Your feeding programs?

[kdhminis]

What is your feeding program (what brand/type, how much do you feed (grain/hay), etc.) for your minis? Pregnant mares; weanlings, yearlings, and others during non/slow show time of the year? And what size are your miniature horses? Trying to improve my feeding program and learn from all of you who are experienced miniature owners. Thanks!

 

[kaykay]

You will find a huge variance in how people feed for sure. But heres how we do it

Weanlings through 2 year olds get Purina Equine Jr (complete feed) How much depends on the size. But its a compete feed so they cant over eat it and can really eat as much as they want. I also give them hay with the jr. One of ours is 32" and eats about 6 cups am and pm.

Pregnant mares get hay and pasture till about the 9th month and then they get Equne Jr the last couple months and while their foals are nursing plus hay. Most of my mares are in the 36" range so they get about 2 flakes am and pm

Mature idle horses just get hay and pasture as long as they are at good weight

 

[kdhminis]

Thanks for your input. You are correct - lots of different info and ways of feeding hay & grain out there!

 

[Taylor Jo]

I feed Platform pellets in the am w/ beets and at pm w/o beets. Morning grain Purina 100 show season, Purina 200. Hay am and pm just .5 lb each orchard/alfalfa cause mine are on pasture. However if their in they're stalls all day they get between 2-2.5 lbs of hay. They're well rounded. I TRY to work them out 3 times a week weather permitting. TJ

 

[chandab]

My main feed is Progressive Nutrition ProAdvantage grass formula (ration balancer) and grass hay; I feed to yearlings through seniors. When I have them, foals and weanlings get a growth formula.

My 6 adult B-size minis all get 1/2# ProAdvantage daily plus grass hay (about 7# daily - right now they are on free choice, its cold here). My yearling B filly gets 14 oz ProAdv daily plus 1 cup oats and 1 cup alfalfa pellets and free choice grass hay. The A-size stallion gets 1/4# ProAdv, 1 cup alfalfa pellets and free choice grass hay. And, now that its winter, they each get 1/3# dry measure beet pulp pellets (soaked before feeding, its about 4 cups soaked beet pulp each).

 

[Matt73]

All my guys get 3-4 lbs. (a guess) of grass hay/day. All get 1/4 lb. of Buckeye Gro 'n Win 2x/day. Once my mare foals she'll basically get free choice hay along with 1/2 lb. of Gro 'n Win 2x/day (doubled). Foals start a milk based Buckeye Foal Starter in as little as a few days old...and start the Gro 'n Win at 4 mos. (or at weaning).

Simple

 

[Leeana]

I've really played with my feeding program this year, has taken me forever to find something that they like and look how i would like them to look at the same time. I'm so very picking about feeding my babies (weanling - yearlings especially) and the show horses. During show season i will add beet pulp, like around April...right now its just a good grain, hay and a muscle suppliment on a few.

Junior Horses & Show Horses - Tiz Whiz Sixteen pellets, alfalfa/orchard grass mix hay and a muscle or joint suppliment. They get 1 - 1.5 pound her 100 pounds of Tiz Whiz.

Broodmares - Buckeye Gro N Win 32% Ration Ballancer about 1 cup (1/4 lb) 1x a day, will double last 3 months prior to foaling and then after foaling with cleaned rolled oats. Free choice round bale hay nearly 23/7 and pasture. One broodmares has PLE and a overactive thyroid and is grained tiz whiz twelve pellets (1/2 cup 2x day) with thro-L powder. All mares are supplimented with Dumor Mare Plus.

Maintance pasture horses (Open mares, mature outside horses) - Free choice hay, mineral licks and grained 2x day with Nutrena 12% pellets.

 

[albahurst]

I absolutely love Prgressive/Buckeye products.

Most get a ration balancer for grass hay, plus grass hay/pasture.

Foals and yearlings get Foals First Growth Formula, a small amt of alfalfa pellets, hay, and wet beet pulp.

Show horses get Alfalfa balancer with alfalfa hay or pellets (whatever is available). Plus wet beet pulp and some hay this time of year.

Those who need extra calories get a little alfalfa or alfalfa pellets, wet beet pulp in addition to hay. A couple are on a bit of oats, as they need more calories.

This time of year with the cold they are all on alfalfa (varying amts- depends on horse) and wet beet pulp.

Oh, I have one mare that just had surgery and we are trying to keep her weight up so she is on a Sr feed, alfalfa pellets, wet beet pulp.

My suggestion would be to get someone to help you with your horses' individual needs- maybe come to your house - and help you plan a program that fits your particular needs.

Peggy

 

[bingo]

Wow my weanlings and yearlings would explode on 12 cups of grain +hay a day. My vets really prefer as little grain as possible and instead very good quality alfalfa mix hay with a all around vitamin. When I do feed grain I choose whole oats.

I find they really stay shape on this diet and it is what works for us.

 

[Jill]

We use a complete senior feed (a pellet) from our Co-Op that is formulated by Kentucky Equine Research. I think it's a good quality feed and it is 14% protein / 5% fat / 18% fiber. We use it to stretch our hay in winter as well as as our "grain". However, some of our horses get too fluffy on this senior feed and we have switched these to a low starch feed from the Co-Op which is also formulated by KER. It is called "Fat & Fiber" (not the most appetizing name...) but the horses love it and it's got very high nutrition while being low carb. It is 12% protein / 6% fat / 20% fiber and it can also be used to stretch the hay. We just started using this a couple weeks ago, but i think it will do good for quite a few of our nags

In addition to these pellets and the grass hay, they all have free access to minerals, yearlings and younger are dewormed monthly, 12mos+ are dewormed every other month... Works well for us.

 

[kaykay]

Well I certainly do not have any exploding horses LOL. AGain Equine jr is COMPLETE feed. Its not like giving them 12 cups of sweet feed etc. Two of my weanlings showed this year and I got tons of compliments on how good they looked. Anyone that has shown a weanling knows how hard it is to show them without a big bloated belly etc. Weanlings are pretty much fed it free choice. They will not eat until they explode they will eat what they need and leave the rest. Also our yearling girls showing this year got more then that and did very well showing this year.

Dale

Jim

Tease yearling

Promise yearling

 

[nicmac74]

Dale- they all look beautiful without any bellies!I guess Equine Senior is a complete feed too?I am thinking of switching from Omolene 200 to TC Equine Senior plus alfalfa/orchard hay.

Well I certainly do not have any exploding horses LOL. AGain Equine jr is COMPLETE feed. Its not like giving them 12 cups of sweet feed etc. Two of my weanlings showed this year and I got tons of compliments on how good they looked. Anyone that has shown a weanling knows how hard it is to show them without a big bloated belly etc. Weanlings are pretty much fed it free choice. They will not eat until they explode they will eat what they need and leave the rest. Also our yearling girls showing this year got more then that and did very well showing this year.
Dale

Jim

Tease yearling

Promise yearling

 

[bingo]

Like you said there are many different ways to feed. It is one of those things that is as subjective as show quality and conformation

You just have to go with what you feel works for you and your horses.

 

[SHANA]

I feed Omolene 200 and soaked beet pulp plus hay. I also have one horse on selenium-E which I mix in his grain. They have a salt block and Super Block(mineral and vitamin block) in their paddock shelters, most of mine stay outdoors 24/7. Though I have my weanlings in at night and in bad weather. Most of my minis are nice and fat and are wormed regularly as well. Though I have fed Equine Jr and Equalizer before.

 

[nicmac74]

Shana- how much Omolene and beetpulp do you feed daily?

I feed Omolene 200 and soaked beet pulp plus hay. I also have one horse on selenium-E which I mix in his grain. They have a salt block and Super Block(mineral and vitamin block) in their paddock shelters, most of mine stay outdoors 24/7. Though I have my weanlings in at night and in bad weather. Most of my minis are nice and fat and are wormed regularly as well. Though I have fed Equine Jr and Equalizer before.

 

[kaykay]

Nicmac thanks so much for the compliment

I am not familiar with TC feeds so really cant say if its comparable. I have only used Purina Jr and Sr complete feeds. I do always tell people to really be careful supplementing when horse is on a complete feed. For example Purina jr has hay and beet pulp in every pellet so you dont need to feed beet pulp as its already in the feed. Just be sure and read the labels carefully and see whats in the feed.

Bingo--like I said in my first post there are about a million ways to feed and many work very well. This is just how I do it and what works for me.

I will say though that I have seen way more thin horses especially weanlings and yearlings at shows then I have heavy horses. And its usually someone that mistakes a thin horse as being in "show shape" or "refined" when its actually just a thin horse. I saw some weanlings this year that about make you cry they are so thin and so bloated. But if you try to suggest that maybe they need to up the feed people get very mad

 

[Kari]

I feed Strategy to my broodmares, most of them get 2 cups 2x/day.

Strategy for stallion, 2 cups 2x/day.

Allegra Senior for the oldies, 2-3 cups 2x/day.

All 7 horses split 4 cups (before soaked) beet pulp 2x/day, and

1/4 cup BOSS 1x/day.

3lbs each local hay 3x/day.

Kari

 

[SHANA]

nicmac74 it depends on the horse and it's individual needs.