# sweet feed



## southernmother (Nov 27, 2006)

So this friend of mine - who by the way does not and has never owned a single horse - told me yesterday that I am not suposed to feed my mini sweet feed. She said you're not suposed to give it to ANY horses, that it's for cattle. Um ok .... then why do they make it for horses??? So I asked her why and she said she doesn't know, but she just knows it's really bad for them and can make them get colic really bad??

So I'm concerned because my mini will only eat sweet feed. We're feeding her Dumor Pleasure Horse Plus 14% sweet feed. I'm gradually trying to get her on Platform Mini, but she won't touch the stuff unless I toss in a couple handfulls of sweet feed, and even the she just nibbles at it and I end up throwing it out because it sits there and gets icky after a couple of days. And the only reason I'm trying to switch her is because my husband thinks it seems like a really good feed. Personally I see no reason why she can't just stay on the sweet feed, we have very good hay. And she likes the sweet feed and will eat it all up and wants more LOL then again who wouldn't the stuff smells devine LOL, my 2 dogs even like the sweet feed




:

So anyway, why can't I just continue to feed her the 14% sweet feed? Katie (my know it all friend - says if I keep feeding it to her she's gonna end up dead ... sounds a little dramatic to me, so I thought I'd better ask, since this is my first horse.


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## minimomNC (Nov 27, 2006)

I have fed Omelene 200 to both big horses and minis for over 15 years, I have never had a problem with it and have shown horses to major wins. All of my horses love it.


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## Nathan Luszcz (Nov 27, 2006)

Any feed can be bad, used improperly. Sweet feed is perfectly safe when fed properly. My big stallion has been eating sweet feed his entire life, and he's never been "hot" or phsyco. It does contain a lot of sugar, so it can rot their teeth. But in general its just fine



The little one hasn't ever had sweet, he doesn't need it. The big one doesn't either, but that's what he got when I bought him so I didn't change


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## Minimor (Nov 27, 2006)

Many people insist that sweet feed is evil because of the molasses content--it's very high in sugar and therefore is no good for any horse that is IR or has cushings. Anti-sweet feed people will insist that sweet feed actually causes horses to become IR or to get cushings, and they say that if you're feeding sweet feed, you are going to kill your horse...as your friend is doing.

We fed sweet feed for years with no ill effects. We have only ever had one horse with cushings, and I don't believe that particular horse ever ate enough sweet feed to cause him any harm. He surely isn't one that was on sweet feed long term. I know other owners that have never fed sweet feed and have several IR and/or cushings horses. In the years we fed sweet feed we never had colic in any of our horses so I'm afraid I don't believe in the sweet feed=colic.

Some people will tell you that you MUST feed pelleted feed. Others will tell you that horses do just fine on plain oats, as mine do. Some people insist that alfalfa is the most awful horse feed ever, while others say that alfalfa is the best thing for their horses. Some owners swear by beet pulp; others won't use the stuff. I do know you're not the only owner out there feeding sweet feed to their horses, and horses aren't dropping off like flies because they ate sweet feed.

Around here I don't know of any cattle owners that buy sweet feed for their cattle; sweet feed is marketed as horse feed. Cattle have their own feed mixes.


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## Relic (Nov 27, 2006)

Here we feed 12% sweetfeed as a ration.. l have it made up at the local feed plant without a lot of corn in it and all the mares get that all winter along with there free choice hay in spring they get switched over to big fat clean oats. l don't think l've ever killed a mare yet with sweetfeed. Stallions yearlings and weaners are on a complete feed year round. Preg mares don't get a mare/foal feed till 8 weeks before foaling and stay on that till babies are weaned.


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## rabbitsfizz (Nov 27, 2006)

I fed what you call "sweet feed" and what we call "Mix" for years with no ill effects at all.

I now feed my own mix with no molasses but that is an economical thing, not a health issue.

I also feed molasses Beet Pulp- I remove the molasses in summer but not in winter as I think they need it.

Sugars are not necessarily evils, but , as Nathan said, all feeds can be bad if fed incorrectly.


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## MiniLover2006 (Nov 27, 2006)

Like what Nathan Luszcz said any feed can be bad, used improperly. We feed 12% sweetfeed to our horses a big one and 2 little ones and they are doing great on it. My 34 yr old gelding has had sweet feed all of his life and maybe some Equine Senior but he lost weight on that feed....anyways measure how much you give them and learn from others on this board and do lots of research!




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## Leeana (Nov 27, 2006)

I hope Kay see's this bc i remember her story about what happened to one of her mares, hopefully she see's this topic.

I fed it when i was first starting out and i wasnt to impressed with it. I think some horses do okay on just oats or sweetfeed and are easy keepers. I just dont trust the stuff to much.


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## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Nov 27, 2006)

many horses get sweet feed and there are also some pelleted feeds with large amounts of molasses.

There are plenty of horses all over the country eating this on a daily basis and doing just fine. You will find most people tend to be very passionate about there feed programs sure thier way of feeding is so much better then others however the bottom line is not one way of feeding works for every horse.

I personally dont feed it simply cause it tends to get bad faster in the summer in the heat and freezes up in the winter so for ease I feed a pelleted feed


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## Lauralee (Nov 27, 2006)

Sweet feed is a traditional good ol staple for feeding horses. There is nothing wrong with feeding sweet feed, if done correctly.

I will say, however, that feed products have come A LONG WAY BABY and there are much more better feeds on the market, IMO, than the old 12% horse and mule.

Granted, you'll pay the price, but if you want improved digestability, better nutrient content, vitamins/minerals, bloom in the coat, and superior body condition, you may want to make the switch.

I personally feed an extruded pellet, but I have, in the past, fed sweet feed to my picky eaters to get them eating better. HOrses love the molasses.


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## KenBen (Nov 27, 2006)

I feed my minis crushed oats with molassis. They like it very well. Whole oats is a bit of a waste to me as the minis don't break all the oats down and as a food source it gets wasted. I have never had a horse not like molasses.

KenBen


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## Matt73 (Nov 27, 2006)

When I was showing hunters and jumpers, everyone was feeding sweet feed -along with needed supplements-. Like everyone has said, the sugar can be bad and also the corn. Unless a horse or mini or any pony/horse is working those starches/carbs off, there's no point in feeding it. And because most minis -not all- are fairly inactive, why feed it to them? There is my "2 cents".


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## Hosscrazy (Nov 27, 2006)

I never had a problem with sweet feed until my senior mare showed signs of Cushings/IR (insulin resistance) and by the time the symptoms showed, as a result of the sweetfeed (A&M, as well as Purina Equine Senior), she had full blown laminitis with coffin bone rotation in both front hooves (6 and 8 degrees). Even though I pulled her off the sugar, the damage was done.

I have 2 of her offspring and I refuse to take a chance with any of my horses. They are all on low-carb, low sugar feed: soaked and rinsed grass hay, timothy pellets, LMF Lo Carb Complete and Triple Crown Low Starch. No apples, no carrots - they get celery for treats which they love.

Liz R.


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## southernmother (Nov 27, 2006)

around here people feed sweet feed to thier cattle regularly. Anyway, thanks for the opinions and advice. Glad to know others have and do feed sweet feed. Like I said I have been trying to change her over to the platform mini, with no luck. She loves the sweet feed. According to the package it has a lot of good for her stuff in it too... I don't know.... I wish this horse stuff weren't so complicated. Raising dogs is so much simpler, if it's in a bag labeled dog food, they can eat it with no worries and they can't eat too much - well they can but it won't make them sick just fat LOL. Theres too many different horse feeds to pick from LOL!!

At least I know I can come here and ask advice from someone who knows what the heck they're doing, because I sure don't!! Thanks again everyone, you are all great!!


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## Voodoo (Nov 27, 2006)

I agree with what has been said so far about any feed can be bad if used incorrectly. I have fed sweet feed as a treat for .............. well............ ever. Now that being said when I am using one of my performance horses (QH) hard thus giving them 3 + 1 gallon coffe cans of grain daily I switch to a dry feed. The reason for this is that I was told by a trusted veternarian and friend that horses have a hard time digesting the sugars therefore it lies along their back, right above the kidneys. In small amounts it causes no trouble, but if fed large amounts the body can't keep up and it can cause kidney problems and compaction. I don't know if this is true or not, but it is only what I was told. I believed it and feed dry if I am feeding it in large quantities. This is just my opinion though so take it for whatever you think it's worth.


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## kaykay (Nov 27, 2006)

most people here know i am anti sweet feed



with so many great feeds out there to feed horses now there just isnt a good reason IMO to feed it. Years ago there were not near as many choices of horse feed. And years ago not nearly as much was known about horse nutrtition. Not all sweet feeds are created equal there are better ones and worse ones.

Sweet feeds in general are a lot of carbs and sugar. Very much like candy bars. Will candy bars kill your kids?? no. But are they good nutrition?? No. They are in general empty calories with very little nutrient value.

Horses LOVE sweet feed because horses love sugar. Just because they love it and will do pretty much anything to get it doesnt make it a good feed.

Now im NOT saying sweet feed will kill your horse. Many horses do okay on it. But almost all the horses I have seen on it do not have the "bloom" that a better feed puts on a horse. Usually people who feed sweet feed end up adding a lot of supplements. IMO why do that when you can just feed a better feed that already has beet pulp etc in it??

Im all for keeping feeding as simple as possible. I dont want to sit and measure and add this and add that.

I did lose a mare that got in the grain bin and ate sweet feed. She did not eat a lot but it was enough to kill her. The problem is that sweet feed ferments (because of the high sugar and carbs) in the stomach and then poisions the blood (septicemia)

Back then I didnt know all of this and losing her was what put me on a quest to find out all I could. I picked the brains of every veternarian i could and the university of illinois who had done numerous studies at their equine center on equine nutrition.

I have helped quite a few new people on how to feed. Usually when I meet them their horses lack bloom and are underweight. Once they get the horses off the sweet feed and onto a better feed they are just amazed at the results.

Just to clarify I do like complete feeds but I do not think that is the only good way to feed. Also you have to take into account what type and quality of hay you are feeding. Many people overlook the hay and that is so important!!


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## Nathan Luszcz (Nov 27, 2006)

KenBen said:


> I feed my minis crushed oats with molassis. They like it very well. Whole oats is a bit of a waste to me as the minis don't break all the oats down and as a food source it gets wasted. I have never had a horse not like molasses.
> 
> KenBen



That's not quite true... they can actually digest most of the oats



The kernal/shell is the only part that really passes through. They can digest the vast majority



We've fed plain oats for a long time. You just have to be careful that you feed a balanced diet; oats lack vitamins and such and aren't a complete feed.


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## Minimor (Nov 27, 2006)

See, it's truly to each his own. I personally disagree that horses on sweet feed lack bloom. If they do, it's something besides the sweet feed causing it. When we were feeding sweet feed, lack of bloom wasn't an issue in our horses. I dare say that if kay had seen our horses, she'd have guessed they weren't on sweet feed, given her view of what sweet feed fed horses look like! :lol:

And why buy sweet feed when you can buy a feed that already has beet pulp in it? My question would be why would I want to buy a feed that already has beet pulp added?? Not saying you shouldn't feed beet pulp, just that I personally have never had any use for it and do not feed it at all. Shrugs. That's why there are so many feeds available; everyone likes something different and just because one thing works for you doesn't mean that unless I use that same thing my feeding program isn't going to work for me.


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## looney2n (Nov 27, 2006)

I fed sweet feed to my big horse for years and of course he loved it. BUT..he worked and got a lot of excersize, unlike my minis (mine are just pretty much pets). I had a miniature mare that got laminitis this spring. The vet found out that I had sweet feed on the property and he had a fit! He said although he couldnt say that the rich food caused it, it really complicates laminitis or founder. He said a mini SHOULD NOT have sweet feed or alfalfa because it is too rich for them. Since one cause of laminitis is the sudden ingestion of large amounts of cereal or concentrate feed, I now stay the heck away from almost anything sweet for my minis. He said that large amounts of such rich food in the gut can cause a lot of acid production and again encourage the growth of the wrong sort of bacteria. Since my beautiful little mare had to go through such pain and agony, and eventually had to be put down, I swore I would do anything to prevent such problems again so I personally don't do the sweet feed any more and I am very picky with my hay as well. But as others are saying, some horses have survived years on the stuff. Just my opinion.

Looney2n


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## kaykay (Nov 27, 2006)

minimor im laughing so hard!!!





Okay NOT saying a horse has to have any concentrate to have bloom. Patches now that shes not showing is on a good quality hay only and she just blooms with good health. But shes not working and not breeding. Just an idle lazy horse lol.

So mostly i am referring to breeding, and or showing horses lacking bloom.

And like i said the quality of the hay fed is a huge part that cannot be overlooked. If you are feeding a great hay or great pasture and just give some sweet feed those horses probably do bloom but its probably from the great hay or pasture.

And I am a huge proponent of not giving any concentrates to idle mature horses. they simply dont need them as long as they have good hay or pasture. (horses like patches who are just busy bossing other horses around all day LOL)

As to beet pulp i was just using that as an example. Most show horses are given beet pulp so that so much hay doesnt have to be fed or to put weight on a show horse. But you could just as easily say any other supplement that people give that can be found in most higher quality feeds such as flax etc.

but i absolutely agree that to each their own!!


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## New2Minis (Nov 27, 2006)

I only feed sweet feed as a treat........I have gone to several feed clinics and I have learned that a pelleted food is much easier to digest than sweet feed. If you notice a horse fed sweet feed has oats&corn in their manure. So it makes since that they are not getting the total value from the feed. Pelleted feed has most of the same ingredients including mollasses that sweet feed has it is just ground up to make the pellet which makes it easier to digest. I definately think that this is a to each is own subject. Everybody has their own opinion and likes and dislikes about what to feed their horses, whether big or small. But someone saying sweet feed will kill your horse is crazy!


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## Jean_B (Nov 27, 2006)

Personally, I don't like the sweet feeds because of the empty calories from the molasses, but the main reason is they are often times WAY too high in corn content.

In my experience, corn is the culprit causing the sacks to get too thick, and that's when babies don't get out and die. Since discontinuing sweet feed, I've had much better foaling success. And I have a problem with those HIGH protein content feeds. That's hard on the kidneys. I prefer something in the 12 to 13 percent area.


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## JMS Miniatures (Nov 27, 2006)

I fed the Omelene sweet feed products to my horses when I first started showing, alot of them did great on it. Then they became very easy keepers and the sweet feed was making them fat. I switched over competely to the Complete feeds to the easy keepers and the ones that needed the extra weight were on the sweet feed. I now switched to the Platform mini feed to everyone, and everyone is doing great!


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## babygoose (Nov 27, 2006)

The main problem with sweet feed is like many have said, is the sugar and empty calories. I don't think any of my horses need that much sugar, and especially my cresty necked mini. I avoid feeding anything with much sugar in it. Some minis and ponies are more prone to founder from sugars.

Alfalfa is generally very low in sugars and is used as a staple in diets for horses that have EPSM. Also, high protein in a horses diet is not hard on their kidneys, as long as the horse has healthy kidneys to begin with. It is true that excess protein is secreted through the urine, which is why horses on alfalfa tend to have stronger smelling urine. Studies have been done on rehabilitating starving horses and the best feed for them is alfalfa in small amounts several times a day.

A good website concerning sugars in feed, particulary hay and grass, is

www.safergrass.org

Sweet feed will most likely not kill your horse. But it might increase the risk of founder and colic, and there really isn't anything in it that they really need.


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## kaykay (Nov 28, 2006)

jean that is so interesting. I also dont like corn but didnt know it was thought to make sacks tougher.

Alfalfa is generally very low in sugars and is used as a staple in diets for horses that have EPSM. Also, high protein in a horses diet is not hard on their kidneys, as long as the horse has healthy kidneys to begin with. It is true that excess protein is secreted through the urine, which is why horses on alfalfa tend to have stronger smelling urine. Studies have been done on rehabilitating starving horses and the best feed for them is alfalfa in small amounts several times a day.

I so agree with that and its very well put!!


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## Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too (Nov 28, 2006)

kaykay said:


> ...Studies have been done on rehabilitating starving horses and the best feed for them is alfalfa in small amounts several times a day. ...


Absolutley the best. That is how I brought my Copper back to life and why she continues to do well.

As for sweet feed I'm with you. Not something I find necessary to feed to keep mine shiny and in good health. There are much better alternatives now.


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## evedex (Nov 28, 2006)

I know this has been said over and over, but all of that sugar is not great for your minis' G. I tract. The reasons sweet feed has so much molasses on it, it is because the mills take their poorest quality grains and put the molasses on it to make it palatable for horses. Minis definitely don't need these empty calories, hardly any of them work enough to burn it off, and I would rather feed a higher quality grain to my animals.

Since the many of these little guys seem to need grain of some sort to produce a nice top line on their bodies, and they definitely need assistance to get enough supplements, a good-quality extruded feed or a combination of extruded feeds and supplements are a better choice. Of course if your horse won't eat them, they'd do no good for them at all<G>. So if your horse won't eat anything but sweet feed, and you really given it a good try, stick with what works.

I have been fortunate enough to never have bought a horse who had only been fed sweet feed, so all of my guys eat extruded with supplements added.


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## Nathan Luszcz (Nov 28, 2006)

evedex said:


> The reasons sweet feed has so much molasses on it, it is because the mills take their poorest quality grains and put the molasses on it to make it palatable for horses.


That is absolutely not true, unless you have some terrible mill in your town. NONE of the quality brands do that. The sweet feed is just as high quality as the rest of the grains they offer. The molasses is a staple diet item, one that's been used for centuries, and due to continuing demand they still offer it. You will also note that the molasses content changes due to season. There is less in the summer to prevent spoilage, and more in the winter to prevent freezing. That means you need to take that into account when you make diets




I only feed my horse the best, and sweet feed fits in his diet. He's not getting the poorest out there, he's getting what he individually needs.


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## Sandee (Nov 28, 2006)

A big reason for not using sweet feed would be if you only have 1 or 2 minis a bag of the stuff lasts way too long. In the winter not usually a problem but in the hot months it can go bad towards the bottom of the bag. I guess it might not last too long if you're feeding heaps of it to them but that's another problem. The only extras I feed mine, beyond their hay, is beet pulp (no molasses and they love it) and 1/2 cup 2x a day of Born to Win or Mare and Maintenance for the vitamin content.


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## PaintedPromiseRanch (Nov 28, 2006)

we pretty much save the sweet feed for someone who has to take meds... they like it so much, they will eat the meds too LOL. although we have a 2-yearold big horse that was just so mellow and laid back, she wouldn't do anything more than walk, frustrating my duaghter who was trying to train her... gave h er a cup of sweet feed a day on top of her normal diet and boy did she liven up! also have a big horse hard to keep weight on, just a cup of sweet feed a day keeps her ribs from showing... so tried it on my one mini who is hard to keep weight on, it's doing her good as well.

as for hay, lots of people swear by alfalfa, but unless your horse is working hard, alfalfa has too much protein. we prefer grass hay but bermuda doesn't have much in the way of nutrients... we found one grower in our area that carries a rye and rye mix, which is the best of both worlds... better nutrients than bermuda, less protein than alfalfa. we figure they get enough alfalfa in their pellets, they don't need it in their hay too.

we've changed our feeding regimen quite a bit over the years, and have developed a plan that works for us and our horses. you just have to talk to people, do research, try different things... until you find what works best for you and your horse(s).

one thing i will caution is, when changing feed, DO IT GRADUALLY. our vet told us this years ago and it helps a lot to avoid colic.


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## HGFarm (Nov 28, 2006)

Ok, most of the sweet feeds on the market are geared for horses and made specifically for them. There used to be another feed, and not having been working with cattle the last few years, dont remember exactly what it was, but it had ingredients in it that horses should not have. I would not feed any cattle feed to horses unless it specifically says it is made for all livestock and safe.

Any grains or additives can be harmful if over done or abused. We have used sweet feed for 35 years with no problems. We have also fed alfalfa all my life with no issues. I have heard of people having worse problems feeding grass hay. The old rumor of it being hard on kidneys is not true according to studies.


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## Vertical Limit (Nov 28, 2006)

HGFarm said:


> dont remember exactly what it was, but it had ingredients in it that horses should not have. I would not feed any cattle feed to horses unless it specifically says it is made for all livestock and safe.


Laurie, you are probably talking about ionophores such as monensin, a feed additive for cattle. It is extremely toxic when fed to horses. NEVER give horses feeds that contain growth promotants such as those found in some cattle feeds. If the label says anything about cattle.........steer clear.

As far as a good sweet feed goes...........hundreds of TOP show barns have fed it for years along with alfalfa hay. Now I am speaking of large horses. Minis have a tendency to get fat on air so there are other beneficial feeds. But to say that sweet feed or alfalfa is bad is ridiculous. Tell this to the farms that feed it to their high five and six figure horses.

As long as you are feeding a good quality feed and you KNOW HOW TO READ LABELS..........do what is best for your horses and don't feed what your neighbor does just because it is best for them.

Carol


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## HGFarm (Nov 28, 2006)

Great answer Carol and I completely agree. Keep in mind, every horse, just like every person, is different with different needs, metabolism, etc..... and what works for one may not work for another. We have had disgustingly healthy horses (big and small) over the years, and have never had one with Cushings, kidney problems, etc....


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## southernmother (Nov 28, 2006)

thanks again for all the advice!! On the topic of cattle feeds - I would never feed cattle products to my horse ... that is one reason I am trying to figure out a "diet plan" so to speak for my mini. We have had her a bout a week, and the people who had her, the breeders were feeding her cattle feed from a local feed mill. I saw the bags, it was a 50/50 feed with a picture of a cow on the front of the plain brown feed sack and they were mixing it with chopped corn and sweet feed. I had read that you should be careful about feeding too much corn before purchasing her, so when I saw what they were feeding it sort of surprised me. The sweet feed we are feeding is made specifically for horses, and has a small amount of very small almost pulverized corn. I'm mixing it 50/50 with the platform and planning to try weaning her down to nly platform.

thanks again everyone!!! Your advice and knowledge is so apprecitated!!


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## HGFarm (Nov 28, 2006)

Your local vet might be able to give advice too regarding a good feeding program for you. The vet may be aware of a lack of minerals in your area, or the contents of your other local feeds- hay, etc.. and what may be needed. OMG, I am glad you now have the filly on a better diet!!!


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## southernmother (Nov 28, 2006)

HGFarm said:


> Your local vet might be able to give advice too regarding a good feeding program for you. The vet may be aware of a lack of minerals in your area, or the contents of your other local feeds- hay, etc.. and what may be needed. OMG, I am glad you now have the filly on a better diet!!!



I never even thought about talking to the vet about a feeding program! How slow am I? LOL Thanks!! Yes, he would be aware of anything I should know I'm sure. I think I willput in a call in the morning! As for hay, we have soft mixed grass (mostly bermuda) hay, it's practically all you can get around here. I was told any soft grass hay would be fine, just be sure not to feed straight fescue (we don't even allow our cattle straight fescue). I had read to be careful about the amount of alfalfa you feed too.... anyway, the people around here who raise large horses feed the same hay we're feeding our mini, so I assume it can't at least be "bad" for her. We're just monitoring how much we give her, as right now theres still grass to graze. I will definately speak to our vet about this all! I should have thought of that myself!! Thanks again!!


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## HGFarm (Nov 28, 2006)

I have fed straight alfalfa for over 35 years now, with never one single problem, whether it was full sized horses or down to Minis. I make sure it is good quality. Our bermuda hay we use for bedding during foaling season as it is soft, but doesnt have a lot of nutritional value in it. More of a filler. If it is not cut at the right time, it is a waste of time.


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