what to feed him?

[bullet+farah]

hi!

I'm having problems feeding my youngster, we have found out he is sugar intolerant so i got him Allen&Page cereal and sugar intolerant mix. This however sent him hyper and back to evil horse! :eek: Stopped feeding him about a week ago and he is back to lazy, chilled out mode.

He is fine at the moment as he's on good grass but i'm worried come winter he is going to drop weight and isn't going to get all his vitamins. I don't know what to feed him. Any ideas?

Thanks, cat xxx

[Loopslou]

I'm assuming your vet diagnosed him sugar intolerant? If so, did your vet recomend a feed?

Perhaps one of the laminitis trust approved feeds would be ok, shouldn't over heat and shouldn't be full of sugar.

If your vet can't recommend a feed then speak to your feed merchant, they should be able to source something for you.

Oh yeah, perhaps with Allen and Page one, when you say it sent him evil, could it have been the quantity you were feeding? Maybe worth checking your weights etc too against the different feeds.

[bullet+farah]

yes, vet did check him, he said to use foods that had no sugar in! v.helpful!

I only feed mine about 2 handfuls each twice a day at the minute, it's more of a way to get them into a routine if you get me, the mare isn't well handled (only had her 3 weeks) and it's the only way i can get close enough to check up on her! Will phone one of the feed directories and see what they say,

thanks a lot, cat xxx

[Just.Jump]

As far as I know, horses shouldn't be having much grain anyway (which is the main offender when it comes to sugar levels). I would keep him on as much grass and hay as possible. Since hay obviously isn't readily available in winter time, I recomend getting cubed feed. It comes in large pellets and it's compressed grasses/alfalfa/hay, depending on what kind you get. This would be a case of keeping him on feed thats natural to horses, which grain basically is not. Since he is young, he shouldn't need grain in the first place, because grain is an energy additive for working horses. Young horses should only be on forage. Granted, it needs ot be of great quality to get everything the horse needs.

[Jessey]

I would strongly recomending visiting Saracens web page and filling in their questionare and then a nutritionist will post you a possible feed reigeme (sp?).

I would avoid all traditional mixes if you can, even the lammy trust ones tend to have some sugar in them.

I would feed ad lib hay to start, this is generally enough for most horses when not in work, you could then look at something like RediGrass (although do check out the sugar levels first, I'm just guessing they will be low) its just freeze dried grass, so lots of goodness and very little else, unmollased sugar beet might be OK to, its mostly just fibre but again do check it out, use a vit & mineral supplement aswell to keep on top of that side of things.

above all talk it over with your vet again if your not sure.

best of luck

J x

[Moomin]

My pony is sugar and ceral intolerant and allergic to sugarbeet (any variety). Her symptoms range from lumps and bumps to insanely dangerous behaviour. Solution - don't feed her!!

She does get fed these days - she has Hi Fi lite in small quantities, now has Blue Chip LamiLight which is very good and "safe" and has less sugar in then the hi fi does (I have to call every feed company and check their ingredients so see if it's "safe" to feed!).

I haven't changed the chaff because it's the lowest sugar I can find. Apparentl Dengie AlfaA Oil has no sugar at all, but the oil sends her loop the loop too!!

Feeds I have found to be very good are Allen and Page 'L' Mix (less energy to the Sugar and Cereal Intolerance mix - she looped out a bit on that too!); Funnily enough Haylage (NOT ryegrass - the blue HorseHage one); Thats about it really!

Watch the apples and carrots too - they add more sugar than you think.

I'll tell you now from experience - it is extremely difficult to find things with no sugar or low sugar - you have to check amounts and TYPES of sugar and compare them, ALWAYS call the feed company first and don't trust that because they are laminitis trust approved they are sugar free (Happy hoof spings to mind...). I have basically found three things she can have and don't stray from them.

[bullet+farah]

Thanks Moomin, its good to know i'm not the only one!

It's not that he needs food at the minute but i want to know he's getting all his nutrients. I have to feed the mare and its easier to give him a little bit to stop him kicking off. I'll ring a feed company and ask loads of questions!! :p

Will keep you updated, cat xxx