I have a Peruvian Paso mare in pretty good condition, but with a cresty neck, fat behind the shoulders and a little fat at the tail, no fat above the eyes. She has 2 pasture turnout times each day for 1 hr each time. The rest of the time she is in a 24/7 smaller lot and gets just a little hay. I also feed her Triple Crown safe starch chopped hay, which I mix in RedCal and unfined soy coconut oil. Do you have an opinion on the TC Safe Starch forage? You talk about feeding oats. Is it still a good feed for an IR horse? Since this mare has never foundered and I’m really careful with grass turnout, can I get away with adding oats to the TC Safe Starch and adding “just add oats” supplement (I cannot afford the IR supplement you offer.) Also, is it okay to force feed the RedCal? (adding the oil and mixing it in good with the TC Safe Starch gets her to eat it) as the mare will not eat it on it’s own, Lori
I am just not fond of any commercial feed especially low starch ones. they tend to have higher fat but unfortunately the hydrogenated bad fats. even senior food are that way. I do prefer whole oats with the Just Add oats 2X and the the oil. no problem adding the RED CAL to the food but the healthiest and the most preventive of issues is to still offer free choice.
Be sure to throw away the salt blocks. there are only 2 reasons they won’t eat:
1. they are getting too much salt from somewhere else or
2. they are getting too much potassium from somewhere (this of course can be deadly. (see the article on page 21 of the magazine).
As for the Critical Care IR formula, generally only a tub or two is needed to get rid of the crest… not always but probably several hundred now have had tremendous results using along with the above.
Referenced:
www.DrDanMag.com
