Hello again :)

I'm trying to trim my expenses a little to get out of my horrendous financial situation. Anyway, I do not want my two girls to suffer for it. Currently I am feeding Ultium, but it is $16.99 a bag!!! I'm currently feeding about 2 bags a month. I know not much but if you add it all up for the year, it's a little expensive.

I see that Blue Seal has come out with a new grain, Carb Guard http://www.blueseal.com/equine/productpages/8_Carb-Guard.pdf

Would this be a good choice to switch too or Nutrena Safe choice?? The Carb Guard is $12.60 a bag and the safe choice is $12.00 a bag.

Thanks
J.

Where are you from? NH

How did you locate this forum? web

Hello Js,

I had a question for you. are you going thru 2 bags per horse a month, or just 2 bags?

At prices of $34 or $68 a month depending on how many bags you are actually going thru I am not quite understanding your need to lessen this expense. You know how many would kill to actually be able to have happy, healthy, fat horses at even $68 a month.

I have 5 horses and our grain bill is $200 a month. Luckily 2 of them are extremely easy keepers. Otherwise the cost would be more. Never mind the vaccinations, teeth floats, trims, wormers, and those unexpected vet bills. This past year i had an EPM horse. You just never know what can happen.

Not to be rude , but if you financial situation right now is so extreme that 2 or 4 bags of feed a month is tuff, what about everything else they need?

From one loving horse mom to another

Where are you from? TX

How did you locate this forum? a friend

Well they get hay. I was just thinking that if I could cut out a dollar here and there that it all adds up. My horses want for nothing... I just thought that if perhaps Safe Choice or the Carb Guard was just as good that they could have that instead of the Ultium.

Where are you from? NH

How did you locate this forum? web

I just wanted to note again that my horses get everything that they need. Shoes every 6-8 weeks, wormed every 6 weeks, Hay, Glanzen, Ultium, a little hay stretcher, bug spray, they have all their shots and their teeth are floated. I'm just looking to see if I can create a better financial situation for myself if I trim a couple dollars here and there from my expenses. Believe me, my horses aren't not going to be not fed or cared for. I'm trying to bring in my lunch to work everyday, drive around less, etc. Just trying to tighten the budget up a little.

If it will make that much of an effect changing them from Ultium to Safe Choice or whatever, By all means, I won't do it.

Where are you from? NH

How did you locate this forum? web

Hi JS,

I took a look at the Blue Seal product and I was pleasantly surprised. This must be a new product for Blue Seal since they have typically had feeds that were very high in starch and sugar.

So, I say -- go for it! There's no need to spend more on a feed if you can get something comparable at a lesser price (I'm quite the comparison shopper!).

But, having said that, (and this is true for Ultium as well), these feeds are much too low in Vitamin E. So, you may want to consider adding a vitamin E supplement (or one that contains Vitamin E and Selenium, depending on how much of this feed you're providing each day).

Keep up the fine work!

Happy Holidays!

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hi everyone,

i have a horse that has EPSM which is a muscle disorder and his diet requires a low sugar and starch feed. I found out about the Blue Seal Carb-guard through my vet. I checked all of the local feed stores around here in New York but none of them seem to carry it.

I was wondering if anyone could let me know where i can get this feed. Even if it means i have to order it from another state. I am in desperate need. Please email me at Flight2thewin125@aol.com - as soon as posible.

Thanks in advance!
Andre

Where are you from? New york

How did you locate this forum? web site links

Hi Andree, I apologize for bumping in but I have mine on Triple Crown Lite, very low in sugar and starch. Dr. Getty recommended it because I to wanted to stay away from the starches. Is it available where you live. It's great feed.

Hi Andree and Vicky,

Yes, Triple Crown also has a line of low starch feeds that are comparable to the Blue Seal product.

Happy New Year!

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hi everyone,

thank you for the info. My vet had told me to try the carb-guard first before i tried any other grain, so i went for it. about 3 days ago, my horse was started slowly getting switched over the carb-guard. Thank goodness i found a Reboy Supply about a half hour away from where i live.

i also have another question. i have heard/read that Kelloggs Cracklin' Oat Bran is a great treat for EPSM horses. But i cant pin point how this is possible if the sugar content is 15g per 3/4 cup.... if anyone knows about this "treat", their comments would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks again!

Andrée.

Where are you from? New york

How did you locate this forum? web site links

Hello Andree,

Since this cereal has 15 grams of sugar per serving, that's equal to 3 teaspoons of sugar. It's not excessive, but I would not recommend it for a horse with EPSM since your goal is to reduce sugar levels as much as possible.

Go with a low sugar/low starch treat such as alfalfa cubes or pellets.

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Thank you Dr. ,

i give him the alfalfa cubes soaked in water and oil too. He finally started eating them since he realized that it's pretty much the only "treats" he's going to get. i feel bad because he doesnt know that he has EPSM and the other horses get carrots and apples and he's not allowed to have them. Sometimes, i do give him the sugar free mints and he loves those but i wish he could have actual horse cookie treats since they were his favorite before he was diagnosed with EPSM.

i found out about a new horse treat called Skodes (?). It's supposed to be sugar free and good, all natural stuff but i'm not sure if i can trust it. Can you let me know your thoughts about them??

the URL link for the website is :

http://www.skodeshorsetreats.com/

i would really appreciate it. Thank you so much for all of your help.

Andrée.

Where are you from? New york

How did you locate this forum? web site links

Hi Andree!

I took a look at the website you gave me and I like them!!! They're not really a treat like a typical "cookie" but instead, a mixture of forages and herbs -- that you'd feed by the handful.

I will even look into carrying this product on my website.

Thank you for letting me know about this product and let me know how your horse likes it.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Dr Getty,

I would like to thank you for all of the help you have provided me with. My horse Oliver and I thank you so much!

By the way, as soon as i order the Skodes horse treats, I will let you know how they work out for my horse!

Thanks again!
Andree

Where are you from? New york

How did you locate this forum? web site links

Hi Andree,

Yes, please do keep me posted.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hi Andree,
Big thanks to you for telling us about Skodes! Their products look great, so I'm ordering some for my horse!
Kelly

Where are you from? Oregon

How did you locate this forum? friend

Good news! I will be offering Skodes treats on my website in the next few days, since I only offer products that I feel are worthwhile. The owner of the company is a client and I was very pleasantly surprise to find that out!

So, please visit my website to learn more in a few days. I am going to try the sample pack to see how all the flavors taste (I taste everything that my horses eat, don't you?!).

To find my store, simply go to the homepage (click above where it says, Return to Website) and then click on "Dr. Getty's Free Shipping Store."

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

And I thought that I was the only one who tasted everything my horse ate!

Where are you from? Oregon

How did you locate this forum? friend

Isn't nice to know that you're part of the "horse-crazy club?!"

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hi Dr Getty,

I am so excited to hear that you are now offering the Skodes horse treats on your web page! I am very glab to help!

My vet (from Frontier Equine Practice) came out on Wednesday to check up on my horse Ollie for a follow up on his diet. She said he looks great besides the fact that he needs to put on some more weight. I asked her about another supplement to add to my horses feed and she recommended Blue Seal Mini-Vite. I was reading up on the supplement and there are different types of the Mini-vite that you can get but my vet didnt specify which one. Off of the top of my head, I think the choices are mini-vite mixed hay, mini-vite alfalfa and mini-vite grass hay. Which do you think would be better for my horse?

Is anyone else using this multi-vitamin that can tell me how theirs works?

Also, a little more than a month ago, I was free lunging Ollie and he slipped and fell. When he got up, he was having crazy muscle spazems in his back/side and he was coughing non-stop. Immediately after the accident, i noticed a lump on his lower neck that was about the size of a golf ball and very sensative to the touch. About twenty minutes after this happen and i had gotten my horse to calm down, i called the vet to ask her what she thought this lump could be. I talked to the vet assistant because my vet was on call somewhere else and she said that it may be a blood clot? and i would have to call back in a couple of weeks to have it drained ?? ...

I wasnt too sure that she was right so as it was in the middle of winter and i wouldnt cold hose, i kept dabbing it with a cold wet cloth..

When my actual vet came out on Wednesday, she examined the lump (as it is still there) , and she said that he badly tore one of the strips of muscle guarding the Trachea. She said with his EPSM, it probably wont heal completely and there isn't much we can do... now that it is not very sore anymore, Ollie likes it when I massage it with some liniment. The vet said that's all we can do is make him feel better about it and there really isn't a cure.

Do you have any other suggestions?


Im sorry for such a long message here. I really appreciate you helping me out with all of my questions and responding so quickly.

Thanks again!
Take care!!
Andrée

Where are you from? New york

How did you locate this forum? web site links

Hi Andree, I hope you don't mind if I give my two cents worth. It would probably be beneficial to your horse to have a equine massage therapist look at him. They are very helpful with soft tissue injuries.

Kelly

Hi Kelly,

Of course i don't mind!! I love getting connected with the other horsey people! I was thinking about getting an equine massage therapist to come look at my horse. The problem is that there aren't many good ones out here. Equine massage Therapy is one of my ideas to take up in college!!

Thanks for your reply!
Andree

Where are you from? New york

How did you locate this forum? web site links

You'll love it!!! Very rewarding for you and the horses.
Kelly

Hi Andree,

I have to respectfully disagree with your vet regarding the inability of EPSM horses to heal adequately. True, they have demands on their metabolism that makes healing slower, but with more aggressive treatment, there is no reason to give up.

Massage is fine, and you can certainly consider it. But, from a nutritional perspective, I would suggest that you give your horse a potent antioxidant preparation to ease inflammation and speed healing. PreOx is what I would recommend.

Having said this, there are several issues apparently going on with your horse and I prefer to know the big picture before prescribing a therapeutic diet. So, if I can help you with this let me know.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Curious to know if anyone has had a problem with the Carb-Guard. I have 9 horses on two separate properties. They eat different hay from different farms, and have no access to grass (unfortunately). I have fed Contender for several years, and decided to switch to this new product because it sounded more appropriate for my herds.

My horses get fresh water every day and are separated for meal time. In the last week (I changed to Carb-Guard within the month) I have had two cases of choke in two different horses. I have not seen a case of choke in over 20 years, and these two horses are on separate properties. The only common thing is the feed. I switched them very slowly, and can't find anything else that could cause this.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem.

Thanks,

Where are you from? Connecticut

How did you locate this forum? search engine

Hello Carol,

I'm really sorry to hear about your choke episodes. I hope that since the time you last wrote, that things are settled down.

D Carb Balance is a pellet, as you know, and perhaps that could have contributed toward the problem. Some horses tend to choke on pelleted feeds. Therefore, there are two things that can help with this. First, lower the feed bowl to no more than 2 feet above the ground. Horses do best eating low to the ground. And secondly, moisten the pellets with some water before feeding.

I hope this is helpful.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Both of these horses are fed in ground feeders large enough to keep out dirt of other foreign objects. They have both been on some form of pelleted feed for their entire lives. I have since switched off the Carb-Guard and haven't had any further problems.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Carol

Where are you from? CT

Hi Carol,

I know how relieved you must be that all is well. Thank you for letting me know.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hello,
I have a 5 year old Canadian Warmblood Gelding who has weakness in his right hind once he starts working or exercising. You can actually feel the muscle knotted (about the size of a tennis ball). I've had him examined by two different vets 3 separate times. He has had blood tests taken to determine if there are any muscle problems and he was also DNA tested for PSSM. All came back negative.
He has never tyded up. I currently have him on a low Carb high fat diet. His diet consists of 1 quart of rice bran pellet, 3 quarts of alpha pellets and 2 cups of blue seal sunshine (like calf mana - high protein) in the AM/PM. He is also fed 1 quart of speedi-beet (98% sugar free beet pulp) soaked in the PM only. Along with this feed program he is getting 2 cups of Oil AM/PM and a wealth of supplements ( Kentucy Performance - Myo-Guard Each 1-ounce dose provides:
Vitamin E 1000 IU
Vitamin C 1500 mg
Selenium 1 mg
Magnesium 3000 mg
, a Multi Vitamin, Vit E 5000). He's been on this diet program for 3 months and has gained 50lbs. He could use more weight as he's 17 Hands and big boned. He weighs approximately 1200 lbs. He is turned out with other horses for 12 hrs a day. He's not being worked as it's winter here and I don't have an indoor. We first noticed his weakness last year when he was in professional training for dressage. After warmup and when he started working he would stop and put his tail up and not go forward. We called a Vet out to check him and had him massaged. We cut back on his training but he didn't improve so we brought him home and had more Vet visits and more tests. After 3 months of his current diet we are still noticing weakness in his right hind. When he's playing and running with the other horses he will abuptly stop and put his tail up. And just stand there for a while and then finally walk.
Can you comment on his diet and supplements ? Is it too extreme ? Can you offer advice. Thanks Marie Marr

Where are you from? Spencerport NY

How did you locate this forum? Searching for nutritional information

Hello Marie,

The four things that come to mind are magnesium, B vitamins, salt, and water.

He needs more magnesium -- he should have 5,000 mg per 250 lbs of body weight. So, he sounds like a big boy and needs to have a minimum of 20,000 mg of magnesium per day. Quiessence, at 4 scoops per day, will meet this requirement. Magnesium is essential for muscle function.

B vitamins work on the nervous system and are also necessary for helping the muscles get the energy they need from his feed. Go with B Plex because this is a pure B complex formula.

Water is very important and many horses get dehydrated during the winter months becuase the water is too cold to drink. Be sure to heat your water with heated water buckets or a water heater designed for water troughs. It should be no colder than 50 degrees Farenheit.

And, finally, salt is critical to muscle contraction and relaxation. Add one ounce (two tablespoons) of plain, white table salt (the variety you buy in the grocery store) to his feed each day, divided between meals.

I hope this is helpful. Please keep me posted.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Thank you Dr. Getty for your response and I will take your advice on the supplements. Are these recommendations in addition to the other supplements he is now getting (Myo-Guard,multivitamin,VitE) ? Thank you again, Marie

Where are you from? Spencerport, NY

How did you locate this forum? online looking for horse nutrition

Hi Marie,

Quiessence and BPlex will be fine with the multi and vitamin E. The MyoGuard already appears to be a multivitamin preparation, so I don't know which other multi you're feeding. You should not be feeding two multi vitamin/mineral preparations. MyoGuard contains 3000 mg of magnesium per ounce, so you can adjust the Quiessence accordingly.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hi Everyone,
I have a concern about the Carb Guard also. I've noticed that my horses back off the feed. When I have fed my guys Carb Guard they will eat a little and just stop eating and walk off and these 2 will eat anything. Anyone else noticed this? I'm also concerned about the vitamins and minerals also. I'm a big Legends and Triple Crown fan.
Thanks for your time,
Kathy

Where are you from? Maryland

How did you locate this forum? on line

Hello Kathy,

Carb Guard, according to Blue Seal's website, has less than 11% NSC, which is fine for insulin resistant horses. Triple Crown's Low Starch is much higher than this -- at 13.5%. Their Triple Crown Lite, however, is better at 9.3% NSC.

If you have a more specific question regarding this feeds' ingredients or nutrient content, please feel free to let me know.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO