What should I add???

[ManyMinisFarm]

My horses are fed 1 1/2 cup of beetpulp and 1/2 cup of oats and 1 pound of hay each morning and night. There get grass for about 30 min. a day. They are both preformance horses. What should I add to their diets?

 

[Miniv]

Make sure they have the vitamins/minerals they need from either their grain or a supplement.

Also, IMO. a pound of hay, even with the short grazing time isn't enough. You don't say what size your minis are

but they should be getting between 1.5 to 2 percent of their body weight.

As winter sets in, we do a "touch test" on our horses and always increase their hay amount, often doubling.

It's easier to take weight off in the Spring for showing than it is to bring it up. And hay is the best way

for them to keep warm.

 

[ManyMinisFarm]

They get more than 1 pound aday. But what feeds are recommended?

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

For grain I use a low starch, high fiber blend. Our local co-op makes a feed called Fat and Fiber. A blend that is naturally available is Safe Choice Special Care by Nutrena (I believe).

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Depends on how they feel and look right now, are they on the fat side or on the thin side?

 

[ManyMinisFarm]

One is alittle thin and the other is ok.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

First - define performance horse. One county fair a year? Everyday all over driving? Multiple rated shows? Everyone's definition is different.

There is no magic feed you can give to make your horses better in the ring. I think a lot of people re invent the wheel when it comes to feeding horses. My mini stud that is shown at rated shows 5 or 6x in one summer does fine on just plain Jane nice Timothy hay. No powders, grain, special mash. Just hay and dry lot. He just does halter, showmanship, jumping, and trail.

My driving pony gelding that is barely shown needs unlimited hay and a bit of purina mini grain to hold his weight. However he's driven a solid 10 hours a week or so.

I would bump up the hay on the one that's too thin. 2 pound a day seems like way too little.

 

[jeanniecogan]

I'm a fan of Purina's "Strategy". Mine get 1 cup a day, i measure it. they are sleek and shiny in the summer and even in the winter when they are brushed out. i feel they are getting most of what they need. i also use Source ! and 2. one if a vitamin to give with grass hay and the other is to be given when they are in the pasture. i like it .

 

[ManyMinisFarm]

My stallion does halter obstacle, jumping longing every other day and mare mare is doing lounging everyother day right now.

 

[ManyMinisFarm]

He needs to strengthin his topline tio.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I would at least double up on their hay, right now the one I have kept up in a pen is getting 4lbs of hay a day plus a mineral tub. All my other they also get a mineral tub plus access to pasture. Yes they are fat but we are in the off season right now. I have switched my focus to forage and only grain if necessary. Plus they get a mineral tub. If I do feed them grain I go after the ADM glo line feeds.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Not nearly enough, sorry. My weanlings are getting roughly three times what you are feeding and unlimited hay. Come the show season next year I will double, possibly triple their feed.....

If you feed ad lib hay you will find they eat far less, as they will if you allow them out on grass all the time instead of an hour. All my horses are out all the time, and my grass is over the top of my wellies and still growing.....

 

[ManyMinisFarm]

Ok thanks