Just Wanted to Share this Info

[Mikki79]

WE HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THE BEST GRAIN/MIXTURE TO FEED FOR THE MULTITUDE OF HORSES THAT WE HAVE HAD COME THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. WE HAVE TRIED ALMOST EVERYTHING AND ARE STILL MIXING FEED TO FIND THE BEST FORMULA FOR THE HORSES, UNTIL NOW!!!!!!!! RECENTLY BLUE SEAL CAME OUT WITH A FEED CALLED VINTAGE VERSATILITY AND THIS IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST FEED THAT WE HAVE EVER USED FOR EXTREMELY THIN AND HARD KEEPERS. AFTER JUST TWO WEEKS THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN ONE OF OUR EXTREMELY UNDER WEIGHT HORSES. IF YOU HAVE A HARD KEEPER TRY THIS, IT REALLY DOES WORK!!!! THIS FEED WITH RATION PLUS FOR ANY HORSES THAT HAVE A HARD TIME DIGESTING FOOD, WAS GIVING STEROIDS, OR HAS ULCERS WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!!!! WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE HARD KEEPERS OR HORSES THAT WERE RESCUED AND ARE EXTREMELY UNDER WEIGHT. IT'S A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN MOST BUT DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

[Jenny]

Good to know, maybe the SPCA should know about this. Apparently they have a lot of starving horses on their hands.

[soft hearted]

Jenny might be on to something!
As a promo op for you, maybe donate (or give a really reduced rate) of some of that to the Humane Society mentioned.
Give you a chance to get your name and brand out there, get the kudos from the horse world for helping out those in dire need, a tax right off for charitable donations...
The costs will be few (lower than advertising at the regional or national level that you'll get), but the benefits are endless

[Mikki79]

I have thought about that and as much as I wish I could afford to donate to those horses, I'm currently at my max at my own facility and I need to make sure that my house is being taken care of before I can assist with anyone else's house. MEFS is reaching out to others and we have been able to get others to donate for these horses. We do what we can but it never seems like it's enough.

I did let the SPCA know about this brand of feed and also about ration plus as these products used together give amazing results for even the worst cases. Hopefully someone who is able to donate will be able to give them some of these products.

I wish i'd know that Gerry was having an issue I would have made this suggestion to her. I know that I had 3 horses lose massive amounts of weight over a 2 week span and they were never sick, were getting plenty to eat, and are with my own horses who didn't suffer any weight loss. We talked to our vet, we talked to the Amish herbalist in our area, and finally found out that it was because of the steroids in their system. Their bodies were unable to digest the food going into their system and we were recommended the ration plus. Then about a month ago we were contacted by blue seal about their new product so we talked to our feed store about getting some of the versatility in and it really is an amazing feed.

[majxmom]

With all due respect to the intentions of the poster, starved horses should NEVER be fed any kind of concentrate. Alfalfa ONLY until a refeeding program has been completed! HAY puts weight on horses, not grain. Feeding a starved horse any kind of concentrate can lead to immediate death from colic and founder.

[Mikki79]

This post, obviously deemed by some to be in regards to the seized horses, is not; it was information put out for anyone who may be stuggling to get weight or keep weight on an older horse or a hard keeper.

I did also mention a product called ration plus which is used to help get a horse's digestive system back on track and is used for colicing horses. This can be added to either grain or hay.

I'm not trying to tell anyone that this is the best thing for a starved, neglected, old, etc horse. Just wanted to share my experience with these products and how much they have helped my horse.

[Jenny]

I have had quite a few rescue horses, some extremely emaciated and one with a 3 week old foal by her side. I would feed the best possible hay I could find preferably alfalfa and lots of water with electrolytes until it was evident that their bowels were moving good and then I would start them on grain, the best fattiest stuff I could find, and gradually increase it. I have never had a problem with founder and colic. The mare with a foal was approx 17h and only weighed about 800lbs and a foal to nurse as well. I think by the end of the first couple of weeks I had her on 4 meals a day of approx 6quarts each meal of a maternity food. She did very well but it took a long time esp with the foal. Free fed hay for sure. also helps if they have been neglected for a long time they probably have not had their teeth done. So that is very important also. I think everyone had had their own personal experience adn that is all they can draw on. so if people who have rescued horses have had success one way or the other who is to say which way is best. Good luck to all who are dealing with, and caring for all of the neglected horses out there.

[soundfast]

I have never fed any alfalfa hay ever. The starving mares I had back when had pasture + 14% protein horse feed. I increased the amount of the horse feed a little every day and fed it 3 times per day starting from day 1. When the grass got low being as it was winter I fed grass hay. Both were fat and shiny and getting cut back on the horse feed after about 2 months or so. They had no problems gaining weight quickly and they never had colic or founder. Grass has the proper balance of calcium and phosphorus and alfalfa does not but it supposedly helps with ulcers. I think oil helps ulcers. Blue seal feeds have vegetable oil in them which helps them gain weight also. I was interested in feeding it but it is more expensive and not available near me. My old mare who was just skin and bones back when is 33 now and a little harder to keep weight on. She needs her horse pellets(Nutrena Triumph) 3 to 4 times per day. Three times a day she gets them moistened and mixed with cooked oatmeal with milk,corn and soybean oil and some carrot pieces once a day. She has a shine to her coat. Alfalfa hay cut at the wrong time could be fatal because it could have dead blister beetles in it which can kill horses if they eat them. Some of the farmers around here if they were baling alfalfa would probably wait for the blister beetles to show up and then cut it. There is a perversity to some of them. I tried for years to educate them about making good hay now I do not need any unless there is a heavy snowfall because I have fewer animals.

[Mikki79]

The Vintage Versatility is definitely quite a bit more than the average Blue Seal feed but because it has workedwonders where no other product has, we continue to purchase it. I just ordered another case of Ration Plus as well because those items combined have done miracles!!!! And a bottle of ration plus will last one horse 80 days I believe it was.

We also do not feed Alfalfa hay. Our horses are pasture kept and are also receiving 4 flakes of hay a day just because we like to make sure that they are getting plenty. We have done this with every horse that we have taken in that has been neglected and have never had an issue with colic either, but we are all entitled our opinions and feedback.

Does anyone else have a story of something that has worked for them? I'd love to hear it and i'm always up for suggestions.

[trackgal]

I've had several hard keeper's come through my barn and had a heck of a time trying to convince the owner';s to get these horses off the mollasses, I have a mare right now that came in on Equine senior and Respond, she was emaciated and full of ulcer's, I talked the owner into Triple Crown Rice Bran (very expensive) and "mollasses free" beet pulp, a good quality second cut grass hay, she doesn't look like the same horse, I truly believe that sugar causes inflamation in the body, whether you are a human or a horse, none of my horses get sugar in any form and they all look like a million bucks, I do not have pasture, just good quality hay and never ever any sugar.

[Mikki79]

I was mixing both the triple crown rice bran and beet pulp with grain but this feed actually has them both added which is awesome and costs less than the rice bran alone does (at least in my area). Plus my feed store gives a discount depending on how many bags of grain I purchase, which is a added bonus !!!!!

[Jenny]

Soundfast.
What do you mean. Cooked oatmeal and milk. Really? cooked oatmeal like porridge? and Cow's milk or milk powder? How much. Just wondering, for future reference when my old guy gets older I may need it you never know .?:
I know lovely lush pasture would be the ticket for sure, but some of us have limited amounts. I wish I had 100 acres!!!!
We have some really good farmers around my way who are exceptional hay growers. We also don't have a problem with blister Beatles that I am aware of.

[MINNOW]

trackgal,
It is funny you mentioned about sugar,as it is no good for people causes all kinds of problems.I wonder if any study's have been done on horse feeds.
I watched a program on tv and they said that corn was also a killer,causes fungus.

[soundfast]

Yes oatmeal cooked in a microwave with powdered cows milk and water. I do not actually measure it so it varies a bit and I give some to all 4 horses. It softens the pellets up and helps them to stick together which makes it easier for her to eat and digest. The other horses really like it better than just plain old pellets too. I buy the large size cannister from Wal-Mart and get the Great Value brand. I put in about 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk powder per horse per meal except for the yearling who get about 3 or 4. Oatmeal is probably maybe about 1/4 cup dry per horse per meal but more will not hurt. I use a good amount of water so it is not thick and pours easily and mix it well with the pellets and oil. When the weather gets cold my old one will be getting more. She gets more oil than the others. I do not feed sugar either. It could lead to insulin resistance which could make them more prone to founder. Plant sugars in grass or hay are sometimes high enough to cause a problem for very sensitive horses. Corn could have aflatoxin which is a harmful fungus and feed companys should be sure they use corn that is free of it. I think some was recalled not too long ago with aflatoxin from a famous feed manufacturer. I have lovely lush pastures with mixed grasses,orchard,perennial ryegrass,bluegrass,barley grass,annual ryegrass,winter wheat,clover,lespepedeza,hairy vetch,edible weeds, & some noxious ones also. I mostly hand weed since it is safer and cheaper.

[trackgal]

Minnow,
I think most people are a "fan" of Mollasses because it's in almost all the feeds, and it looks and smells so good! feed companies put it in there so that their feed is "Palatable" to ALL horses, it has no nutritional value and causes inflammation in the body, I have a horse with EPSM before I removed sugar and carbs from his diet he was unrideable, really crippled behind, now he is ridden 6 day's a week and doing great, I cringe when I see people giving their horses sugar cubes or candy, some horses are so sensitive to it even in that small amount.