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Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition

   Welcome to my forum. 

Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information. 

Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you. 

Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought

I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.

And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.  

 

All the best,

 Dr. Getty 

 



Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Hay

Hi there,

I have recently decided to take my horses off our rye grass/clover pastures and feed them ad lib hay. They are prone to obesity and laminitis. I am soaking the hay. As it is late in the season hay is hard to come by so I am buying it from a variety of sources. I understand the need to test it to work out a balanced diet and what supplements to use but as it is from a variety of sources this would become very costly. Could you suggest what this diet may be lacking in so I could at least make an educated guess to adding supplements?

Where are you from? New Zealand

How did you locate this forum? naturalhorsepeople link

Re: Hay

Greetings Rachel,

I understand the problem with having hay analyzed when you have a different supply every few weeks. So, this is not an option for you, as you mentioned. Soaking the hay, of course, is best under these circumstances. And, then you'll want to fill in the nutritional gaps with a basic, comprehensive vitamin/mineral supplement. And, a very important adddition to the diet would be magnesium, preferably a magnesium/chromium supplement where you can give your horse 5,000 mg of magnesium per 100 kg of body weight.

Thank you for writing!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO