hi dr. getty! great site :)

a friend where i board brought in a large bag of "table bran" to make mashes out of. she feeds this to her horse a couple nights a week as a treat and encouraged me to do the same. my trainer told me this wasn't healthy, as giving them bran more than once a week can cause them to have problems with absorbing vitamins, and even cause them to lose weight. so i'm wondering, is it safe to give them mashes as a treat, or should it be done more or less regularly, or not at all?

the horses in question are all in good weight, healthy, are out on pasture with grass hay and eat 3-4 flakes of grass hay and a coffee can of sweet or pelleted feed in their stalls at night. thank you so much for any information on the subject! :)

Where are you from? easton, pa

How did you locate this forum? recommendation from COTH forums

Hi Jara,

I agree with your trainer. Bran, in high quantities can bind certain minerals, so if it is fed, it needs to be fed in moderation. Also most bran is not balanced for the proper calcium:phosphorus ratio. So, here again, if fed regularly, it can lead to an inverted ratio, where there is more phosphorus than calcium in the diet. This can be quite harmful.

And, the last problem with this feeding regimen is the lack of consistency. When a new feed is introduced into the diet, the bacterial flora in the hind gut have to adjust. So, a new feed needs to be added slowly and provided every day. If only offered once in a while, you risk an episode of colic.

The only bran I ever recommend is rice bran that has been stabilized and fortified with calcium. And, because it is high in fat, it is a good supplement for horses that need to gain weight.

But, in your case, I do not see the need to add bran to the diet. If you want to give them a warm and tasty treat, you could soak some alfalfa cubes in some warm water and give that to them regularly. The alfalfa will boost the protein quality of the grass hay diet, as well.

Thanks for writing!

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

thank you so much for replying! i will forward this to my friends. :)

Where are you from? easton, pa

How did you locate this forum? recommendation from COTH forums

Glad to help!

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO