NW PEOPLE

[susanne]

The thread on how much everyone spends on feeding their horses got me thinking...

We currently feed LMF Showtime (along with beet pulp, BOSS, and a blend of orchard grass hay and local grass hay). I've been very happy with the results.

I DON'T want to scrimp on nutrition, but LMF is now $23/bag, so I want to look into other feeds that are its equal butbcost less. I love that LMF is formulated specifically for the NW, but since my horses are not on pasture, this is pretty much a moot point.

So...for you in the PNW -- what feed do you use, what does it cost, and why do you like it?

 

[MooreAcres]

As you neighbor, literally...

I usually feed Nutrena SafeChoice. I like it because it isn't as starchy as other feeds and is less dangerous if slightly overfed. Its made for horses of all ages and exercise levels. All of my kids loves it and looked awesome on it. Also, being a pelleted feed, it doesn't have all the molasses and sugars. Sandi, who is going on 10 years old, has been nothing but a broodmare, and who I STRONGLY believe is insulin resistant, can't have all those sugars. She drops weight. SafeChoice always keeps her looking good and healthy.

That being said, because of the bad weather and not being able to get over to Hillsboro (since the feedstores out here dont stock Nutrena), I have recently switched to LMF as well. I feed Primetime, and everyone has been doing good. It does have molasses, but Sandi seems to be doing good on it and isn't dropping weight. I talked to Elaine (she's the one who got me thinking that Sandi is insulin resistant) and she suggested the Primetime since it was so cold and everyone need that extra boost to gain/mantain weight. She knew about Sandis condition and thought that the Primetime would be the best way to go versus the others. Plus Sienna was still extremely underweight (she was the mare I rescued).

All in all, I will be switching back to SafeChoice as soon as this bag of Primetime is gone, just because I like it better. Plus its cheaper...$15 a bag for SafeChoice vs $23 for LMF...

Are you looking to add weight to your kids or just save a little money? PM me and we'll chat...

 

[Equuisize]

Susanne,

I had fed Allegra Senior, to my big guys, since it first came out on the market in 1997, I think.

When we bought BabyZee, the seller was feeding it to all her minis.....worked well for us to just

continue.

Price was not an issue but my little guys are really fluffy.....no one goes hungry here, even

if it'd be better for them.

Allegra Senior had started at about $9 a bag and now is $19 a bag.

Still not an issue but the weight on a couple of the fillies was. There are 3 of them that just

breathe calories in from the air.

I switched over this fall to Nutrena Safe Choice. It runs $14.60 a bag and I'm liking what

what I am seeing so far. The fluffy girls are still fluffy they aren't 'as' fluffy.

They have add ins of BOSS, Flax, Horse Guard and when it was so cold in December I added

alfalfa pellets - $13.98 a bag Cant forget their apples, carrots and cookies either.

We bought Orchard Grass to last the winter, it won't, paid $6.50 a bale, in the field.

Went thru it like gangbusters in the December cold but glad I got my 450 bales when we did

cause know we'll pay real dollars for it when we run out.

We have lots of pasture to keep them entertained although there isn't any nutrition this time

of the year. If we are blessed with a return to our normal moderate winter temps then

spring grass should start coming up mid Feb.

I'm happy with the condition of their coats so think the feed is doing it's job....knock the dust &

muck off them and they are as shiny as can be, healthy feet, happy attitudes so can't ask for

more than that.

 

[Katie Iceton]

I feed COB, Complete feed ( yes it can be a hay substitute but we feed a small amount and give less hay in the evening when we feed it) and Ultra kelp to all of my horses, and hay.As supplements I give oil and wheat bran for the hard keepers as well. My young colt also gets Dr. Reeds, and it comes to 25 dollars for one bag of COB and grain toether and I go through about 2 bags of each a month........and hay out here is about $4/bale and we bought 190 bales....but some we had from a cheaper buyer so its a bit different.

 

[Miniv]

Susanne,

When I read how much LMF is, I just about choked! Right now we are feeding 35 minis/ponies, plus one Full-Sized Mare Equuis Senior, which is also supposed to be formulated for the Northwest. It's just recently gone up to $9.95 per bag. Plus, the feed store keeps track of your purchases in a card file, and the 10th bag ordered is free.

We used to feed Strategy and were happy with it, but when they started hiking up their prices, we discovered the Equuis Senior and compared the ingredients. Both are 14 percent protein, plus the Equiis has some probiotics and beet pulp in it that Strategy doesn't have.

Occasionally the feed store runs out of the Equuis Senior and I will fall back on a bag or two of Strategy to tide us over till a new shipment is delivered. (We go through a bag per day.)

 

[Kari]

Hi Susanne,

I feed Allegra Sr. at $19/bag to my oldies.

The rest get Strategy at $16/bag.

Everyone also gets grass hay, beet pulp, and BOSS.

Kari

 

[CrescentMinis]

MA, can you please provide more info on the Equiis Senior feed? I feed Strategy and would like to see if anyone carries your feed around here. I Tried googling and am not getting anything specific.

Thanks!!

 

[Miniv]

I'm about to go out and feed for the evening and will grab a tag off a bag to see who manufactures it.

 

[Equuisize]

Faith,

That feed from what I can see it is made by Kropf/CHS Nutrition LLC, Oregon.

KROPF FEED CHS LLC, 541-995-6384. 815 S 2nd St Harrisburg, Oregon 97446. WILBUR ELLIS CO FEED PLANT, 503-224-1486

Not getting a website to come up.

Found they had a feed violation back in 2004.

 

[Shari]

Boy... I am the odd one out!

Use Slightly moist wheat bran.. about 1/2 cup....this is to mix their vitamins in.

I use Smart Pack EZ keeper grass mulit Vitamin and Omega Horse shine, mixed into the wheat bran. I get the bulk containers, so it is pretty cheap. I don't grain as a rule because my butterballs don't need it. Am really happy with the results of this combo.

http://www.smartpakequine.com/productclass...uctClassid=4657

http://www.smartpakequine.com/productclass...ductClassid=182

Then they are fed the Grass hay from this place on the days they can't go out and graze in the big pasture.

 

[CrescentMinis]

Thanks Nancy for posting that info. I'll do a little digging and see what I can find around here.

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

We feed LMG Developement G and orchard grass hay. Our bags of grain are about $21 right now. And we add flax seed and boss and one mare gets cinnamon.

I don't like feeding grains with the dried beet pulp in it. We lost a colt to choke and the grain had beet pulp in it. Just me. I will give them soaked BP if they need it.

 

[Kellie in OR]

I feed LMF Super Supplement. It is expensive per bag, but per serving does not seem to bad to me (for the quality of product). My mini boys get 1/2 cup (1/4lb), and the TWH gets 2 cups (1 lb). In the winter I add soaked beet pulp and whole oats to the LMF SS.

I grew up a mile away from the before mentioned feed mill in Harrisburg. I wantged to support the local small town business, but gave up after time after time of feed inconsitancies (moisure, texture, ect.).

 

[mgranch]

I live in the Klamath Basin where they grow amazing hay. So, I feed grassy alfalfa hay, soaked beet pulp, rolled steamed oats and dac oil. Horses look great!!

 

[ClickMini]

Suzanne,

For all but my broodies I feed 1-2 cups of Strategy GX twice daily, I like that it is formulated to balance with the grass hay diet. I do not depend on the grain to provide all of the dietary requirements of the vitamins and minerals. For that I use HorseGuard vitamins, each of my horses gets a heaping tablespoon once daily and my preg girls get it twice per day at the end of their pregnancy/lactation. I also use Strongid C2x daily dewormer and a "finishing" supplement of HorseTech Glanzen 3 for coat, hoof, skin, and probiotic, these items are fed once per day. Their hay is a high quality orchard grass. My broodmares are fed LMF Development, 2 cups twice daily, instead of the Strategy.

The Strategy is less expensive than the LMF, and I do feel you get results that are just as good.

 

[Miniv]

Faith,That feed from what I can see it is made by Kropf/CHS Nutrition LLC, Oregon.

KROPF FEED CHS LLC, 541-995-6384. 815 S 2nd St Harrisburg, Oregon 97446. WILBUR ELLIS CO FEED PLANT, 503-224-1486

Not getting a website to come up.

Found they had a feed violation back in 2004.

I would be interested in knowing about the violation. Do you have any info on it?

 

[loveminis]

I have been feeding LMF Super Supplement G and really good orchard grass ($24.95 a bale). No pot bellies, they have tons of energy, beautiful coats, etc.

Since I only have 2 horses I am not so concerned about the cost.

 

[susanne]

Thanks for your answers! This gives me a lot to consider, including reivestigating vitamin supplements.

Just to reiterate: the cost in itself is not a problem, and if LMF Showtime proved to be absolutely the best, I wouldn't consider changing. But if there are other comparable feeds, it would be silly not to check them out. The price difference used to be a couple of dollars, but now it's $10 more than a lot.

As they say in the creative world, if it ain't broke, break it!

 

[sedeh]

I don't grain either except for the lactating/last month pregnancy mares. I have trouble keeping their weight down as it is!! I feed Klamath grass/alfalfa mix and use the Born to Win(now it's called Enrich 32) supplement for their vitamins(it's gone up to about $23/bag). They only get 2/3 cup per horse of that. I do use the Omega MVP during show season to put that extra shine on their coats. For the lactating mares I use the NW Mare and Foal(also formulated for the Northwest).

 

[Shortpig]

My kids get 4cups of wet beet pulp, 1 cup of Nutrena lite 1 tsp of cinnamon and two cups of orchard grass pellets and their local grass hay from my favorite farmer in the whole world. Did I say I like my farmer he is in his 80's and the nicest guy in the world. Erin can attest that they are all healthy fluffy critters.

The cinnamon is working great on my two older mares. Jasmine has at last sucked up the baby belly from 5 foals and Ariel has shoulders and a neck. I can't wait to see them shed out this year. I believe the difference will be amazing.

I believe I am paying approx $12.00/bag for the Lite feed. My daughter picks it up for me at Coastal Farm and Ranch so not sure what I pay. They are worth the price however.

Also they have healthy coats and Ariel has a very sassy attitude "is it the feed"?