Feed change = frustration

• Feed change = frustration mehpenn Posted : 6/13/2006 9:00:22 PM I know horses should be allowed free choice forage/hay/grass. So, I changed my horses gradually over to free choice hay and reduced their grain. Kellie is doing great.. looks like a dream, gained weight and is keeping it on... but Ginger on the other hand has dropped weight, and quite a bit. So, she's going to be going back on her regular grain diet. All of this has made me wonder if she's having trouble eating the hay. I know she's eating but apparently not enough to keep her healthy. So, I think she needs something added to her diet to compensate for her inability to eat enough hay/get enough nutirents from the hay. I'm thinking beet pulp? She's already getting 2 qts of 12% sweet feed and 1/2 cup corn oil twice a day plus free choice hay. So, how much beet pulp and how often? Thanks guys! LIKE 9 REPLIES 121 VIEWS LAST POST DANEHAVEN Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• tia2 Posted : 6/13/2006 9:05:45 PM If she were mine, I'd replace half the sweet feed with mollasses free beet pulp and have a vet look at those teeth.  See how she does with that.. [8|] 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• mehpenn Posted : 6/14/2006 9:04:29 PM Why molasses free beet pulp? I think all my feed store carries is the kind with molasses in it.. I'll check into it. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• tia2 Posted : 6/14/2006 10:38:35 PM Because too much sugar is dangerous/not healthy for horses. Ask your feed store if they can get it in the "plain". 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• danehaven Posted : 6/15/2006 7:31:01 AM I would start with the teeth. How old is she? Has she ever had her teeth checked/floated? Power floated or just rasped? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• melleth Posted : 6/15/2006 9:53:16 PM If she is an older horse I'd move her onto a senior feed and get some probiotics for her. Focus Sr worked wonders for my older guy for helping him with his weight. Molasses free beet pulp should be easy enough to get. I never even heard of it having molasses before. My old guy got it to suplement his hay and he loved it.  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• mehpenn Posted : 6/18/2006 3:59:04 PM She is an older girl.. but her teeth were just floated a couple of months ago. she did really good until we changed her feed. I've gradually started changing it back to what it was, with the additon of beet pulp. .. and I've been supervising each feeding from start to finish, as I noticed the younger mare is trying to bully her and eat her feed... which is probably some of the problem. She already seems to be doing better. The feed store didn't have molasses free beet pulp, so I bought a bag of what they had and they're ordering me some plain... should be in in a couple of weeks, with their next scheduled shipment. Thanks everyone for the help and advice... I'll keep you all posted. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• tia2 Posted : 6/19/2006 8:00:30 AM Oh good! Sounds like things are looking up!  Glad you can get the MF beet pulp.  It's really good for the seniors needing some weight.  I use it on our horses over the winter months when it's real cold and my 18 yr old holds his weight very well.   The senior feed is a good suggestion. I use that when I mix the beet pulp....this time of year though in the summer they just get a small amount of oats..   Melleth, most beet pulp has mollasses added to make more palatable.  Just check the ingr. list. They  make a "plain" seperately for those of us who don't want the added sugar.  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Julie Byers Posted : 6/26/2006 10:53:08 AM What did you find out about the teeth?  Sorry to hijack but what is the difference between 'power floating' and 'rasping'?  If it's not the teeth, what else could cause the horse to lose weight w/o grains added?      Jules 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• danehaven Posted : 6/26/2006 2:25:08 PM Jules, A lot off vets and horse owners just take a file or rasp and file down the teeth. Power floating is done with actual power tools made for equine dentistry. There are Vets that specialize in equine dentistry. My vet for teeth is different than my regular equine vet. Next time the horse dentist comes I'll take pics. Lani posted some awhile back. I'll see if I can find them for you. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login