I have a mare that is a hard keeper and I need to keep her on grass hay. I want to increase the fat in her diet but the more I read about rice bran the more concerned I am about the calcium phosphorus ratio. I don't want to increase her grain very much as she is a high strung horse. She now gets rolled barley, a handful of wheat bran,corn oil along with grass hay
( all she will eat )
Thanks!

Where are you from? New Mexico

How did you locate this forum? yahoo search

Hi Lynn,

Rice bran, and wheat bran – brans, in generally, are very high in phosphorus and low in calcium. Hay is higher in calcium, than phosphorus, so as long as you do not feed a large amount of bran, you’re ok regarding the calcium and phosphorus.

So, I would not recommend that you add rice bran, since you are already feeding wheat bran. Instead, you could consider a flaxseed meal supplement. There are several on the market – Missing Link is an excellent one. Or, you can simply purchase flaxseeds whole from the market and grind them yourself in a coffee grinder.

She may be suffering from a borderline deficiency of the B vitamins, based on the fact that she is having trouble gaining weight. In addition, B vitamins support the bacterial flora in the hind gut, which helps her get the nutrients she needs from her feed, so she can gain weight.

The B vitamins also settle down the nervous system, so her high strung nature will improve. So, I believe that a B vitamin supplement would be very helpful. A probiotic that is high in B vitamins is Ration Plus (www.rationplus.com). There are others, as well, but this one has shown quite favorable results. (I have no connection with this company or with any other, by the way – I simply recommend supplements that have given me and my clients good results.)

So, bottom line – Flaxseed for calories (and omega 3 fatty acids), and B vitamins-Probiotic. And, as a result, you may be able to cut down on the corn oil (which isn’t particularly beneficial healthful).

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Thank you Dr. Getty,

I will look into the flax seed as well as added B vitamins. She is on Select 11 vitamins for grass hay that has B-12 (.3 mg) as well as thiamine (40 mg.) It is calcium phosphorus balanced for the type of hay. That is why I didn't want to add too much phosphorus to put the balance out. Select 11 also has microbials added. If you would like to see the content of these vitamins, their web site is www.selectthebest.com.

Thanks again,
Lynn

Where are you from? NM

Hi Lynn,

Select II is fine and it does have the microbials in it, so you’re right – you won’t need the probiotic. OK -- this changes the picture somewhat. I still would like to see you try a B vitamin supplement, since the Select II is not high enough to show a significant change in her appetite, weight gain, and temperament. There is a B vitamin supplement called B-Plex that is worthwhile. You can find it on line at http://www.horsetech.com/b-plex.htm

So, instead of the Ration Plus, go ahead and get this B vitamin complex instead. (And, of course, continue with your plan to add flaxseed meal).

Keep me posted!

Dr. Getty

Hi Dr. Getty,

How much of the flax meal should I feed? I had understood that too much was not good for horses but I don't know what is the suggested amount.

Thank you for your help.
Lynn

Where are you from? NM

Hi Lynn,

Without analyzing her entire diet, it’s difficult to give you an accurate amount to feed. However, a good place to start would be to offer ½ pound (about ¾ cup) at each meal.

Dr. Getty

Thanks Dr Getty,

That is a place for me to start. Horsetech.com has a product that looks nice to me. It is Nutra-Flax. I may order that if I can't find a nice product locally.

Thank you again,
Lynn

Where are you from? NM

Hi Lynn,

Nutra Flax is a wonderful product. I recommend Omega Horseshine at omegafields.com. -- it is more economical.

Let me know how things progress.

Dr. Getty

Thanks again Dr. Getty,

I am all for economy !!

Lynn

Where are you from? NM