Hello Bonnie,

Alfalfa has received a lot of “negative press” but in actually, there is no scientific evidence that it is in any way harmful. In fact, it's just the opposite. Alfalfa complements the protein found in your grass hay, so you create a high quality protein source. Alfalfa is also an excellent source of calcium and vitamin E, both of which are important for healing and bone strength.

I would suggest that you add some alfalfa to her existing diet, such as the timothy/alfalfa combo. Rice bran is an excellent source of soluble fiber and it is highly digestible, so her bacterial flora is protected against the potential harm that too much starch can create (from grain).

So bottom line – Add some alfalfa and rice bran. Reduce her senior feed some, so you don’t overdue the grain-based feed. And, add a probiotic to keep her digestive system running smoothly. The goal is to give her energy for weight gain, and high quality protein so she can build muscle tissue. If she still requires extra calories to gain weight, try adding some flaxseed oil to her diet or even flaxseed meal.

Hope this is helpful!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Thanks so much, Dr. Getty, for your prompt response.

Bonnie

Where are you from? Orange County, CA,2

How did you locate this forum? from a search on equine nutrition