RC: Pellets (was: carbs and heart rate)

[wsabg@t-online.de (Wolfgang Schwingenheuer)]

Dbeverly4@aol.com writes:


> Hi Nancy, yes the pellets are processed alfalfa base with oats, corn, etc. in
> there.  I think the processing makes them more easily digestible.  I'm no
> feed expert, so I should never have jumped in here (never seems to stop me
> though).  Even during a multi-day the most I have given is about 6 pounds
> (split between a.m. & p.m.).  Harca is a definite 5 on the body fat score, so
> this seems to work for him.  I keep forage hay in front of him at all times.
> I can't even imagine giving him 12 pounds of grain (he probably wouldn't eat
> that much anyway).  But it just sounded huge to me and with all the horror
> stories out there of horses having trouble with large quantity of grains, I
> was surprised.  Obviously, though, if it ain't broke don't fix it and in
> Tammy's case -- it ain't broke.  I just don't think you can recommend that
> kind of grain volume for most horses (in my opinion :).
>
> Sylvia (reallllllllly glad Tom's away right now -- course if he was here, I'd
> be too chicken to post)

Hi all,

one thing I learned form my sponsor, a company producing horse food for
more than 20 years, is that the food should have a good "structure".
This means it should stimulate the whole digestive system on its way
through it. This can only be achieved by roughage or non-pelleted food.
Pellets are not really easier to digest, they just pass the digestive
system quicker. A structured food "tickles" the gut, makes him move (gut
sounds!!!). A non-structured food just slides through the gut (yes, even
from this food a horse can take enough goodies, but you will need less
food if it is structured). As you know, the digestion begins in the
mouth by chewing the food. A horse has to chew more (and better) if the
food isn't simply "pre-chewn". And the whole way down...
I am sure some of our nutristionists can explain that better than me, I
am running out of the english terms.

Just my 2 cents,

Wolfgang + Ninja 11
Germany


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