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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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HORSE DIET ?

JUST ADOPTED 2 RESCUE HORSES FROM RESCUE RANCH
THEY WERE MALNOURSHED AND NEGLECTED WITH MAJOR CUTS FROM FARM MACHINERY IN PASTURE. RESCUE RANCH ADDED WEIGHT. HAD THEM 3 MONTHS BEFORE I ADOPTED FROM THEM.
THEY FED THEM A FORMULA OF WET COB,RICE BRAN AND BEET PULP PELLETS(SOAKED)..WHICH THEY RECOMMENDED I CONTINUE......I AM NOT SURE THATS THE BEST THING. DO YOU HAVE ANY BETTER SUGGESTIONS ON FEED. i HAVE THEM ON 2 ACRES OF PASTURE GRASS NOW....AND HAVE A GOOD GRASS HAY ORDERED FOR WINTER. THANK YOU
FRANK DUBREE 10/17/2011

Where are you from? PASCO WA

How did you locate this forum? THROUGH JOE CAMP

Re: HORSE DIET ?

Hello Frank,

First, let me commend you on adopting these horses and giving them a good home where they can thrive and have healthy lives.

I assume by "Cob" you mean a mixture of corn, oats, and barley. And if that's the case, I don't recommend it because corn should not be fed to horses. Corn, and to a lesser extent, barley, is not well digested and can therefore, reach the hindgut where the bacterial population can ferment it to lactic acid. Lactic acid kills these bacteria and the toxins released can lead to laminitis (founder).

Rice bran (for fat) and beet pulp are both excellent. You can continue feeding these but add a good vitamin/mineral supplement that is flaxseed meal based to fill in the nutritional gaps. I recommend Glanzen Complete. Or you can go with High Point for grass diets, and add flaxseed meal in the form of Nutra Flax.

They should have free access to all the grass hay they want, along with approximately 30 to 40% of the hay ration as alfalfa. If you cannot obtain alfalfa hay, you can use cubes or pellets, mixed in with the beet pulp.

Keep up the fine work!

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

FRANK DUBREE
JUST ADOPTED 2 RESCUE HORSES FROM RESCUE RANCH
THEY WERE MALNOURSHED AND NEGLECTED WITH MAJOR CUTS FROM FARM MACHINERY IN PASTURE. RESCUE RANCH ADDED WEIGHT. HAD THEM 3 MONTHS BEFORE I ADOPTED FROM THEM.
THEY FED THEM A FORMULA OF WET COB,RICE BRAN AND BEET PULP PELLETS(SOAKED)..WHICH THEY RECOMMENDED I CONTINUE......I AM NOT SURE THATS THE BEST THING. DO YOU HAVE ANY BETTER SUGGESTIONS ON FEED. i HAVE THEM ON 2 ACRES OF PASTURE GRASS NOW....AND HAVE A GOOD GRASS HAY ORDERED FOR WINTER. THANK YOU
FRANK DUBREE 10/17/2011

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO