Re: feed schedule

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

> J. Fisher wrote:
> 
> Hi Susan,
> Read your mind boggling post on ridecamp about rice bran!  Wow!  If I
> may ask, what feeding program do you follow?  Grass hay or
> alfalfa/grass mix?  Biotin supplement?  Which kind?  cob? or just
> oats?  general supplement?  Yikes!!!
> 
> Thanks for the info :O)
> Jeri Fisher/Montana
> fisher@bigsky.net
> 

Hi Jeri,

I feed bermuda hay free-choice, and 3-4 pounds of beet pulp which is
then soaked as the basic ration.  My young horse needs a bit more
protein while he's still growing, so he also gets a cup of whole flax
seed (I'm also showing him in halter, so it adds a nice bloom) and two
(and I mean TWO) pounds of alfalfa pellets.

If any horse was conditioning hard, then I'd add up to about three
pounds of cob to the ration and enough corn oil to maintain a good body
condition.  Grain and oil is always added to the beet pulp so that it's
never gobbled down as one big concentrated meal---that avoids the big
glucose swings, as well as maximizes absorption and minimizes the pH and
fluid shifts that occur if a horse is fed episodically (like as in two
big meals a day).  I'm starting to think that alot of the metabolic
problems seen at rides occur at least in part because of the major fluid
shifts after eating alot of bran or grain at a check, so I like to avoid
those fluid shifts, even though my horses aren't competing right now.

I also supplement with daily probiotics, 15-20 mgs of biotin and 400 IU
of vitamin E supplement per day.  I live in a hiigh selenium area, so I
don't add selenium, if I lived in Montana I'd check my selenium levels
and maybe supplement that.  A choice of loose iodized or TM salt is
provided free-choice and occasionally I'll throw a handful of ground
limestone into the feeders to see if anyone eats it.  If they do, then I
provide that free-choice as well.  This is because the ration I feed is
sufficient but still relatively low in calcium (as compared to a very
high calcium ration if I fed alot of alfalfa), and bermuda's calcium
content can vary.  Horses are pretty good at going looking for calcium
if they need it, but usually won't overeat it, so rather than bothering
to analyze hay samples all the time (I can do that myself but it's a
hassle), I just ask the horses themselves if they're getting enough. 
Limestone is about three bucks for a 50 lb bag so if it's wasted, who
cares.

This ration is very low protein -(around 9%, except for the youngster,
who gets 12%), provides all the vitamins and minerals without doing any
"shotgun" (and expensive) supplementation, all the horses have mirror
coats and hooves like iron, and my feed bill per horse is about half of
what my neighbors pay---they feed 70/30 alfalfa/oat or grass hay, Select
vitamins, Equine Senior, rice bran and Omolene to their eventing and
dressage horses and can't figure out why they're cranky, can't keep a
shoe on, lather instead of sweat and have colic or tying-up episodes
about twice a year.  And that's just the owners.<g>

Oh well.  (Yes, I tried making some suggestions to them, too, but I'm
just a lowly endurance rider, not a dressage rider, so what do I know
<g>).  Actually, I ride dressage, too, but still wear bright blue
spandex tights, so I guess that doesn't count.  I HAVE schooling
britches, I just like to horrify the Beamer People. heh heh

Seeya,

Susan

P.S.  I got another post asking the same question as you this week, so
hope you don't mind if I post this to the entire list.