Over 20 years ago, when we had several horses "tie-up" and colic after returning from horse shows, our veterinarian gave us some advice we've used ever since.  He pointed out that the horses digestive system is geared to ingest food on a continuous basis.  The only horses that eat only two meals a day, are those in captivity.  In their natural state, horses forage nearly all day long, so we try to make sure that our horses have food in front of them all day long. 

Over the years, we've discovered that a full stomach reduces the incidence of colic from stress or weather changes, if the feeding program is as close to nature as we can get it.   Our temperatures drops 40 degrees in a matter of three to four hours here in Texas, and these drastic barometric changes can cause colic.  Since we've been keeping our program close to nature, we're virtually eliminated these problems. 

We feed our weanlings, yearlings and halter horses fresh crimped oats, alfalfa, 1 to 2 oz of soybean oil, depending on size, (corn oil puts fat on the neck) and minerals for breakfast; more oats for lunch; more oats, electrolytes and native coastal hay for supper and more oats at ten o'clock.  Frequent feedings produce more weight gain, so our halter horses stay on this program until they reach their "set" point and can maintain their weight. 

We start with a regular grain scoop of crimped oats for breakfast and dinner and increase as they clean it up.   A half scoop at lunch and 10 p.m. or more if they clean that up and you still want more weight.   A little Tizwiz for foals or Strategy for older horses who have a picky personality is fine, but we never feed anything with molasses or corn in it down here in the Texas heat.   The fine chopped corn is hard to digest and can lay in the intestinal tract until it starts decomposing and giving off gas which causes colic.  The fat from the corn and natural sugar in the molasses in sweet feeds goes right to the neck, and we don't like that very much. 

Protein builds  muscles.  Calcium from top alfalfa hay and fresh crimped oats is a requisite for proper bone growth.  However, once a horse has reached the ripe old age of two or three years of age, generally, and the growth plates are closed in their knees, they don't require as much calcium.  At this point in time, if we are breaking this horse to ride, or riding an older horse, we reduce the amount of oats, since they are now receiving the required amount of calcium from the alfalfa hay, and the oats are just converting to excess energy that we do not want in a pleasure horse. 

It's like giving a kid too much sugar, which converts to energy.  You can't expect a horse to work quietly when they have so much energy that all they want to do is kick and buck and play!  Our pleasure horses get minerals once a week, and a half to quarter ration of oats, depending upon their subsequent behavior. We keep native coastal hay in front of them all day long and feed alfalfa twice a day.

Feeding alfalfa here in Texas is a big problem because of "blister beetles".  Grasshoppers love alfalfa blooms and lay their eggs in the hay fields.  Blister beetles eat grasshopper eggs.  When the farmer cuts native coastal hay, it's cut and lays in the field, so the beetles, who swarm like bees in the hay, can escape. 

Alfalfa is "crimped" when its cut, so the beetles are trapped during the process.  Generally you'll find a swarm of beetles in one or two bales in a shipment of hay, but three of these tiny beetles, (size of dried house fly) can kill a grown horse.  They are extremely poisonous and toxic and their poison does not dissipate over time.  Its just a strong in a beetle who has been dead inside the hay for two years as it was when it was alive. 

There is no cure for the Cantharadin poison contained within the beetle.  Most horses die if they ingest three or more beetles.   With this in mind, we buy most of our hay from Colorado, where the beetles haven't yet been able to migrate, due to the altitude and cold. 

We buy the big 1 inch by 4 inch cubes because anything under this size has no value for roughage, despite what those small pellet manufacturers say on the bag.  The big cubes are great because there is no waste from big stems in the hay.  We do feed some regular alfalfa to some horses, but are careful to shake each flake in case there are beetles lurking within.  They're extremely hard to spot.

Helpful feeding hint….
We're really stuck on Moorman's Grow Strong Minerals for our brood mares.  We feed it free choice in the pasture in one of those wind-revolving cattle mineral feeders.  After eight years of use, we're convinced it has virtually eliminated  leg problems in our foals. GROSTRONG Minerals provide key vitamin and minerals as well as electrolytes.

They also provide excellent levels of calcium and phosphorus to balance the levels of minerals in your horse's roughage.  It may not work for you in your area, based on its interaction with the rest of your feed, but in the north Texas area, it seems to work wonders.  Many other vitamin and mineral supplements show the same ingredients. 

The only thing we can attribute to the overall success of its use is the formulation of those same ingredients.  The difference must be in the way its mixed.  The only negative effect, if you want to call it that, is an increased energy in each animal.  This is an attribute for a halter horse you want to look "showy" and cocky, or for a performance horse. 

You may want to reduce the amount given to a horse you are using in western pleasure, so they'll be a little quieter.  You can get more information on the companies web site:   http://www.moormans.com/

Halter Breaking | Foal Workout | Feeding To Win | Grooming | Castrate by Moon Signs
Weaning by Moon Signs | Starting Horses Under Saddle | Horse Insurance Tips