feeding older horse - but not SS!

[inhs]

hiya, we can't get simple systems in Ireland - any other ideas about what to feed an older horse whose teeth aren't the best?

thanks!

[DavidH]

My daughters old pony (40) is fed on sugarbeet and alfa A and high fibre nuts. Makes sort of a mash as his teeth are no longer any real use. :eek: We've found the D&H alfa a to be the best as the strands are much shorter than other brands

[BIrish]

I use the SS plan - and I'm in Westmeath!

You can get SS in Ireland but you have order by the pallet and it is quite expensive.

When I moved here last August I needed to find a substitute as G couldn't have cereals because of his cellulitis so between SS and Dengie (Dengie were super helpful) we came up with a near-as-dammit plan.

We use Speedibeet, Grass Nuts and Alfa Oil with Pink Powder as the balancer.

The only grass nuts I can get here are 16% so need careful handling as the "strongest" SS grass nuts (red bag) are 10%! The Alfa Oil is better than Alfa A as it has Oil not molasses (so sugar levels reduced), plus the oil is obviously useful and the speedibeet not ordinary SugarBeet pellets for the same reason - it's not molassed. NAF Pink Powder is a great all round balancer and supplement (also probiotic) for addition.

You work out the amounts per horse - Dengie are v helpful here - dependant on work/type/type of doer/age etc etc.

You can soak the grass nuts too for an oldie creating a nutritious "mush".

Hope this helps. If you would like any more info feel free to PM me. :)

I started feeding the fibre only diet for TheG but now would never go back to cereals/sugary diets. The growing/furnishing 6yo is also doing brilliantly on it -he is gaining condition steadily and has plenty of cool workable energy without the mad behaviours that cereals sometimes produce ..

[touchstone]

Allen and Paige have brought out fast Fast Fibre which soaks in a couple of minutes, sounds ideal for your oldie.