Does This Sound Right?
I have decided to SWITCH my horse to alfalfa/Timothy pellets, are those clean? Anyway he is about 14 hands high and is a bit ribby (We have only had him for one week) I go to IFA and asked and they said one gallon three times a day doesn't that seem a bit much?
seem a bit much?
Are you kid? This is not proper nutrition for this horse, especially considering he is 1) underweight and 2) being worked a lot. From your description, it sounds close to he is not in good condition and maybe cannot touch this much work right now. Have you considered giving him a complete feed? That would be a 100% forage type nurture that has no grain? This horse needs some relief to become healthy. Giving him 3 gallons of hay pellets sounds absurd. Living surrounded by a stall all the time except when working is abusive. Sorry, but I consistency sorry for this poor horse. He must be very unhappy, and with suitable reason. Perhaps you should consider educating yourself about proper horse care. Your comments appear to be from someone who have very little knowledge. You don't know how much to feed or what to nurture. You dont' say why you are making all of these changes, you own made a lot of changes rapidly, and those you want advice from appear to be unwise as well. What an ill-fated calamity of events. Doesn't make sense.
Answers: Hey Josh,
I have to agree - what's the source for stopping the grain? The grains are where a horse will achieve his concentrates, proteins and Omegas in the amounts he needs.
I won't diss hay pellets, where on earth hay is hard to come by, they work OK, but I really would suggest soaking them first. Soaking will bulk them up giving the horse more roughage, keeping it moving through his whole system and feasible assist with the chances of colic due to impaction. I notice one entity who said they really liked them did mention they were soaked first.
4 quarts in a gallon and no, a gallon 3X each day isn't that much. I feed my horses 2-4 flakes of hay (depending on hay quality) twice a day - that's easily that much. but they also carry grain.
I have a mare that's difficult to keep mass on. I've found that keeping her fed with Equine senior, top dressing with Kent's Omegatin and adding up beet pulp is keeping her healthier.
If you're riding that horse twice a day, I have to ask why and how much? Do you niggardly the trainer rides him to get him started for you, then you ride him or do you mean the trainer puts him through his pace and trains early in the day, later you ride for you lessons later on? If so, that's quite profusely for the little guy.
I believe you also told us earlier in other posts that this horse is only 4 years mature. If that's correct, he's growing quite steadily still and needs adjectives the feed he will take in soundly to allow him to grow to his full potential - he's probably still got a few inches tall to grow and I'm betting he'll grow to maybe twice as yawning as he is now. They get their max height between 3 and 5 and consequently get their full breadth until 8. My TB/Stock horse crosses were quite gaunt and rangy until just about 4-5 - now they're getting very stocky - ending up big horses, both larger than their ma and pa.
The breed of the horse would really help. If this is a 14 foot Arabian for example I would say there is no need to nurture him alfalfa.
If this is a pony breed than for sure I wouldn't feed any alfalfa.
And, why is he being ridden twice a sunshine every day...seems a bit much. If he's going to be ridden that much, he probably needs pellet.
i dont use hay pellets so i cant utter mutch about them but why did you stop with the grain? thats where on earth hell probubly gain most of his wait from. + beet pulp and bran and some veggie oil can help put onn some additional pounds
My first question to you would be what type of horse is he?
How much work is he doing? I know you said everyday but is it flat or jump? What are you planning to do with him i.e Show jumping, dressage x-country. finally what age is he.
No, that is just rightt, and that be a good idea to change to pellet, but always rememer to give him plenty of fruit in vetgtables to contribute him extra protiens, ect. regularly...
I REALLY REALLY like the no waste certainty of the pellets, my horse Shadow loves them once they are soaked. They would be so easy to store and get, plus smaller amount expensive in the end. I would mix some alfalfa pellets within too-they are 6.00 a bag-but don't keep well in the humid winters. Even regular hay will receive a touch iffy around the edges-and Shadow wastes so much hay throwing it on the ground and peeing on it. Plus there is always one bale or two to be exact nasty and has to be tossed.
why would you stop giving him grain? No wonder he is ribby. He needs a lb of grain twice a sunshine along with the hay pelletts
4 quarts in a gallon
the amounts seems fine to me, but to answer accurately, I'd want to know what you gave him before, what you do with him when you ride, and whether you give him concentrates/ grain.
yea that seems alright
