Purina Miniature Horse and Pony Feed

[JMS Miniatures]

Thanks for everyones responses. I may try and switch to that. I've just haven't been very happy with what I'm using I have one horse on Kent and he isn't that bad his coat is pretty shiny and the other one on ADM MoorGlo and it just hasn't brought out much shine for him and it has alot of fat and plus it cost me $24 to get a 40 pound bag and I just hate paying that much. I would love to get everyone on one feed and at first I really liked the Farnam feed but the following year really did not do well for my horses at all so I changed. Hopefully Purina's won't disapoint.

 

[Melinda Dean]

Thought I would throw my 2 cents in.

I only have 3 minis to feed. 2 mature geldings and a 20 month old colt. I have been feeding Purina for years. The mature guys are on Equine Adult and the colt will be switching over from Equine Jr. soon. Of course I am paying a premium price for premium feed. But they look great, and are very healthy. My vets always comment on how fit they are and ask about my minis' diets.

Just went to a Purina horse feed seminar last Thursday. I learned that Purina's lower priced feeds contain less additives than the premium ones. (The reason for cost differences). For me, when I fed the lower end feed, I was always trying to get a balance of minerals into my little "A" guy. He is a sand eater! But could survive on air for a long time. If his diet is not well balanced, he eats dirt to satisfy his mineral needs. The cost of adding extra minerals and vitamins per feedings added up to more than the extra cost of the better feed. Plus the daily Sand Clear, and worry over if he was starting to eat sand again. With the Equine series I have not needed to anything to his diet for a couple of years. They graze and have coastal bermuda hay at will. And have always had salt and mineral blocks handy. As some one said , "If it works, why change it"? My feed dealer really wants me to try the new mini feed but I dread switching and then having a sand colic . For now, I will continue with the Purina Equine series.

I know the research folks at Purina are glad to answer any questions, and have talked me through changing horse feeds several times in the past. I am confident the new mini feed is very good for most minis. If you have a special needs mini like my Lil'Bit, I would go slowly and watch him/her closely for several months.

That's my two cents. Melinda

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I don't use it and have never tried it. But I thought when it first came out, I kept hearing negative things about it. Or do I have it confused with the Platform mini feed?

I currently feed strategy.

 

[RockRiverTiff]

I don't use it and have never tried it. But I thought when it first came out, I kept hearing negative things about it. Or do I have it confused with the Platform mini feed?

I think you have it confused with the Platform feed. I made the same mistake. I tried that when it first came out and was very disappointed. Considering that experience and how happy I've been with our feeding program for the last couple years, I'm still reluctant to try the new Purina mini feed even though the feed we are currently using is significantly more expensive.

 

[mydaddysjag]

Our trainer shows both minis and Shetland, and has quite a few in the barn. They used to feed omelene 200, and have switched nearly every horse in the barn to the Purina miniature horse and pony feed. Actually, Im pretty sure that they said my horse is the only horse there NOT on the mini horse and pony feed. We moved him there from a bad boarding situation, so he was underweight and lacking muscle. He's currently on Ultium, but once his weight is up a big more, if he continues to gain instead of leveling out, he will be switched to the mini feed too. They fit both halter and driving horses, so they are in a full work schedule.

In the past I had tried the platform mini feed, and felt it was garbage. From the reviews Ive heard, most everyone loves the new purina mini feed, even those who hated the platform mini feed.

 

[Sandy B]

My mini loves the purina mini & pony grain. The pellets are small and he really likes it better than what I was feeding him. He gets one serving in the morning, about 5 oz as he weighs around 365 pounds. Those of you who use this grain how much hay do you feed? I thought feeding him less grain would help take weight off but hasn't so far. He gets a flake of hay in the am and pm and a snack around 8 pm when I top off his water for the night.

If you go to Purinas web site and look under the mini horse feed you will see their guidelines for both hay and the grain. But typically hay is fed at 1-2% of their body weight. I bout a tiny scale off of Ebay for 3.99 and I hang a bucket on it and weigh the hay given to each min. You would be surprised at how little they actually get. I am feeding one flake of orchard grass to 4 over-weight mini mares and 2 other mini mares that need weight get one flake of hay, 1/2 pound of Stable Mix pellets & all get 1 cup of Enrich 32. The small stallion gets 1.5 pound of orchard grass hay morning and night and a cup & half of Enrich 32. I will be switching over to the new mini horse feed after this bag starts getting low. We try to group horses together as to what their feed requirements are. The ones individually stalled really get personalized feeding.

 

[minimomNC]

I learned that Purina's lower priced feeds contain less additives than the premium ones.

I think if you go to Purina's website and compare the information under Guaranteed Analysis on Strategy and Omelene 200, you will find that they are pretty close to the same as the mini feed except the mini feed has less fat and a lot more fiber. It also contains Lysine which Strategy doesn't.

I would consider the mini feed one of their premium feeds, just because it doesn't cost alot doesn't mean it isn't a good feed.

Someone wanted to see before and after pictures.

Here is the mare that took 3 Res National titles in 2010 at AMHR Nationals.

And how she looks this year at her first show. While I dont' know if she looks better, she is as good on a different feed.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I think if you go to Purina's website and compare the information under Guaranteed Analysis on Strategy and Omelene 200, you will find that they are pretty close to the same as the mini feed except the mini feed has less fat and a lot more fiber. It also contains Lysine which Strategy doesn't.

I would consider the mini feed one of their premium feeds, just because it doesn't cost alot doesn't mean it isn't a good feed.

Someone wanted to see before and after pictures.

Here is the mare that took 3 Res National titles in 2010 at AMHR Nationals.

And how she looks this year at her first show. While I dont' know if she looks better, she is as good on a different feed.

WOW

 

[kaykay]

It contains flax seed and beet pulp so you dont have to add those. It also has that amplify fat nugget in it. I do have my show horses on it and they look great. Even the babies who are eating are happy and shiny. I have to say I have never seen a feed that makes their coat bloom like this one does.

I also was feeding strategy and also like it, but it never got that bloom on them.

 

[wildoak]

Kay and Karen, how long have you been feeding it? Nice mare Karen!!

Jan

 

[kaykay]

We switched hmmm about 6 to 8 weeks ago? Noticed a difference after about 2 weeks

 

[minimomNC]

Mine have been on it about 3 months, maybe a bit longer.

 

[sdmini]

I talked with a Purina spokesman who also shows miniatures and Shetlands. She did not recommend it for growing horses so my yearlings are on another feed. At that time they didn't know how it would work for a "show diet" so I only put my chubby gelding on it. His hair coat looks fabulous and he has a lot more energy. I had heard a lot of good things about it which is why I asked about it. Based on the results with him I'm in the process of switching over a couple of other mature horses over.

 

[Marty]

Quick question please:

My Tractor Supply has this but they have told me no one is buying it at all so they are not going to carry it if it doesn't start selling pretty soon. My horses are on Strategy, no real complaints but they are too fat for my liking no matter how much I reduce their amounts. Would this help reduce fat issues?

I'm also paying $15.00+ for Strategy and the Horse and Pony food is the same price here.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

The mini and pony feed is $3 per bag more than Strategy at my stores.

 

[Mominis]

A lot of you are saying how much you feed in cups. How much do you guys feed in pounds on average?

And how much is your feed? Omelene 300 for me just jumped up to $19.33.

$19.33/bag!! I'm paying $16.95/bag of the Omelene 500, which I just love! I can't imagine $19.33/bag Holy Guacamole!!

My mini loves the purina mini & pony grain. The pellets are small and he really likes it better than what I was feeding him. He gets one serving in the morning, about 5 oz as he weighs around 365 pounds. Those of you who use this grain how much hay do you feed? I thought feeding him less grain would help take weight off but hasn't so far. He gets a flake of hay in the am and pm and a snack around 8 pm when I top off his water for the night.

What is the weight of your flakes? Also, what "snack" is he getting at 8pm, is it a concentrate or roughage?

 

[Marty]

ok here we go

CRUDE PROTEIN MIN 13.50%

LYSINE MIN 0.80%

CRUDE FAT MIN 4.50%

CRUDE FIBER MAX 18.00%

CALCIUM (CA) MIN 0.80%

CALCIUM (CA) MAX 1.30%

PHOSPHORUS (P) MIN 0.65%

COPPER (CU) MIN 75 PPM

SELENIUM (SE) MIN 0.60 PPM

ZINC (ZN) MIN 270 PPM

VITAMIN A MIN 6000 IU/LB

VITAMIN E MIN 125 IU/LB

 

[minimomNC]

$19.33/bag!! I'm paying $16.95/bag of the Omelene 500, which I just love! I can't imagine $19.33/bag Holy Guacamole!!

Mominis, I tried the Omelene 500 as well and loved it, price was great, UNTIL I looked at the bag and it was only 40 pound bags.

I guess I am just lucky, I get the mini feed for about $4 less a bag than Strategy, $3 less than Omelene 200.

 

[Mominis]

You just KNOW I went and checked my bag the second that I read your post. lol It's 50lb bag. I was about to have a fit!! heehee

 

[TyeeRanch]

I was pretty sure that Omolene 500 was a 50 lb bag, Omolene 400 is usually a 40 lb bag. No idea why they did that though. I have been feeding the miniature horse feed to my two easy keeper mares for about a month, both are doing well on it. Still not sure if it has the "ooomph" needed for my stallion and hard keeper gelding. So they are still on Omolene 200.