Feed - Fall Update

Last spring, we were boarding at a different facility that had turnout but a very sketchy feeding "schedule". They horses were fed once a day supposedly late morning. Because it is important horses get fed at least twice a day, Steven and I would come out every night and feed K/R again. Several times when we arrived in the evening, the herd was just getting their food. I loved the fact they did get pasture time, but seriously having to buy extra food and hay on top of what we were paying as well as the 50 mile round trip every day was getting expensive.

We moved to a new facility in June which is cheaper and they get fed twice a day at the same time every day. We buy the hay/food/supplements/medicine and they feed it.  The ranch hand has been very accommodating with putting the food and the hay where we want it (out of the sun). Kid did not do well with eating in the direct sun when it was so hot. He had several small HYPP attacks so we moved the food to the shade of his shed with good results.

I was looking at the feed we gave in the spring:

AM
3 quarts pellets
4 pounds timothy pellets (pre-soak weight)
7 pounds coastal hay
Joint supplement - Rupert
2 tablets Acetazolamide for HYPP - Kid

PM
3 quarts pellets
2 pounds beet pulp shreds (pre-soak weight). Beet pulp is drained and then re-rinsed to get rid of excess potassium.
7 pounds coast hay

All Day
Grass in the field

They were so thin this time last year which accounts for the large amount of food they were getting in an effort to put weight on them

The fall schedule has changed because K/R were FAT which didn't help Rupert at all because of the extra weight on his feet. The lack of exercise because of lack of pasture definitely didn't help either.

AM
2 quarts pellets
2 quarts beet pulp pellets (pre-soak weight)
7 pounds coastal hay (R-small hole hay net, K-nibble net)


PM
2 quarts pellets
2 quarts beet pulp pellets (pre-soak weight).
7 pounds coastal hay (R-small hole hay net, K-nibble net)
2 tablets Acetazolamide for HYPP - Kid
 Joint supplement - Rupert

2-hour turnout about 3 times per week.

If they start to look thinner, we will up their hay. We eliminated the timothy pellets because I think Kid was getting too much potassium in his diet and again, they were fat.

K/R have plenty of room to move around since their runs are 50' x 130'. They are next to each other and their hay nets are back to back. The east-facing sheds are nice and deep. I know Kid spends a lot of time in his because his coat is so dark.