Feeding Options NW

[katlee]

For the first time since I've moved to the NW, my mare will be in a situation where I can choose her feed.

Background:
10 year old WB/TB mare,not a hard keeper, but usually needs grain. in medium work- more than a pleasure horse but not in daily training/conditioning. Has done well on LMF in the past but had really good pasture. Last boarding barn used strategy and it did not work well with her. She was hot and girthy. On Vet recommendation, switched her to Born to Win and beet pulp. Haven't been super pleased, but barn is known for not getting feed right (which is why we're leaving)- supplements not consistently being fed, non-english speaking staff not feeding what's on the stall card- I know she's still getting the strategy periodically.
New barn- she will have stall with attached 60'x35' run. Turn out on pasture when it's dry-ish. (I'm in a really wet area :)) She'll have free choice orchard hay all day- which for her 8 flakes and she'll have a little left when I feed the next am.

Suggestions? Recommendations?

[CamdenLab]

Why do you think she needs grain if she is not a hard keeper and isn't in hard work? What are you trying to accomplish with feed? Weight? Energy? Coat condition? This will help for recommendations.

If I could just feed my guy hay, I would. But he is a hard keeper and receives rice bran plus alfalfa pellets and his supplements. No "grain" as we suspect ulcers. As far as I know, the PNW has a selenium deficiency, so that is something to consider.

[katlee]

should have clarified that- she does need more calories than just hay. We tried just free choice hay once before and she dropped weight even when not in work. She doesn't require pounds of food...but more than just hay. Previous boarding situations didn't offer much freedom in finding the right "extra" to add, which is why I'm asking the question. Coat condition also declined when with just hay. Her energy stayed pretty stable, but that's never been an issue with this one:lol:

[Jim Knopf]

I would go back to the LMF. It worked for her before, you were happy, and I know several vets in the PNW recommend it.

[craz4crtrs]

I would go back to the LMF. It worked for her before, you were happy, and I know several vets in the PNW recommend it.

I have fed LMF, but right now I am feeding Allegra Cadence. It is alf/beet pulp/rice bran/flax etc based. Med fat, ave protein. Let me find a link to a label.

Very low molasses, I haven't had the sugars tested, but my Cushings horse is doing excellent on it, and so is my old qh. My qh is a choker, I wet his down to mush. He chokes on plain soaked beet pulp. The Cushings horse hates beet pulp, so this is my alternative for him. I have 5 horses on it, some get just a hand full, the Cushings horse gets a qt twice a day. Ages 1 - 28.

http://www.allegrahorse.com/
I can scan a feed tag if someone really wants to look at it.

I also feed Millenium Gold vit supplement since I have very easy keepers and most can't have enough of any concentrate to get the full recommended feeding. ;) Very economical and my horses look fantastic. The horses have great feet.
http://countryblendfeed.com/horse_milleniumgold.htm

[katlee]

Any opinions of the ingredient quality of LMF and Alegra Cadence?

[Seal Harbor]

LMF is the brand - they have many different formulations. My horse is on Low Carb Stage 1 - not an IR or Cushings horse but one allergic to grain. It has no grain and no molasses. It is soy hulls, beet pulp, forage, rice bran, vitamins and minerals.

http://www.lmffeeds.com/cart/choosing_the_right_feed.html

[katlee]

LMF showtime is the variety she was one before. I had that information. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with quality and consistency of quality in those two products.

I've heard mixed opinions about the LMF. My concern was that when the pony was on LMF she had access to very good pasture and now she won't.

[Seal Harbor]

What were the mixed opinions? Was is a one off situation or were there frequent inconsistency of quality issues? I have been feeding it for well over a year and have noticed no difference in consistency of quality or in the horses willingness to eat it.

[stryder]

I have been pleased with LMF Gentle Balance for a mare who needed some extra calories along with grass hay. Too much sugar made her crazy.

I'm still using Gentle Balance, along with some LMF Gold to help keep weight on a harder keeper.

I'm not familiar with the other feed.

[katlee]

the opinions on LMF were purely anecedotal. A couple positive, a couple negative- so I thought I'd try a broader audience.

[vickienme]

I'm in a dryer area of WA state. But even in the wet this is a great
feed protocol. [edit] I use LMF as my convience feed. Love it. Use both Low carb and Sr.
I am feeding 10 horses plus 3 resuces on this mix all ages!

MY FAVORITE SPECIAL FEED MIX:
I feed this mix once daily. If I have a horse that
needs supplements twice daily I'll hold out one dog food scoop (1qt)
full for next morning feeding.

Per Horse - 1 to 2 cups dry measured BP pellets without molasses,
Hydrate Beet Pulp with 1 to 2 qts hot water, (adjust as needed, fluffy not soppy)
1 ounce or so (up to 2 cups) apple cider vinegar,
from 1 teaspoon up to 3 Tablespoons garlic powder/granulated
per horse, 1/3 cup up to 2/3 cup whole flax seed per horse, 1/2 cup corn oil.

If your horse is not insulin resistant you can add 1 to 2 cups whole oats to the hydration mix and if an oldie you can also add some alfalfa pellets.

Mix into the hydrated mix when ready to feed, 1 cup stabilized rice bran (Satin Finish) per horse,
Prozyme with BG or Sr Prozyme with BG, ABC's Selenium/Vit E, (be sure to check with
your local county extension office to find out if your area is high or low in selenium)
We also have a natural Vit E supplement if your area/hay is high in selenium)
Humic Shale Ore.

Feed 2 to 4 dog food (1 qt) scoops per horse, in my case as much as needed to
help horse regain some wt if they lost alot. Very safe feed mix. Slow metabolizing
so is great in the winter too, keeps them satisfied and warm.

[edit]

I'm mixing for 9 to 11 horses usually.
So I'm guessing for one horse. About 2 qts hot water to 1 to 2 cups dry
Measured beet pulp per horse. 1 oz apple cider vinegar, up to
3 T garlic powder/granulated per horse. The garlic and applecider vinegar
will do wonders for their skin health and prevent fly sores, repels knats.

My mixing is in a 5 gal bucket. 2 gallons hot water with
About 1 1/2 to 2 inches in the bottom of 1 gallon jug of
Apple cider vinegar. In the other gallon I put 1 teaspoon per
Horse up to 3 Tablespoons per horse of the garlic and fill
With hot water and shake to dissolve. I use 3 T per horse
Year round of the garlic.

If you are just starting out, go with
1 Teaspoon and build up to 3 Tablespoons over a little time
Allowing the horse to get used to it. Mine love it. Smells
Like Doritos and they lick the buckets clean. You want
The beet pulp after hydrated to be fluffy and damp. Not
Soggy and fully hydrated. No little hard pieces preferably.
I just pour in some Corn Oil and stir it all around and put
the lid on and allow it to hydrate for 4 hours or more. I mix
this in the morning and feed at evening feeding and same some
for next morning when I have horses getting supplements
twice daily. During summer you can up the amt of garlic as needed
up to 3 Tablespoons daily to get your best results. Twice daily is
best during the summer as our bodies use up what we feed it
every 12 hours. During the winter, one time daily is enough and you
can reduce the amt to 1/2 the summer dose if you want to.

During the winter I feed more than I do in the summer, still
Mostly one time per day at dinner to keep them warm through
The nite and not cold or massively hungry in the morning.
I can easily feed as late as noon and not have anyone colicy
Or massively hungry and mad at me. During the summer the
Garlic and applecider vinegar really help with the insects and
I always give them their supplements daily anyway.

NOTE: Never feed this beet pulp dry. It plumps up fast and
Sticks in their throat and they choke. This requires
An ACE shot in the muscle from your vet to allow them
To relax their throat enough for it to go down. (I've
Done this 3 different times so "don't do it", they will
Eventually choke on it and get very distressed and anxious)

The Satin Finish bag says, two and 3 yr old 1# to 1 /2#'S per day
Mature horses based on 1000#'S - 2#'S heavy use down to 1#/day
Not in use horse. Extreme use cases endurance racing, eventing etc.
Custom programs available 1-800-742-3272 Satin Finsh Wilcott Farms, Inc.
P.O. Box 5, Willows, CA 95988

This will bring any horse up to speed condition wise and for an easy
keeper just feed 2 scoops daily of they hydrated mix.

[edit]

[kipster]

I feed LMF Showtime + beet pulp to one of my horses. I feed LMF super suplement to my easy keeper. Both of these products have been consistantly good products. The two horses who are on them look fabulous too!

[xc4fun]

My whole barn (15-20 horses) is on LMF. I feed Super Supplement, Showtime, and Senior. I have tried other brands but come back to LMF for the quality and consistency of product. Plus its a little thing, but their Senior is not so gooped up with molasses that it turns into one big rock in the Winter! That is a royal pain when feeding a crowd!!!

[CamdenLab]

If the LMF works, then go for it. "If it ain't broke . . . "

However, if she is free-fed hay and drops weight, you might look into the quality of that hay. When in full care with my horse, he could never hold weight even when fed the correct amount (lb-wise). Now that his is in partial care and I buy his hay as well as feed it, I feed him the same amount and he actually got a gut this year.

I don't know where you are, but I'm having really good luck with CBI Feeds out of Oregon City. I am currently feeding an alfalfa/grass mix and there are people at my barn feeding local and eastern with a lot of luck keeping their horses in good weight (however, they are mostly easy keepers).

[AdAblurr02]

Another vote for LFM feeds. We started out with Showtime A (balanced for alfalfa hay, they also have Showtime G for grass hays), still had some issues with a couple who were sugar sensitive.
Discussed with our feed dealer, and switched the whole barn over to LMF Low Carb Complete. We feed soaked beet pulp and the LMF, with GOOD alfalfa hay, to the whole crew from TB through aged QH and partbred IDHS youngsters to the purebred Irish stud - they all do great on this. The one year we tried out a grass/mixed hay regimen, we had a load of issues and will never go back - we get better balanced growth and healthier foals when we keep everybody on alfalfa.