I might discontinue Miniature Horse & Pony Feed

[Marty]

We've been off of Strategy and on Miniature Horse & Pony feed for nearly 1 /1/2 years now. I swiitched mainly to see if it would help my fatties keep some weight off. It does. Can't complain about that. I had two getting a bit cresty and that went away quickly also.

But here's the thing I've seen that I didn't have prior to the change:

I have 1 horse eating shavings (so I changed her bedding to pellet beddding which stopped that).

I have 2 horses that have been digging holes in their stalls (only some are matted) and then eat the dirt below when there is hay and toys and you name it. They have it. .

I have seen a lot of them digging outside in the mud as well over the past few months.

Normally I would say they are lacking nutrients but that doesn't make any sense. I do have the bases covered:

We have white salt blocks, red mineral blocks, free choice loose minerals, feed twice daily, soaked beet pulp, treats, the hay is high quality and there is plenty of it and pasture in season. I can see absolutely no reason for this and I've racked my brain over what the heck is missing. All I can keep going back to is something lacking in the Miniature feed because this was never an issue when we were on Strategy.Common sense is telling me the food is lacking in something they need butI hate to blame the food because I don't know for sure but the timing is pretty much dead on. I've gone over the ingredients tlil I'm blue in the face.

Comments anyone?

 

[chandab]

When did these "habits" start?

Just curious if it could be connected to this year's hay supply, if there was something different in last year's growing season/cycle, so the hay is lacking in something that wasn't a problem before. Just an idea.

Sounds like you should have your bases covered.

 

[Marty]

We had a great hay season. Its very high quality for sure and I'm generous with it. I also add some alfalfa hay in with it too sometimes.

Problems started a couple months after being taken off strategy but I didn't think much of it until more horses started this behavior. Seems like the writing is on the wall but I really hate switching feed around.

I also know that Strategy will put the pounds back on too which I'm not thrilled about and think if I go to something like Safe Choice I'll still have this situation. GADS.....

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Could they be bored? I know that when one of mine starts a habit (digging, wood/tail/mane chewing, destroying something they shouldn't), it isn't long before the other one picks it up. They share a big lot, and they love to dig all over the place (especially when it's muddy out). Not to mention that they have a huge hole they roll in. They never dug at our last place, so this is a new game for them. Nothing in their feeding program has changed in the past five years. I just chalk it up to a new form of entertainment they've learned.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Well most people know how I feel about this feed and will no longer feed it, nor feed Purina for that matter. The one I had on it was in the same boat as yours, he was heavy and he was getting plenty of exercise. He dropped the weight but I had to feed him quite a bit of grain, all signs pointed towards ulcers. But after being scoped he had 0 signs of ulcers. I started feeding him PrimeGlo and you don't need to feed near as much of it as you do with the Purina mini feed and the weight kept off. I believe pictures speak louder then words.

As soon after Nationals in 2011 we had to take him to a Equine hospital because he completely stopped eating, but it wasn't colic and the fact he was at Nationals for almost 2 weeks I thought for sure it was ulcers but it was not, he had nothing wrong with him, he just wouldn't eat the grain. Once I put him on PrimeGlo he started eating that right away, he has been on it for over a year now.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

I agree with KanoasDestiny--it could be boredom...How often are they in their stalls? It sounds like they do that it just there stalls. If I read it right, you said they have toys etc. Maybe they'd like to have some more free time outside? idk, whatever you think. Good luck!

JSM Miniatures--that is a beautiful difference! I'm going to look into getting that for my mini.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Marty, how are the hooves? I always think hooves will tell the tale about feed.

It's hard to think about scrunchie colors when one is worried about their well being!

I fear Purina and all the other "name" brands are nothing but floor sweepings and indigestible corn.

 

[Marty]

No, they don't do it mostly in their stalls actually. Can't say they are bored either. These guys are busy and I am always doing stuff with them however I'm looking forward to getting the round pen up this spring for advanced training..I just feel something is lacking and can't put my finger on it.

JMS how ironic I have one with ulcers right now but don't see how I can blame the feed for that.Guess I'm just wanting to know if anyone else has had a problem with it.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Marty I didn't originally blame the feed either, cause I thought he had ulcers. He had a dull coat, poor performance, lack of appetite, loss of weight. At Nationals I had to feed him the max amount on the feeding instructions and this boy is not one that you have to do that with. And for him to just go totally off of feed is not normal either, I ruled out colic, so I had to guess ulcers and the vet agreed with me. But after weeks on medicine he wasn't getting better, I couldn't get him to eat anything but hay. So I took him to the equine hospital and they completely checked him over and they couldn't find a thing wrong with him. They considered the feed as they did not like Purina and felt nutritionally may not be enough for him. So I switched him to the PrimeGLO and he has been great ever since. So the only way to rule ulcers is really and truly get them scoped!

 

[Make A Wish Miniatures]

I had always fed Strategy,but switched to The mini feed, it was cheaper and supposed to be just for miniatures and ponies. At first I loved it, but recently switched back to strategy. I can't quite put my fingure on it but my show horses did not look as good as while being fed Strategy. I also did not like the way my young horses looked on it. The weanlings look.ed better on Omalene 300,and I did not want to put them on the mini feed as yearlings because last years yearlings did not do well on it. So right now all my horses are on Strategy except for a 29 year old stallion and he is on senior. I did notice that some of my picky eaters were not eating their mini feed but once back on strategy are eating all their feed. I don't know if Purina changed something in the mini feed but I am back on Strategy for good. Just have to pay the higher price!!

 

[lucky seven]

Who puts out PrimeGlo? My boy doesn't show and he eats the purina mini feed. I'm always interested in hearing about the grains you all feed your minis because I wouldn't hesitate to change if I felt a different feed would be better for him. I feed him 3/4 cup twice daily along with his hay.

 

[Margo_C-T]

I really like 'Total Equine', the forage-based feed I have been using for over a year now. I feed generous, though not free-choice, dovey fescue(this year's wasn't as totally green and beautiful as the previous year's, but they clean it up and I actually can feed more, to keep them 'grazing' on it longer and thus, happy--I use 'slow-feeding set-ups), along w/ a bit of CA bermuda, green and long-stemmed, and some really good alfalfa, once daily. They get Total Equine twice daily, at the weight-based recommendation, along w/ ground flax 1 X daily and soaked beet pulp 1X daily. I feed three times daily/spread over @ 14 hours. I did have to take my one larger gelding off the TE, and now feed him a ration balancer instead of it(Nutrena ' Empower', grass formula), at the minimal recommended am't. for his weight/activity level; he was getting too heavy on the recommended am't of TE. It is very safe(they have an IF/cushings formula as well as a 'regular' one; check their website for full info); gives good 'chewing sensation'.

My 30 1/2 YO mini mare is staying in good shape despite teeth that don't work well anymore(despite reg. floating ever since I've owned her, there comes a time when not much can be done for what's left of their teeth!)on a combo of TE, rabbit pellets(they are 16 % protein, and the ingredient list is remarkably close to that of several equine concentrates I've seen..,) and the flax and soaked beet pulp as above. She can't eat hay,except for one daily handful of alfalfa leaves, and WON'T eat soaked hay pelllets/cubes, period.

Good luck finding a solution, Marty! It can be hard to ID the reason behind such horsey behaviors!

Margo

 

[targetsmom]

Actually, there is a way to "diagnose" ulcers without getting them scoped. That may not be the problem, but this is a pretty easy and cheap way to check things out:

 

[wildoak]

Interesting video, thanks for posting! Makes me want to run out to the barn and check everyone lol.

Jan

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Who puts out PrimeGlo? My boy doesn't show and he eats the purina mini feed. I'm always interested in hearing about the grains you all feed your minis because I wouldn't hesitate to change if I felt a different feed would be better for him. I feed him 3/4 cup twice daily along with his hay.

http://www.admani.com/horse/Products/Horse%20PRIMEGLO%20mature%20horse%20%20feed.htm

 

[Marty]

Great video thank you!

The Miniature feed HAS been changed. My newest bag has a pink label on it that says "NEW" Amplifier Nuggets Added