Here's a contentious issue....horse feed

[welsummerchicks]

That sounds great, Hound.

Re the question - I usually use Buckeye Grow N Win as a ration balancer. We had trouble feeding Progressive products, so switched back to G&W. But I'm going through and analyzing if a lb per day is really adequate as far as what is provides.

 

[twentynine]

Can't claim to be an expert.

Currently feeding 2 horses

4 y.o. gelding 1000#-1100#-- he has proven to be pretty efficient. When we first got him he was under weight by about 150#.

10 y.o. gelding 850#-950#-- got him in November, previously a rescue, only gelded at 9 y.o., turning out to be pretty efficient, easy keeper, but he can not tolerate straight sweet feed. He will get the skids if fed straight sweet feed.

I feed both horses pretty much the same ration measured by volume. 2 quarts feed (each) AM and PM containing 2 parts 12% All Brand sweet feed ($6.49/50#)and 1 part Strategy9$13.95/50#). The 4 y.o. gets about 1-1/2 flakes of hay and the 10 y.o. gets 1 flake. Both horses are stabled at night (1700), but turned out at 0600. We still have a slight amount of green in the pasture plus I keep a large round bale in the pasture. Total expendature of feed is about 200# a month.

Both horses are in pretty good shape, a little bit slimmer than they both were in Nov. but I think some of the weight loss is due to the change in housing. Both horse were solitary prior to Nov. Now that they are together they get more exercise. Ranger was stabled now on daylight turnout.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
That sounds highly sensible and I would expect your animals to do just as well on it as on the sweet feed, if not better.

If some don't like it at first (they want their molasses!

) you can mix in smaller and smaller am'ts of the last of your sweetfeed, or of bulk molasses diluted in water, to change the taste gradually. Most horses like oats or plain mixed grains just fine as long as it is not a direct side-by-side *choice* with sweet feed, though.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat