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msar-riders - [MSAR] Pelleted feed, ignorance or bliss?

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  • From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
  • To: MSAR <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Pelleted feed, ignorance or bliss?
  • Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2006 22:36:11 -0500

[Deleted HTML duplicate. -Una]

I saw your question posted on the MSAR website through Una Smith. First of
all, why on earth WOULD you want to feed a pelletized feed to a horse in the
first place?
Second of all, contact a Unniversity vetrinarian regarding the major causes
of colic and they will more than likely tell you not to feed pelletized feed
to start with.

Contrary to popular beleif, horses that are fed a good quality grass hay in
abundance will be better off than horses getting a feeding 2 x daily that
consist of a lessor amount of hay plus pellets or grain. GRASS HAY worked
in the old days, so why re-invent the wheel when it comes to feeding horses
today?

Why, because horses are grazers. They are made and meant to eat at will.
This keeps their tummies and their intestinal tracts IN TUNE AND doing what
they are designed for and that is constant movement. Horses in the old day
swere constantly on the move too from pasture to pasture and had little
trouble with internal parasites.

The pellets of today are made of concentrate giving the horse less internal
movement and also they will gunk up the horses system and also can cause
blockages. Ask any vet what caused a colic with an intestinal blockage and
they will tell you that a gallstone like object needed to be removed if they
performed a surgery. Ask them how did that happen...they will tell you that
the plaque buildup in the horses intestine and probably internal parasites
caused the gallstone to form. Along with something such as grain getting
caught in the gut and then like a pearl, the thing grew to form the blockage.
The stones can get huge too. I have seen some that were removed the size of
almost a softball.

I realize pellets are convenient and most beleive that is the best way to
feed or maybe cheaper way too but is it really? Is it worth the long term
risk to your horses health?
So, to keep my horses from becoming an oyster of sorts, we feed straight
grass hay.

Hay in abundance is known to keep horses far warmer in the winter time than
grain fed animals. too, why, because the hay as it is digested and passing
through the animals digestive tract is fermenting in the horses gut and
producing HEAT! Corn has little value as it is not in the gut long enough to
produce a longer term effect in a grazing animal to both keep him warmer in
the winter and keep HIS GUTS MOVING!

One of the last things you need on a trail ride is your horse tying up from
too much work and improper feed.

One other thing, IF you do not know how to analize the quality of hay for
its total digestionable nutrients, all the supplements in the can or in
pellets, corn or what have you will only work against you and have you
playing mad scientist at feeding time. I have been feeding my horses a
straight grass hay free choice and pasture diet since the late 70's. I have
NEVER HAD A CASE OF Cushings, founder or colic or a problem in supplements
since I quite feeding anything pelleted or any grain AND in the past 25 plus
years I have raised quite a few horses in my day as I am a small breeder and
my horses have never had a bad foot caused by diet or other diet related
milady.

We use our horses for everything...competive riding, gaming parades, the
list goes on....Also, one otherthing, when grainingm there is a right way and
a wrong way to feed a horse that is a hot blood versus a cold blood or the
breeds inbetween. Hot bloods will get hyper on grain faster that the warm or
cold bloods...so ask yourself why your horse might be behaving a little badly
if he is...that could be a really good reason...he is high on grain. And
after a horse is worked his body temperature gets hot...you definetly do not
wnt to "fuel" that fire. He needs to be cooled ou first.

Nowadays I hear complaints from many many horseman that they have trouble
with their horses..they will say founder, cushings and colic and other diet
related problems that tell me that they are not feeding their horses properly
to start with.... AND EVERY ONE OF THEM ARE HOOKED ON PELLETS AND SUPPLEMENTS
AND NOT GETTING A GOOD QUALITY HAY. THEY ARE ALSO FEEDING TOO RICHLY
with alfalfa or too MANY TREATS or in some way causing an upset in the diet
with "kindness" or ignorance.

Good luck with your venture!

Sincerely,
Karen Nesbitt

PS - Well, hope that helps. It is what we personally have come to know
through many years of horseownership. Plus, living right nextdoor to one of
the largest equine clinics in Ilinois in my younger days and by learnig
through others misfortuneate experiences was a great payofff in visitor
information. And thankfully, my vet bills
through many years have been really slim..





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