lactating mares. I add beet pulp, flax and conditioners to the show horses diets to help keep them in show condition. My horses get plenty of exercise and regular turnout. They are happy and fit and I can say I have never (knock on wood) had a single case of colic or ulcers on my farm. The thing I would be most concerned about is the long term damage to a horses system from a completely unnatural feeding method. Yes they are happy and healthy looking now but will they suffer from long term disease such as Cushings in the future? Do we know what long term damage we are doing?

 

[KanoasDestiny]

I guess that this question is geared towards Lyn J, but it could honestly be answered by anyone who feeds a complete feed.

I will be getting a weaned filly in June. She is currently eating Purina Junior Feed and a handful of hay(?), or will be by the time I get her. Is the complete feed considered forage? Grain? Or what? Also, I know that she gets pasture time and will also be allowed grass grazing time when I get her, although she will be on a dry lot most of the time. Is this a balanced diet without adding beet pulp or other things? The way she is currently being fed, was recommended by two other mini owners as well, so I know that it is a good method. I'm just curious to how complete it is, since it is a complete feed. Does that make since?

 

[chandab]

I guess that this question is geared towards Lyn J, but it could honestly be answered by anyone who feeds a complete feed.

I will be getting a weaned filly in June. She is currently eating Purina Junior Feed and a handful of hay(?), or will be by the time I get her. Is the complete feed considered forage? Grain? Or what? Also, I know that she gets pasture time and will also be allowed grass grazing time when I get her, although she will be on a dry lot most of the time. Is this a balanced diet without adding beet pulp or other things? The way she is currently being fed, was recommended by two other mini owners as well, so I know that it is a good method. I'm just curious to how complete it is, since it is a complete feed. Does that make since?

Most, but not all, feeds labelled as "Complete" can be fed a the sole diet; you need to read the label. I've heard that the Purina Junior feed is very good and should have all your minis nutrition needs in the bag; I believe the bag says it can be fed with hay. [Hay is good for them, it fulfills their need to munch, provides the long stem fiber they need. ]

While it's not Purina nor Junior, here is what the label on my bag of senior feed says: "While hay is not required, it may be made available to confined horses to keep them content... If hay is to be fed, the amount of senior feed may be reduced by about one (1) pound for each two (2) pounds of hay." [every label will probably be a little different.]

When I first brought my stallion home, he was on Nutrena Life Designs Youth; it is not a complete feed, it must be fed with hay. It only contains 7% fiber (complete feeds range from around 16%-25% fiber). The Nutrena youth says right on the tag to feed 1-1.75% of the BW in good quality hay with the Youth feed.

Edited to add:

Complete feed is a combination of forage and grain. It contains forage/fiber and at the very least is balanced for vitamins, minerals and protein for the animal's life stage that it is produced for. Youth for growing horses, adult/maintenance for adult horses with little or no work, performance for working adults and senior for the older adult (it's designed to be easy to digest).

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Thank you so much Chandab. I figured this was the case, and that it was a good balanced feed, but thought I would ask just to make sure. I found a bag at our feed store and I believe that it said that it can be fed with hay but was not required (could be wrong but pretty sure I'm not). I've heard very positive things about Purina Junior Feed, so I hope it is as good as they say.

:

 

[disneyhorse]

Isn't it interesting how passionate people are about feeding their minis and how bored/not bored they are or how in condition versus work they are?

You have to remember that each horse has a different metabolism, and there are a ton of different feeds out there. Some humans eat diet coke and pop tarts as their main diets, and others have gourmet vegetables as their main diet... and there are going to be fat and thin humans no matter which diet they are eating.

If it works for them, and their horses are healthy, then it doesn't matter! Humans tend to feed their animals according to how they anthropomorphize their own animals.

Andrea

 

[nicole]

The thing I would be most concerned about is the long term damage to a horses system from a completely unnatural feeding method. Yes they are happy and healthy looking now but will they suffer from long term disease such as Cushings in the future? Do we know what long term damage we are doing?

Milo Minis

Not sure what you mean about long term effects? We do feed hay cubes which is hay? correct?

I am assuming that is what Lyn is feeding?

Hay cubes are very easy to digest. I am really sick of trying to find really good hay. My horses do so well off of hay cubes and of course they do get grain and beet pulp.

If you don't mind elaborating a bit on this, maybe I missed something.

 

[MiLo Minis]

The vast majority of information we have on pelleted feeds comes from the feed companies that are developing them. They put in a great deal of research making sure that their products will be everything that a horse needs to thrive so we can be certain that they are getting a good complete diet and will appear healthy. But these products are relatively new on the market and you can bet that they have not put a great deal of research into finding out what the long term effects of feeding a diet like this are. They only make money by selling their product and certainly don't want to find out what it might do in the long run. After many many years of feeding sweetfeed to horses they are finding that it is not the best feed for them especially when fed in large infrequent amounts daily. A horses digestive system is meant to be full constantly - the old constant "feed little and often". Think how many products we humans have used for years and then discovered that they are not really the best for us. I feel that if I feed as closely as I can to how nature intended, both my horses and myself, that is the most logical way to avoid finding out down the road that I have used the wrong products - something I might regret.

 

[Tammie-C_Spots]

My minis are on dry lots and they would be bored stiff without something to do. They are out 24/7 with the barn open if they want to go in. I give them hay 2-3 times a day. Usually 1/3 a flake 3 times a day each (6 horses).

I did make a big switch not to long ago... I put everyone (of all ages) on a extruded (puffed) complete senior feed and I soak it in warm water before feeding it so it is a warm mash twice a day. I did this because the senior complete had everything in it I was additing extra like Yucca (good for older horses joints), oils (for coat and better to lube the ol intestinal tract), as well as it is a complete forage having a 40% forage ration in it. The extruded puffs help with better digestion. I had to try a few brands and the best I found is by Blue Seal. It's expensive but it helped me cut down on hay and make things easier to keep under control. With hay $7.25 a bale it was getting costly.

Different situations work for different people I say. As long as it's providing what the horses need and not hurting them in some way, I say do what suits you best.

Tammie

 

[Happy]

many people fiqure that the hay cubes are good hay but anyone who works at these plants can tell you that isnt true most of the time it can be a shock to see what happens to a rotten bale of hay that comes out so nice in a bag as a cube.

 

[Marty]

Lyn "the bull" I am referring to is that you condition your horses by the way you are feeding them which I disagree with but your horses do still come out smelling like a rose. Mine however, get all the roughage through hay, grass and grain, plus get play time plus forced exercise through round penning and hiking and walking the trails and still are a bunch of fatsos. So like I said, your the one with the winners, not me, but I just can't stop the natural hay thing. Wish to heck I could. Hay is really a pain.