Re: RC: Underweight horse

[Trailrite@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/14/2001 7:42:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
jsalas@tampabay.rr.com writes:


> They feed free choice alfalfa, for a few good reasons. First, most of the 
> horses they get in can barely stand, so they need energy quickly without 
> grain overload


     Why alfalfa?  I would think any roughage or hays would be good.  But 
alfalfa is so rich & high in some things. Even if you started free-feeding 
alfalfa to our horses, which aren't used to much alfalfa they start to get 
the runs.  Grain hays or grass hays may not put the weight on as fast but it 
would seem a safer & slower approch to a more natural feed for the horse.
     I have seen people founder starved horses by using too fast and too rich 
of feeds.  What ever you do, do it slow and in small amounts.  Otherwise 
you'll will cure one problem only to find you have another problem, "Founder".

Tammy Robinson
Trail-Rite Ranch & Products
661/513-9169 or 661/713-3912