i have a question about feed, I have 6 horses and i was wondering what would be the best feed for all 6 horses so im not buying 2 different feeds. I am Currently feeding Tizwhiz 16 percent pellets to my 2 year old quarter 700 pounds, he gets about 2 lbs of grain per day, plus grass mix hay, usually about 5 leaves, i just bought a yearling hes at least 600 pound and 14 hands, he should get at least 16 hands he gets about 1 puond of grain per day(i am working him up he is used to sweet feed) plus hay i also have a 15 yr quarter thoroughbred walker mix gelding at the barn hes my sisters horse that has lost alot of weight and i cant get him to gain weight, im going to get his teeth floated, he is usually an easy keeper he is on 12 percent Dumor feed and gets about 2 pounds a day plus all the hay he can eat, thats about a bale or more a day. i also have 2 ponys and another quarter all are in good shape that seem to be doing fine with whatever i feed they are also on dumor 12 percent. i like to feed pellets i think they get more out of it but my sister like the sweet feed for her 15 year old i think it would just be easier to buy 1 grain for all

Where are you from? ohio

How did you locate this forum? search

Hi Felicia,

Feeding one feed for all 6 horses would certainly be easier, I agree, but it would not meet their individual needs. You have two youngsters that are still growing and should not have a large amount of starch in their diets. They also require additional lysine, as well as more calcium, and other minerals.

Your older horse is having weight problems, which could be due to teeth problems or other health issues. And, he may require digestive assistance in order to help him obtain more calories from his forage.

Ponies have genetic tendencies toward holding on to body fat, which require low starch diets, along with additional magnesium.

So, I think I've only made things more complicated for you!

So, if you want to feed a commercial ration, choose one that is appropriate for each age group. And, see if you can find low starch feeds for your ponies and youngsters. Depending on their activity level, you may want to supplement a high fat supplement(such as flaxseed meal) that boosts their overall health with omega 3 fatty acids.

I would normally recommend that you consider setting up a phone consultation so we can go over the needs of each horse, but I have to tell you up front, that I would recommend that you customize each horse's diet, rather than go with a "one size fits all" approach. I would be delighted to help you further if you like to examine this situation in more depth.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Looking just at my 2 year old quarter 13.2 to 14 hands 700 lbs and yearling solid paint 14 hands around 5-600lbs at least what would be the best feed for them, those two i plan on showing later on down the road in barrels and just riding trails what would be the best feed for them, the two year old is starting on training like i said earlier they are both on tizwhiz 16 percent and my 2 year old gets about 3 lbs a day and the yearling gets about 1 lb a day, they also get 1 2 quart scoop of alfalfa cubes a day each but i was thinking about putting them on pellets instead though, also they get 5 leaves of mix grass hay a day each. i dont know if tizwhiz is high in starch or not, should i switch them to ultium or safechoice or keep them on the feed they are on and
could i feed necessity with these feeds or is it needed
what do the prices run on ultium and safechoice i can get both in my area thank you soo much
felicia

Where are you from? ohio

How did you locate this forum? search

Hi Felicia,

Check the ingredients lable on the TizWiz to see if it contains cereal grains (e.g., oats, barley, corn, etc.). I expect it does. So, switching them to a lower starch feed is a good idea. Since they are very active, I would recommend Purina Ultium rather than Safe Choice. However, the price is higher for Ultium.

I would also add flaxseed meal to their diets to boost their fat intake in order to meet their higher caloric needs. Plus, flaxseed meal will provide additional omega 3 fatty acids, to help keep their immune systems strong during their performances as well as provide joint protection. Nutra Flax is ideal.

Yes, you can easily switch to alfalfa pellets. A good rule of thumb is 1 lb of alfalfa pellets is equivalent to 2 lbs of hay or cubes.

Go by their weight and condition to see if you are feeding enough to meet their energy needs.

I hope this is helpful.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, Colorado

i have switched my yearling 14 hands 5-600lbs and 2 year old 14 hands 700 lbs both quarter horses to ultium they are getting 1/2 2 quart scoop a day of it plus about 5 to 6 leaves of mixed grass hay a day each, i was feeding them each 1 full 2 quart scoop of alfafa cubes but i now have pellets, i was thinking that i should feed the a half of scoop of pellets, i was wondering if this is enough or too much or what you suggest, both are in very good health and in good shape i have not got the nutra flex yet but plan on starting them on that soon, how much should i feed of that
thank you very much
felicia

Where are you from? ohio

How did you locate this forum? search

Hi Felicia,

Purina Ultium is a low starch feed, but is not adequate for growth. So, the amount you are feeding is reasonable to prevent them getting overweight. However, You will want to add a multiple vitamin/mineral supplement to support their additional mineral needs plus the need for additional lysine (an amino acid).

You could go with Triple Crown Growth, if you have this feed in your area, fed according to directions, plus additional Lysine. Pure Lysine provides 4000 mg of Lysine per scoop and you would want to offer at least one to two scoops depending on the feed you choose.

Or you could stick with Ultium and feed Mare/Foal IIP plus additional lysine. Vita Key Mare and Foal is higher in lysine, so you wouldn't need to get Pure Lysine.

But, the bottom line is -- you need to feed for growth. Additional lysine, along with minerals such as copper, zinc, and manganese are essential, as well.

And one last point... it would be very helpful to weigh your feed since a "scoop" doesn't tell you the weight of your feed. A 2 quart scoop simply measures volume and how much the feed weighs depends on the feed. 2 Quarts of Beet Pulp only weighs 1 lb; 2 quarts of alfalfa pellets weighs almost 3 pounds. So, weigh your feed to get the most accurate measurement.

Since you already have Ultium, I would suggest that you stick with it, and supplement Mare/Foal IIP at one ounce per day and Pure Lysine at 1 scoop per day.

If at some point, you'd like to do a thorough analysis of what you're feeding, along with your hay and/or pasture consumption, I would be happy to help you with that via a private consultation.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

P.S. Regarding the amount of Nutra Flax to feed, you can safely feed 2 ounces (one of the provided scoops) per day.

Where are you from? Bayfield, Colorado