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RE: [RC] [RC] Pounds of Hay - heidiOK ... I must have mis-read. I thought that figure was the total amount that a horse would / could eat, and then for work, you would replace part of the hay with higher-calorie supplements in order to get the needed calories. That is what I've been doing with my fellow. If a horse WON'T eat more, then you indeed have a problem--and some won't. (Again, I think this is somewhat inherent, but is also hugely dependent on how they are raised.) Then you HAVE to replace some of the forage with higher-calorie feeds to meet the caloric requirements of work--but you are now on a tightrope of managing the needs for other things--like e-lytes. I would submit that a horse that won't eat much beyond maintenance levels of forage (particularly if NOT distracted by other calorie sources) is not a prime endurance prospect. The 4% level seems to be about the outer limit of what a horse CAN eat, properly adapted to it, at least in my experience. (There are a few out there that might stretch that somewhat, but not by much, I'll wager.) Those that will double (or nearly double) their consumption in response to increased need are the ones I want to put my time and effort into as endurance horses. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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