Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Alice,

 

Most midwestern horses don't really need much alfalfa.  Our grass here is rich in proteins and calcium for them. I feed my horses a grass hay free choice over winter. My oldster, a stallion, and my weanling get a little alfalfa for supplemental feeding, but not much. Everyone is fat and doing well.

 

One of my vets says a little alfalfa is a good thing, because when horses are free grazing, they'll eat a little of this and a little of that and get a good variety of foods and nutrients. In the winter, they'll be more limited in what's available...

 

I don't think the digestion process is any different, it's the nutrients provided.

 

You can go to Sue Garlinghouse's website for lots of good info on alfalfa.

 

It's one of those things that a little is good, a lot is not necessarily better.

 

chris

Alice Lynn <alicelynnus@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I just moved to Omaha from San Diego.  I have one four year old gelding who I would like to start doing LDs on in the spring, and one 16 year old mare that I ride moderately.  I cannot afford to have them stabled over the winter, and all of the boarding facilities around here free feed alfalfa from round bales in pasture.  My horses are a little fat, but not overly so.  I am concerned about them eating this much alfalfa, and raised the question of free feeding grass hay instead, but several people have told me that the process of digesting the alfalfa is what keeps them warm during the winter, and they won't be able to withstand the elements as well if they are being fed grass hay and grain.  Any thoughts on this?  I am also curious about how endurance riders in the midwest ride during the winter, and would love to meet more people in the area to go riding with.

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