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Post by jodycat on Sept 28, 2008 12:43:21 GMT -5
A friend of mine, lifetime horsewoman in Virginia, swears by Triple Crown Safe Starch, which she feeds to all her horses, including her 33-year-old Appy (along with 10## of Equine Senior). Below is a paragraph cut from an article in The Horse re feeding senior horses that mentions it:
"One of the best products I've seen for older horses is Triple Crown Safe Starch, a complete mixed ration in a wrapped bale," says Gill. "It contains chopped forage (easy to chew) with pellets mixed in that contain all the protein, vitamins, and minerals. All you feed is this bagged product. The hay is grown specifically to have low NSC, and that saves the hassle of trying to figure out a diet for the older horse. Another product made by this company is called Low Starch, a pelleted concentrate that's easy to eat. A horse may need a combination of the two, or the forage product by itself may be adequate if the horse is carrying enough weight."
Fred definitely would do well on something like this. Does anyone know if there is a similar product available around here? I remember checking once before and don't believe Triple Crown itself is shipped to this part of the country.
Thanks!
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Post by winterlakesfarm on Sept 28, 2008 17:57:14 GMT -5
There is not to my knowledge a good safe source of chop. I looked into it extensively when I first took in older horses with questionable teeth. I soon found that all of the local feed stores carried the same kind of thing which was very low quality hay (think floor sweepings of local hay) and it was drenched in molasses.
I did have a local sheep farmer offer to let me use his forage chopper on any bales of my own hay that i wanted to get reduced to chop but I soon discovered that feeding pelleted hay that I made into a mash was easier and more economical.
Let me know if you find anything out there that is a better quality forage than I found!
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Post by jodycat on Sept 29, 2008 9:01:06 GMT -5
There is not to my knowledge a good safe source of chop. [snip] Let me know if you find anything out there that is a better quality forange than I found! Thanks, I will. I'm not hopeful. When you go to Triple Crown's website and put in your zip code, the closest dealer is in Utah. Looks like we'll muddle through with Equine Senior and alfalfa cubes or grass pellets (I haven't bought the pellets yet since vet said some horses won't eat them). And of course, grass on the pasture and a little corn oil. |
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Post by winterlakesfarm on Sept 29, 2008 11:30:14 GMT -5
you might try a bag of the Sterrett Brothers Hay Pellets.....oops they are now called Mid Valley Milling.....but my horses do not like the nutrena or purina hay pellets and they eat the Mid Valley Orchard grass pellets very well. I use the Low-Carb version due to Sarge being a walking poster child for Insulin Resistance sypmtoms/body type but they have regular alfalfa, Timothy and Orchard as well. I have used them to bring back many skinny horses to good weight and I really like the product.
I should also say that my horses are so picky they will only eat one brand of Beet Pulp pellets too LOL
Lord help me if I bring home anything else!
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Post by leahlady on Sept 29, 2008 12:19:47 GMT -5
Dayville has the best quality hay pellets in the area - not sure what brand this is. Dayville is in Snohomish: www.dayvillesupply.comI would recommend timothy or grass pellets. Alfalfa + senior feed is very rich. Lady, AKA pickiest horse in the universe, LOVES her orchard grass pellets with corn oil  |
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Buena
SAFE Volunteer 
No horse will ever teach you as much as your first horse.
Posts: 1,929
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Post by Buena on Sept 29, 2008 12:31:32 GMT -5
I have used almost every brand of pelleted hay I have had access to. The only one that my horses have mildly objected to was the timothy pellets by Haystack feeds out of Oregon. Horses loved the orchard pellets from the same company, though. You can't really go wrong with the MidValley ones.
One thing. I soak everything. Hay pellets, "complete" feed, beet pulp, etc. It's amazing to see how much moisture pelleted/extruded feeds take up. They won't suck any moisture out of your horse's gut, but I like having as much moisture going in as possible. And if you have a horse with tooth problems or one that bolts it's feed, then the moisture helps to prevent choke.
I tried a timothy product way back that was a chop. It was loaded with molasses and Ariel loved it, but looking back I am probably lucky she didn't go laminitic on me. I am pretty sure she was Cushings/IR and didn't know it until a few years later. I gave the feed when we were heavily endurance training and it probably kept her from having a laminitic episode.
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Post by coconut on Sept 29, 2008 12:40:18 GMT -5
I, too, have been considering pelleted hay because of the inconsistancy I've been getting from the Timothy and Orchard Grass I've purchased over the last several months. If I could get something I felt was going to work well I'd buy a ton but I'm worried I'll get stuck with a ton that is still causing us digestive issues..but so far I haven't found ANY hay that seems to firm her up. I've been wondering if pellet feed would be more consistant?
Apparently EASY KEEPER does not apply to my magic mare/princess!!
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Post by leahlady on Sept 29, 2008 13:47:19 GMT -5
Are you feeding Coconut a probiotic like ProBios? That can help with firming up the poos...
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Post by oneidea on Sept 29, 2008 13:56:57 GMT -5
We buy our grass and alfalfa pellets at Dayville and it's Standlee brand. www.standleehay.com/prodop.htmWe also soak EVERYTHING... beet pulp, grass pellets, Safe Choice, etc. |
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Post by coconut on Sept 29, 2008 14:45:31 GMT -5
unfortunately....we did probios for 60 days and it did not help  We've just done a panacur power pack last week and I have her on that ZeoComplete stuff...and I'll be doing ZeoClear starting tomorrow. If it's not gone soon then I'll have to order BioSponge according to my vet....I was gone for two days and her legs and behind were so crusted and dry when I got back yesterday that she tensed up & cringed when I tried to pick it off. It even made her stop eating because I was trying to do it while she was distracted by her food, which she NEVER stays away from & I can usually do anything I want to while she eats! I ended up giving her a mini-bath last night because I just couldn't bear the thought of that stuff being on her one more day. Her tail is now neatly braided out of the way too....it was almost black Poor baby! That's why I was thinking we needed some consistancy in her forage. Vet says NO alfalfa, not even a blend. This trouble resurfaced while she was on really decent Timothy from Reber's and so we switched to Orchard Grass but nothing's helping so far. We suspect permanent intestinal damage from parasites....THANKS to you know who! Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!! |
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Buena
SAFE Volunteer
No horse will ever teach you as much as your first horse.
Posts: 1,929
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Post by Buena on Sept 29, 2008 17:50:42 GMT -5
Dr. Bob mentioned to me quite a while ago that quite a few horses in the area have not done well on Reber's hay...diarhea is the main symptom. I have not heard if they have pinpointed a cause or not.
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lisam
Full BB Member
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Post by lisam on Sept 29, 2008 20:17:01 GMT -5
My problem with Reber's orchard grass hay is that it usually (okay, for the past year, ALWAYS) has alfalfa in it. Maybe just some strands, but once it was about 20%. I have a few horses that can't tolerate alfalfa at all, so this has been a problem.
However, Reber is the only one in the area with a hay elevator, last I checked.
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Post by jodycat on Sept 29, 2008 21:18:26 GMT -5
Dayville has the best quality hay pellets in the area - not sure what brand this is. Dayville is in Snohomish: www.dayvillesupply.comI would recommend timothy or grass pellets. Alfalfa + senior feed is very rich. Lady, AKA pickiest horse in the universe, LOVES her orchard grass pellets with corn oil Thanks, Leah! (And everyone else with great suggestions.) I too wondered about alfalfa cubes (though when Fred was in his pipe corral in Nevada, that's what he ate), but the vet said it was okay because of his age (estimated at mid-20s). I think the thought was to get him eating as we're not thrilled that he's going into cool/cold weather 75 pounds underweight. But I'll have a talk with the vet next week at Fred's dental and try to get some more information. As hard as I've tried to learn about horses and their care in the last year-plus, I really haven't completely figured out why alfalfa is not desirable - just that most smart experienced horse people I know feed very little of it. All I know is that it's a legume and can make some horses run "hot". Oh, and goes through the system quickly so also leaves them hungry? I will get some of the recommended pellets, for certain.
[Edited for spelling, oops.] |
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Post by winterlakesfarm on Sept 29, 2008 22:36:33 GMT -5
Coconut....
Have you tried Kaolin? Yep good old pink stuff....you can get it in a one gallon jug for cheap at most feed stores. I use it a lot(along with Yea-Sacc and probios)when refeeding starving horses as they frequently get loose stool.
Especially Heidi when she first came her whole hind end was poo.......my hubby nicknamed her "Sh**Stain" sigh
He also nicknamed Sarge "Scabs the Pony" because of rain rot and other ickies.
LOL
Gotta love him.
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Post by coconut on Sept 30, 2008 1:20:32 GMT -5
I will look into that.....any special instructions on how to administer? Getting frustrated here  |
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