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[RC] Just how "evil" is alfalfa? - Jennifer FleetHi all, I need to make a "lifestyle" choice for my gelding pretty soon and I'm torn between two situations, each having pros and cons, with my horse's diet being the difference. Here in SoCal, turnout is hard to find, especially 24/7. Also, alfalfa is unfortunately the feed of choice at most boarding stables. I have searched my area, and I believe that where I am currently boarding is about the best I can do as far as quality of care, trail access, turnout availability, etc. Besides, I have friends there that also ride endurance and CTR, so it's very handy. So...I need some opinions and/or advice. If you had to choose between the two scenarios below, what would you pick, keeping only the welfare of your horse in mind (not your own convenience). A) Living 24/7 in approx 2 acre drylot with several other horses. Fed twice a day alfalfa only, or when the stable owner can get it during spring and summer months, sometimes an alfalfa/grass mix (still a high % of alfalfa). In this scenario, I would pull him out every evening after work to feed him his beet pulp and supplements separately. I would have to wait for him to finish before putting him back with the other horses. I have read that feeding beet pulp does help in preventing enteroliths, which are a big concern when feeding alfalfa here in the west. B) Living in a 20 x 35 foot paddock with a another horse on either side of him, with a diet of whatever I choose (since he would not be fed in a group situation, I can feed grass hay at my own expense on top of what I pay for board). I would come every night to the barn and put him in a turnout area to romp around for about 30 minutes, then back in his small paddock where he would get grass hay and his beet pulp to eat at his leisure. I ride about 3 times a week right now. He is currently in situation B - I had to wait months to get this size paddock, most are 12x24 at this barn. Before he was injured last year and had to be confined for rehab purposes, he was in situation A - 24/7 turnout. I feel so guilty, since this horse lived his whole life on 80 acres in a herd, before I bought him two years ago. Now he's confined, but he is almost healed, so if I want to return him to 24/7 turnout with the other horses, I can in a couple more months. I just hate the all-alfalfa diet that would come with that. I can't tell if he's unhappy in the small paddock or not. How can I tell? He does have company, but not in a free-roaming "herd" type of way. Any opinions? What's more important to you....avoiding too much alfalfa, or giving a horse a more natural herd environment, with room to roam around? I just can't decide! Thanks, Jennifer =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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