Some times you just dont relise...

[luvmycritters]

[SIZE=10pt]I agree with the other thread - it sounds like these little ones are definatly being neglected. Being left in the sun with out shade and water is definatly a heads up - say nothing about their physical appearance.[/SIZE]

After my little guy Nakota shed out his winter woolies this spring, I didn't notice right away - but after some criticism on this forum I sure took notice. ( Of his weight loss that is. ) Any how I started him back on beet pulp and sweet feed ) lot's more then what he had been getting this winter. Let me add every one got generous portions of this mixture all winter long, and I had decided just to give it as a treat during the warmer months...Long story shortened up - my long ears Jasper had been gobbling up Nakota's feed all winter. ( Because the mini's get such a thick hair coat - I never noticed his weight loss. ) Any way - being a new mini owner sure has it's learning experiences - lots of little things that you would just never think of! Nakota is getting back in shape and I sure have a fat long ears!!!

Lori

 

[kaykay]

the main thing is once you knew better you did better :aktion033: there are some people who cant be taught. So many times i have told someone their horse is underweight and instead of letting themselves be educated they start screaming at me. So I applaud you for listening and doing better to feed them.

One thing though i would advise is to get off the sweet feed. A complete pelleted feed is so much better. I can look around at horse shows and immediately know what horses are being fed sweet feed just by the way they look.

 

[Cathy_H]

I didn't notice right away - but after some criticism on this forum I sure took notice

And therein lies the difference..... You took the criticism seriously, agreed that others were right & made a change for the better... It takes a while for new mini owners to learn to evaluate & stay on top of their horses condition.... Sometimes even Lee & I have a light horse coming out of winter & we've had mini's since 1986........... Praises to you & those that want to learn to do it right.......................................... Most of us know of owners/breeders in our areas that have had horses for years & years that don't give a hoot. Those owners will NEVER come around & pointing out the poor condition of their horses will NOT be taken seriously.

 

[luvmycritters]

[SIZE=10pt]Thank you kaykay and Cathy! [/SIZE]

Lori

 

[HJF]

the main thing is once you knew better you did better :aktion033: there are some people who cant be taught. So many times i have told someone their horse is underweight and instead of letting themselves be educated they start screaming at me. So I applaud you for listening and doing better to feed them.

One thing though i would advise is to get off the sweet feed. A complete pelleted feed is so much better. I can look around at horse shows and immediately know what horses are being fed sweet feed just by the way they look.

We don't feed sweet feed anymore..we switched over to Strategy in most of the horses. I like the way they look now over when they were on sweet feed even though it hasn't been that long. But I was just curious, how can you tell if a horse is being fed sweet feed?

 

[luvmycritters]

But I was just curious, how can you tell if a horse is being fed sweet feed?

[SIZE=10pt]I am interested to know as well!

: [/SIZE]

Lori

 

[MInx]

Ours are easy keepers and we have the opposite problem, chubby's :bgrin However I wanted to also applaud you for your willingness to learn. :aktion033:

We feed Neutrena Safe Choice and like it. Never have had a colic with it..also do soaked beet pulp in Winter and did B.O.S.S. but they are cut back on beet pulp and off the BOSS now as they are on a diet

Ours are also drylotted so get good hay and the Safechoice.

Maxine

 

[kaykay]

well i told fran at the last show this "see that group of horses" and she said yes. And I said beautiful horses for sure but they dont "bloom" So i said what do you want to bet they are fed sweet feed?" So we went to see and sure enough the owners were scooping out sweet feed. TO ME (and this is just MY OPINION) they always look a little too thin and their coats are not shiney. A really well fed horse has a shiney coat even dirty (for example the pasture pic of patches i showed a few weeks ago) Backbone is flat and eyes are good and bright. Also they have strong healthy hooves. For sure it is much harder to get that "bloom" on a horse that is fed sweet feed.

I know alot will argue that sweet feed is fine and everyone has to feed their own way. But 9 times out of 10 when i get asked at shows how to get weight on a horse (after the judge has told someoen their horse is way too thin) And I ask them what they feed they tell me sweet feed. Remember most of the calories in sweet feed are empty calories because most of them are from sugar. I always liken it to feeding your kids candy bars for dinner. Even complete feeds have some molasses but not nearly the amounts you find in sweet feeds.

Just wanted to add that when i first met fran and her beautiful filly lacey I knew at first glance she was being fed sweet feed. She was not blooming and was really hippy and her back legs were very hocked. Since i didnt know fran well i approached it casually. She was very receptive to changing laceys feed so I told her what to get. The difference in just a few weeks was nothing short of AMAZING. Her hips filled in, her coat got better and the hockiness started to get much better. Fran and I always joke now that we should have taken before and after pics!

 

[HJF]

Wow, thanks Kay! Now that you mention the "bloom" I can see what you mean. The reason why we switched from sweet feed is because we just bought a horse last week (pictures to come :lol: ). He looked great and he was on Strategy. And especially in the summer the flies are attracted to the sweet feed and you don't have that problem as much with pellets. They were feeding him Strategy so we decided we were going to switch all of our horses over to it. Sorry to get off topic a little.

 

[luvmycritters]

[SIZE=10pt]Ok - then I have ask - ( for give me if I missed something! ) what would you suggest I switch my sweet feed too - ? Evey one get's beet pulp with their mixture...Thanks a bunch for the input, Lori[/SIZE]

 

[kaykay]

Lori how old is your guy?? Does he still need to gain weight?? For young horses (2 and under) I feed Equne Jr by Purina. I also feed this to any age horse needing to gain weight. For older horses that have trouble keeping weight i feed Equine Sr. For older horses that dont have trouble keeping weight but are showing I feed Horsemens Edge by Purina (12 percent pelleted feed)

Keep in mind that Equine Jr and Sr are complete feeds meaning they could eat only that and would get all the nutrtion they need. But i like my horses to have hay with it because that makes them happy mentally.

remember make all feed changes SLOWLY. Start mixing the new feed with the old for about a week until you are completely switched over

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

another thing to remember is that some complete feeds and many Sr feeds are beet pulp based so not only are you paying more for something you are already feeding but to much beet pulp can throw your calcium out of whack.

I personally have been feeding Safe Choice and have found my horses never look better from my aged T/B to my yearlings who need very little and still look great

Kay I am curious about one thing you say not to feed sweet feed but... equine JR-SR does have the molasses in fact it is the 3rd ingredent so I would assume it has quite a bit. As does my safe choice but in the safe choice it is the 10th ingredient. Is the molasses the reason you dont like sweet feed or do you prefer the JR for the extra stuff it has like alfalfa

I am not sure if the order on the label has to do with the amount as in human food but it is the basically the same thing in a different form with extra stuff added into the feed

 

[luvmycritters]

[SIZE=10pt]Kay - Nakota is five this year. I think he is looking lot's better now, he still could probably stand to gain some and that is what we are still working on. He has the routine down pat - each day I get his feed mixture ready - set it down in the yard and as soon as he see's me doing this - he is right at the gait. Winnying and cavorting to let me know he wants to get the heck out and pig out! He thinks he is such a big shot because I let him roam the yard loose. He is one spoiled little fart blossum and I think he know's it![/SIZE]

Lori

Oh - the bag of sweet feed is just about gone - I will be looking into other feed to add with the beat pulp. Thanks to everyone for your input!