Powdered Vits& mins VS Mineral Block?

Joyscarer

Joyscarer

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Dec 30, 2006
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My 2 ponies don't need any additional feed for calories.

However I do want to ensure that they are getting sufficient vits & mins and I'm not sure that my pasture contains this, especially now winter is here.

I had been using pink powder and changed from this to Bailey's Lo Cal.

Unfortunately I'm not too sure that this suits their needs as they have still been gaining weight although moving onto the longer winter paddock grass is probably the main culprit.

Having said that I then noticed that the Lo Cal has molasses in it and I have always been careful in the past to avoid molasses so I will swap them off of it.

Now I am considering whether to swap back onto pink powder with it's prebiotics or whether it is sufficient to just provide a mineral lick in the field.

Opinions on this would be welcome :)
 
I use one of the horselyx for the field but again if your avoiding molasses then this might not be for you.

I used to use the paddock one from Likit but he went off it and wont touch it now, I left it out for the cows and sheep:rolleyes:

He gets the blue horselyx one or the mobility one depending on whats available at the feed store:)

Have also used the salt licks that are flavoured but without the holder they just disintigrated in the field.

Nikki xxx:)
 
My guys (1 arab, and the ponies) don't get any vitamins or minerals! So I'm probably a bad mum, but on the other hand neither have they ever been anything but healthy. Rosie and Woody have suffered from being too fat on occasions but that is it, never a dull coat or a sniffle, so I've never seen the need for them.

My vet advised that Belle the TB should have a probiotic at her vetting as he noticed that her food was not being digested in her poo, but since she has been out 24/7 she has been the picture of health and her poo looks good (if you can say that :eek:), glossy coat etc. She's now on winter feed of Calm and Condition (as I've heard on here good things about it), speedibeet and alpha A.

Not sure that helps you...
 
Ponies are very efficient at using their feed and not only can they extract calories from mud and rocks but vits and mins too. As a general guide I watch their skin, coat and hooves and find they are great barometer for vit & min needs. My little welshie is just getting haylage and grass for his forage, and in the bucket he's getting some alfa-a oil (no molasses) and farriers formula. He's not carrying too much weight ( I can just feel his ribs), his eyes and coat are bright and his skin is supple and soft. He's about 17 years old. Hope that helps.
 
I feed my 2 larger ponies different supplements, shetlands don't get any.
I always have a huge mineral lick in field, I stick it in a builders bucket, handle removed and loads of holes drilled in bottom for drainage. They hardly bother with it in the summer but in the winter they all make use of it.
 
There is so much grass out there that they don't need any extra forage, it's just the vits and mins I'm concerned about.

You can clearly see the difference in Joy's growth rings on her hoofs when she wasn't on extra which is why I have tried to ensure she was getting something. Her coat, eyes and hoof are looking looking to be the picture of health.

Then if you look at Little's and the quality of his hoof coming through since I've had him and his coat he is vastly improved. I don't want to go back to him not getting anything in addition but I just need the bogh to have a gastro band fitted so they don't eat grass until they explode :rolleyes:

Added to that Little's is an escapologist. I'm not sure how he is getting out but he is. Energiser is up and running ok and battery is fine. If anything I wanted him and Joy on even less grazing than they have now but the little sod isn't co-operating :mad:

The reason I swapped to the Lo Cal from the Pink Powder was because Joy wouldn't eat the hi fi lite I was mixing it with when she knew she'd be getting turned out with all that tasty grass :rolleyes:

Tbh I think she would eat it now without relying on the Lo Cal for increased palletability and Little's would eat anything!

With Mineral licks, do they know how much to have and whether to have it or not? Let's face it I know what I should be eating but do I? Do I 'eck! :p
 
I use dodson and horrell vits and mins supplement.

I found in the summer Forest was looking a but down and not himself, the only different thing was garlic in his feed.
I didn't want to take him off the garlic because as you know he has a heart problem and garlic is good for heart and breathing aswell so left him on it.

I decided to try him on the vits and mins to see if he was just lacking something in his diet. Within a couple of weeks he was back on form and back to his usual self again. I don't know if the garlic was the cause but that vits and mins solved it.

I've found some horses don't like licks. As much as Forest was lacking he wanted nothing to do with any of his licks. Whereas the other horses on the yard all lick theres whatever. I think it depends on the horse (bear in mind Forest is very picky!);).

Anyway, I would recommend the dodson and horrell supplement as it did work for me. Its £6.50 a tub and that lasts for just over a month with one horse. :cool:
 
Just out of interest what is the difference in Joy's hoof growth.....less rings, more growth, slower growth??? Just curious. Belle's hoof growth is slow but you can see the difference in her hooves since she has been out 24 / 7 and not on hard feed, the rings have gone and much more even.
 
Ooo little devil - he's still escaping then ? :D He's not stupid ;)

My tubby is fed on Bailey's Lo-Cal and the hi-fi lite however not sure how much your feeding your two, but Fatso only gets large handful of chaff and the one handful of the lo-cal as there is plenty of grass in his field as well, but he's managed loose a bit of weight over the last month (which I'm grateful for).

I didnt know Lo-Cal had molasses in it though ! I had a mineral lick up in the summer but neither of them touched it, we took it down eventually as it was just getting washed away by the rain and they weren't bothering with it. But that's an idividual thing, some horses will use it and others wont. But like you I want to make sure they are still getting a complete range of vits and mins. So I'm just continuing with the handful of Lo-cal in his tiny dinner so he's getting something.

Your two are in fab condition, both their coats were lovely and glossy - so whatever your doing is obviously agreeing with them ! :D
 
Joyscarer said:
With Mineral licks, do they know how much to have and whether to have it or not? Let's face it I know what I should be eating but do I? Do I 'eck! :p
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A big lick was left in our field once and it had come out of the plastic tub, Phoenix didnt understand that it was a 'LICK' and stood and chewed his way through about three quarters of it in one night :eek:
 
I just give Biotin - on farriers recommendation - I don't give them licks as last time they just wouldn't touch them. There was one and I cannot for the life of me remember which it was tho that they used to squabble over in the field - they used to race to it every morning to see who could get first lick!!
 
My TB is on a couple of supp's but not a vitamin/mineral one cos I'm sure she is getting all she needs from all the different feeds she is on.

However my good doer Welsh Cob X does well enough on haylage when stabled overnight in winter and simply because he sees the others being feed am & pm, he gets some basic chaff (unmollassed!) with a General Vitamin/Mineral supplement....I think it was a NAF one I used last year - he did very well on it and his weight was good, not too porky!!
 
If nelson feels he is needing something extra then he will go out and find it :D He will dig a hole in a hedge bottom and lick the soil :p

Licks are good but you cant guarantee that they have recommended levels EVERY day like you can in a feed, why not feed something like seaweed in a handful of chaff?
 
Sexy Sietske said:
Licks are good but you cant guarantee that they have recommended levels EVERY day like you can in a feed, why not feed something like seaweed in a handful of chaff?
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Yes that was my thinking, by giving something in the feed I know they are getting the recommended dose.

I too feed seaweed but give a blended formular too as I'm not convinced the seaweed contains the complete range of vits & mins in the right amounts.

I have found it great for coat and feet though and so won't stop feeding it.



Today I moved the bottom strand of tape up one and bunged on an extra strand at the bottom. I then took Joy out for a spin (literally - little monster was on her toes today and I had to jump off to stop her completing the village high street at high speed in reverse! At least she did it straight though!) and he was still in the taped off bit when I put her back in.

I'll see if he's still in there tomorrow. The grass is depleting a bit now so nows the time they should start losing their chub - if they stay in there :rolleyes:
 
I was giving my 3 'fatties' a handful of Happy Hoof with garlic and Hilton Herbs seaweed mix - but then saw a Dengie Field Block in the feed store, so have been trying that. However, after buying it I noticed that it has molasses in it - and the ponies are literally biting chunks off it :D I am now just letting them have it whilst I am mucking out etc in the morning - about 2 hours, and then put it back in the shed. It cost £16, and they have already had a large portion of it after only less than a week:eek: Think I will go back to the handful of Happy Hoof and a few extras when they have finished it. Don't think I need to worry too much. I have tried an assortment of different feeds/supplements over the past 2 years - and the ponies always look great whatever I give them. Plenty of fibre (limited grazing for most of the year - and ablib hay at the moment) is what is most important.

Ali xx
 
I used a lick in the field last year for two fattie natives who really didn't need any extra calories! I used one made by Badminton Horse feeds, it does have molasses in it but it not 'sweet' tasting so they didn't go mad for it. It comes in a bucket and is around £12, this lasted the two of them about 6-8 weeks, they just seemed to take what they needed and then leave it alone. A Horselyx would last my highland about 20 minutes I reckon :D
 
I buy the red rocky type hard vit and min licks...they take what they need, some days a lot, some days a little. I also put out white rocky salt blocks. Neither are being fed but do have hay when the grass is frosty...both living out. If they were getting a feed I'd probably give them equivite powdered supplement but i won't feed just to give them that when blocks will do:)

I pay about £2.50 to £3.50 per block and they last my two about a month to two months each. Also they're not mollassed
 
i provide both. They get an allround supplement in a token feed and also have access to a flavoured salt lick in the stables. kezzie in particular will self regulate and only uses the block when he needs it.
 
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