| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| gossy |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 10:04:42 AM
I am curious as to what vits and mins you all feed, i have extremely good grazing and hay and havent fed mine hard feed for along time, but does that mean i need to be feeding any supplements, they are all very healthy and are doing very well on grass and hay, all advice welcome |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| gossy |
Posted - 17 Mar 2010 : 08:13:08 AM
Thanks for all the advice so many different products, i do have salt licks in all my stables, and i have mineral blocks in my fields, the winter grazing that they are on is amazing, you can see the horses below and the grass, i will get some more pics and show you what they look like and their grazing and then you will have a better idea. thanks again. |
| Kharidian |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 11:41:22 PM
I use Simple System feed and Chips and Roger both get the SS Total Eclipse supplement in their hardfeed. However, when Roger (17 years) is turned out onto his summer grazing (45 acres of old, established grazing) he won't get supplement but Chips (who will still be on the home pasddocks) will get his Total Eclipse daily as he is only a yearling; the Total Eclipse can be dampened down and moulded into balls, the daily amount being the approximate size of 2 dumplings - it is palatable and all the horses I know will take it from the hand in that form.
Caryn |
| tamila |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 6:47:33 PM
I have fed the original Equipower, which was probably the first balancer, to all my horses over the years. It works from 1/2 lb to 3 lb depending on how much work they are doing and how good a doer they are. You then move on to a carbohydrate feed for extra energy. All the horses have been well and kept their weight.
Unfortunately it is no longer available in this country so I have to import from Belguim.. Amazingly it is cheaper than buying the Equipower, that is different now, in this country. On the smallest amount they are getting all the vits. and mins. they need for life. |
| ella |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 6:13:46 PM
Salt is the only common deficiency in equines kept at grass.  |
| jaj |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 5:40:46 PM
I use Pink Powders too over the winter and will put a Uniblock lick in the field when they are not getting hard feed over the spring/summer. |
| arabic |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 4:55:51 PM
Freddie always thrived on fresh air and if he did get any hardfeed it was very RDA. Winter time the grazing is never at its best and summertime her was always restricted. I think P Powder is amazing but unfortunately even fed at the balancer rate, Freddie always piled on the pounds. (He did with lo-cal too, I think it was just him and the way balancers work).
My favourite supplement was always Equimins TipTop. It works out great price/spec wise and Freddie always looked amazing on it.
Good luck with your decision but remember "if it isnt broken..........."
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| fidodido |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 2:29:12 PM
If there doing well and the feed company says you don't need to then they will be fine.
However i'm with Pasha (complete worrier here too) as mine never get the recommended amounts of feed i always supplement. Like Zenitha i've used pink powder for years and think it's great, benevit is also another very good one. Due to one of mine recently having tons of allergies and only being able to be fed carrots and sugarbeet i wanted to give him a supplement. The only one he could have is seaweed which apparently is a natural source of vits & mins, trying to get him to eat it though is another matter LOL!.
Angie |
| Pasha |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 1:57:32 PM
I agree with Loosefur - unless you are feeding the correct quantities, they will not be getting all their vits & mins, but they do get alot from good quality grass and hay so if they are doing well, I wouldn't worry about it!
But if however you are like me and a complete worrier - you could always pop a multi vit field lick into the field or their stables and they can self medicate so to speak, then you wouldn't need to give them any feed if you didn't want to in the summer etc |
| kimzi |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 1:15:58 PM
One of our babies started bark chewing this winter so we added benevit into his feed and hey presto he stopped chewing so he was obviously lacking in something.
I say baby he's actually 4 . |
| Zenitha |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 1:12:19 PM
If you don't want to add bulk to their diet by feeding the recommended amount of hard feed (sounds like they don't need it, lucky you) - try NAF Pink Power. It has all the essential vits and mins, is fed in 2 or 3 tiny scoops (it is palatable but you could just mix it with a handful of sugarbeet or something similar). Its also great value for money, mine do really well on it.
Personally, I feed Pink Powder or the recommended amount of hard feed (according to condition and individual needs)all year round. Good grazing is a great start, but it doesn't contain EVERYTHING they need   |
| gossy |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 11:53:58 AM
thanks for that Loosefur, i do get my farrier and podiatrist to check their feet regulary,as do i, and their havent been any changes in their feet and hooves, the two 4 years olds are barefoot and my old welshie who is 22 this year has just fronts on. |
| loosefur |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 11:47:47 AM
Don't forget though that unless you are feeding the complete feeds in the quantities stipulated on the feed bag (which are usually much higher quantities than any of us would normally feed) you won't get the correct amounts of balanced vits and mins. Plus I'm always a bit sceptical - with a complete feed the type and ratio of vits and mins contained will always be the same. But as all horses vits and mins needs will be different - depending on their metabolism, and the vits and mins contained in the grass/hay/haylage each individual horse is eating - how can one complete feed suit all horses? Whilst the particular mix of vits and mins might suit one it might be way out for another. Add to that the fact that the vits and mins in grass will change from field to field and from week to week - so what is right for a horse one week will be wrong the next. How can one size ever fit all when there are so many other variables? Feeding any vits and minerals, whether in a complete feed or seperately, is always just a best guess and judged by observing the condition of the horse. Any deficiencies will show in the foot first, which is one of the advantages of being barefoot - you can see very quickly if something is not quite right in the diet and act accordingly.
In this case I would say if the horses are happy and healthy then leave well alone. |
| tamila |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 11:20:45 AM
I feed a complete feed as adding vits. and mins. can cause a total imbalance. You only need to do this slightly with some minerals in particular and you create problems. |
| gossy |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 10:54:09 AM
I have always used D&H suregrow and they were fed that up to the age of 3, until we moved to this yard, which was a sheep farm, but for the last 2 years wasnt grazed, so mine have benefitted from extremely good nutritional grass, and excellant hay, i spoke to D&H who told me the same, if they are thriving on grass and hay, then leave well alone,i just worry that i should be giving them extra but if they dont need it then im just being a fusspot i guess, its got to be an age thing, im getting worst |
| angel2002 |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 10:33:18 AM
Personally I don't and wouldn't un-balance a 'complete' feed by adding supplements. Mine have D & H suregrow which is a totally balanced feed.
You can 'overdose' with vitamins and minerals if you are not careful, so my advise would be that if you are feeding a 'complete balanced' feed don't waste your money buying extra supplements and possibly doing more harm than good to your horse. (Unless of course your vet has advised you to do so)
If you are not feeding a balanced feed then using a vitamin & mineral supplement would definately be beneficial. BUT if yours are healthy and happy on good grazing and hay I wouldn't worry 
Gossy, if you are not sure and want 'professional' advice then speak to a nutritionalist at one of the feed companies (Baileys, D & H, Spillers etc) who are always more than helpful |
| gossy |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 10:29:27 AM
so i should be feeding it even though they dont need regular feed? and they are very good doers, so i dont want them having any other hard feed. |
| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 16 Mar 2010 : 10:12:08 AM
most mixes have vits and mins already in them , but I feed a suppliment as well , its a multi vit and min powder, but just now I dont remember the name of it (like you I have senior moments)but any of them should be fine |
