Re: Re: Re: hydration and hay type

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

> What about feeding an alfalfa/orchard/clover mix as their ONLY source of
> food.  We don't feed grain at all and seem to have healthy horses with no
> ribs showing.  Quick recovery times too.  Its probably about 50-60%
alfalfa.
> Just wondering your thoughts.

50% alfalfa is better than 100% alfalfa, but especially with clover in there
(another legume with fairly high protein), your horses are probably still
getting more protein than they need.  Not a tremendous amount more, but more
than I prefer feeding to anything other than a lactating broodmare.  And
they are getting more calcium than they need on a daily basis, which in turn
has been suggested as a factor in tying up, thumps, etc.

So this would be my suggestion---if the hay isn't coming from the Southwest,
and you're happy with their performance (no problems whatsoever), then I
would lose sleep over it.  Although in your circumstances, I would
personally probably replace a bit of the mixed hay with a straight grass hay
or some beet pulp.  If the hay *IS* coming from the Southwest, then I would
personally make some significant effort to reduce the alfalfa content down
to about 25% of the total ration.  The problem with enteroliths is that you
usually don't know they're there until you have a problem, or unless you
have a whole series of abdominal radiographs done (which has to be done in
an equine hospital, the portable units aren't powerful enough).  I really
hate enteroliths, just because I've seen so many horses suffer and die
because of them and because they're 98% preventable.

Hope this helps. :-)

Susan G