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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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Re: Feeding my older easy keeper if she is losing weight

Hi Judy,

First let me commend you for doing such a fine job of changing her diet and getting her on the right track. I do have a couple of suggestions for you to help her regain her condition.

First, consider a flaxseed meal based supplement instead of the Enrich 32 that also adds hoof support. I recommend Glanzen Complete. This will do several things:

1) Provide all the vitamins and minerals she needs to fill in the nutritional gaps created by a hay-only diet.

2) Provides additional calories from fat, but the right type of fat -- balanced with omega 3s and omega 6s (if you've read the chapter on Fats in my book, you are now an expert! ). This supplement is made from flaxseed meal which offers mostly omega 3s. These will protect her feet, her skin, hair, as well as her immune function and hormonal balance.

3) And finally, this supplement adds extra biotin along with essential amino acids and relevant minerals to help her hooves improve.

I would discontinue the Dac oil since it likely contains vegetable oil (soybean oil) which is very high in omega 6s, leading to inflammation.

Rather than oats, consider going with a low starch feed or simply make a mixture of beet pulp and alfalfa pellets.

And one more thing -- give her Ration Plus. This is a prebiotic that will feed the existing microbes, making forage digestion more efficient, and hence increase the number of calories she derives from her forage.

If, after you've considered these suggestions and had a chance to review my book, you find that it would be helpful to set up a personal phone visit, let me know. That way I can go over everything in detail and customize a plan for her to take her through her senior years. But try these ideas first and keep me posted.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse


Judy Ayres
I have a newly purchased 17 yr old "easy keeper" Buckskin Quarter horse mare. My first horse. She comes from straight pasture and alfalfa hay with no supplements. Because the owner where I board feeds her brood mares and young horses 2 flakes alfafa hay and a scoop of oats/molasses mix plus vitamins/min morning and night, she was on this for the first week to 10 days.
Then thru research I read that free choice grass hay with supplements is the best for a horse so I took her off oats/molasses mix, buying plain oats giving her 1/2-3/4 scoop morning and evening. I bought some vitamins, ( Vita Plus with Crude protein 10.00%; Lysine .50%; Methionine .20%; Crude Fat, min 8.00%; Crude Fiber max 12.00%; Cal min 638mg; Cal max 780mg; Phosphorous min 425mg; potassium min 241mg; magnesium 12.5 mg just to mention a little of what is on the label ), Dac oil (97% fat, balanced with niacin, thiamine and folic acid) and a joint supplement (Senior Flex with Glucosamine Sul 5,000, MSM, Yucca,Vit D, CHondriotin Sulfate 500mg, EsterC 1,200; Vit A 15,000; Vit E 1,000 IU; Lactobacillus Acidophilus 93, 750 CFU; and Dac oil just so she had something until I figured out what do to. She is also turned out every day 10 hours in a small paddock that has very little grass (she keeps it nibbled down). I give her all the grass hay she wants.
But as of the 7 -8 weeks of owning her I believe she has lost a little weight (using a weight tape…995/980 down to 925). At some angles you can see her ribs just a little. I don't want her getting fat which the previous owners said she would do, but am surprised on the grass hay/oats diet she has lost a little weight. But maybe that is ok…except she is a little saggy on the top line and has a large belly…not particularly good for the show ring.
In the process I have been researching Ration Balancers. I was talked into Enrich 32 by a Purina fella at our local feed store and a tube of Probios (which I gave her). So for past 5 days she has been getting 1.5 pounds Enrich 32 twice a day plus her grass hay, Dac oil. I took her off the Vita Plus.
I have since been on your website and know that I need my hay analyzed. But I have not found a permanent place to purchase it so I am waiting until I do.
I live in Mid north Indiana. She will be lightly ridden by me and grandchildren and shown in 4-H. She is about 14.3 hands.
I just recently noticed small hairline cracks down the front of her front hooves so I read that she may be lacking biotin.
The first week I got her she tested negative for worms. I have not wormed her since.
My questions are: Until I find my source of hay and get it tested…
Continue with Enrich 32 (NSC is 10-14%) or is there something better?
Should I still continue giving her any plain oats? How much?
What about the Dac oil?
What about biotin? Vitamins, minerals?
Thanks, your website is great. I have learned so much. And a friend is loaning me your book. Can't wait to read it.
Judy



.

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Re: Feeding my older easy keeper if she is losing weight

Dear Dr Getty, Thank you so much for your answer to my question. I have done all that you suggested. I am also reading your book.

The hay I am using was tested at .93% Digestible Energy. I calculated that if she is fed 18#s/day it would be 16.74. Beet pulp at 2 qts twice a day would be (1.3 times 2) = 2.6 and one pound of alfalfa hay cubes = 2.15. Add these numbers together you get 21.49. Your book says that an adult horse at moderate exercise at 1100 # needs 23.3. My mare is around 930-950 pounds. So would the 21.49 be about right?

Sometimes I can only feed her twice a day. Would it be alright to feed her a little more hay if I see she has cleaned it all up in the morning in her stall?

After I get her forage calculated I will be working on her protein, vitamins and minerals etc. Thanks, you’re great. Love this forum for all the good information.

Where are you from? Mid North Indiana

How did you locate this forum? Googled it

Re: Feeding my older easy keeper if she is losing weight

Greetings Judy,

Thank you for your patience in my getting back to you.

By now, you have probably answered your own question about giving your mare all the hay she wants so that she doesn't run out. Then, and only then, will she self-regulate her intake and eat what her body needs to maintain a healthy weight. If she runs out of hay, she'll eat her next hay meal very quickly, and the stress of having an empty stomach while she waits for her next meal, causes many problems including improper weight. Be sure to read the first chapter -- Ground Rules for Feeding a Horse to get a clear understanding of how this works. And also take a look at chapter 17 -- Stress and Behavior to gain insight into how running out of forage is stressful (both physically and mentally).

Hope all is going well. Keep up the good work!

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Judy Ayres
Dear Dr Getty, Thank you so much for your answer to my question. I have done all that you suggested. I am also reading your book.

The hay I am using was tested at .93% Digestible Energy. I calculated that if she is fed 18#s/day it would be 16.74. Beet pulp at 2 qts twice a day would be (1.3 times 2) = 2.6 and one pound of alfalfa hay cubes = 2.15. Add these numbers together you get 21.49. Your book says that an adult horse at moderate exercise at 1100 # needs 23.3. My mare is around 930-950 pounds. So would the 21.49 be about right?

Sometimes I can only feed her twice a day. Would it be alright to feed her a little more hay if I see she has cleaned it all up in the morning in her stall?

After I get her forage calculated I will be working on her protein, vitamins and minerals etc. Thanks, you’re great. Love this forum for all the good information.

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO