Hi, I love all the info on your site and will probably purchase your book, so thank you for all the hard work!

For a couple of years I have been feeding my 3 geldings (easy keepers) a mostly grass hay diet along with Equine Challenge Grass Supplement. Now that I have found this site, I was wondering how you think it compares to the Horsetech products? I was considering trying out Glanzen Complete or Reitsport Complete, but EC Grass may actually be similiar enough?

I had some poor quality hay mixed in with superior hay this winter and I see the difference. Until the grass comes in here (CT) I thought of boosting their nutrition now that I'm aware of how that hay affected them. What is your opinion of Equine Challenge Grass and what would you suggest I do, if anything? Here is the ingredient list (no specific amounts on their web site):
Milled Flaxseed, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium
Carbonate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Magnesium
Carbonate, Yeast Culture, Vitamin D3 Supplement,
Selenium Yeast, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin
C), Dl- methionine, Lysine HCL, Manganese Amino
Acid Complex, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper
Amino Acid Complex, Biotin, Vitamin E
Supplement, Choline Chloride, Vitamin B12, Folic
Acid, Niacinamide, D-Calcium Pantothenate,
Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine HCL (B6), Cobalt
Carbonate, Calcium Iodate, Dried Bacillus
coagulans fermentation product, Dried Bacillus
licheniformis fermentation product, Dried Bacillus
subtilis fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus
acidophilus fermentation product, Dried
Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Dried
Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product,
Dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product,
Dried Whey, Natural and Artificial Flavorings

Where are you from? CT

How did you locate this forum? website, podcast

Hi Jeni,

Though the exact amounts are not listed, I expect that Glanzen Complete has more vitamin E, Vitamin D, and vitamin C -- 2500 IU, 2500 IU, and 2500 mg, respectively. Glanzen Complete is a custom product that Horsetech developed when I asked for a supplement that would fill in the gaps created with mostly hay diets. So it simulates grass very nicely. It also has hoof support.

Reitsport HA-100 Complete is the gold standard -- it is Glanzen Complete plus joint support.

Thank you for writing.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Thank you for getting back to me. What do you think of the additional probiotics in EC vs Glanzen Complete?

Do you recommend first or second cut hay for horses(I know it also depends on the quality and timing)Generally speaking?
I've been feeding 1st, but am wondering if I should really be doing 2nd because of living in the northeast?

Jeni

Where are you from? CT

How did you locate this forum? web site

Hello Jeni,

Thank you for your patience. I've been doing a great deal of traveling lately to provide presentations at horse-related events.

About probiotics... There are no probiotics in Glanzen Complete. The EC product has some listed but not the exact number of CFUs. So, I'm not able to evaluate it. The best approach, however, is to get a separate probiotic such as Daily Start to offer a large number of Colony Forming Units (necessary to have billions) since most vitamin/mineral preparations do not contain a large amount.

About the cutting... the cutting really is not the important factor. The maturity of the hay when it was cut is the factor that influences nutritional value. If the hay contains alfalfa, however, there will be more alfalfa in a second cutting. But for grass hay, avoid coarse, long stems -- an indication of a grass that was very mature at cutting.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO