Cutting grain from diet?

Question

if you have quality hay and cut grain from your horse's diet what can you give him as a substitute? (4 other horses in barn all getting grain so i cant not give him anything)

do i need to add a mineral supplement, or protien?

Answer 1

You don't need to cut his grain back entirely, just a bit at a time until he's at about half of his current ration. I have a mare here than gets fat on air like yours does. The other horses get more than twice the pellets she does. I put hers in her feeder under a flake of hay so she has to work on it to get to the pellets... You can stuff what hay will fit into the feeder and then sprinkle it with the pellets so they  fall into the hay.  She enjoys this game a lot. And yes, you can certainly give him a mineral block to enjoy. Your hay has high quality good protein in it already.

Answer 2

Supply him with a trace mineral block, and when you feed the other horses, I would just throw him a handful of grain so he doesn't feel left out.

Answer 3

I agree that you should cut the grain back slowly and remember that although it MAY seem unnatural for horses to be feed grain when they have grass and hay however they might be missing certain vitamins and minerals they used to get from certain plants when grazing.  I would keep a close eye on him if you are planning to cut his grain out completely.

Answer 4

Horses don't need grain.  Hay or grass should give them what they need.  In fact, it's a fairly UNnatural thing for them that we humans have added to their diet.  The only horses I give grain to are old ones who have trouble keeping weight on or horses that are particularly hard keepers.  Everyone else just gets hay and grass and they do just fine.

I'd put out a mineral block.  That should supply him with anything he's missing.  But you don't NEED to give your horse grain.

Answer 5

The hay should be tested to determine what if any minerals are deficient.  I give my obesity-prone mare one that is higher in chromium at the advice of my vet....seems to help with the obesity problem.

As for not giving him anything...you can and should not give him anything if it is not in his best interest.  The horse depends on you to make the right decisions.  I know you feel sorry for him if he can't eat like the others.

have you ever seen a horse with laminitis?  The pain is excruciating, and laminitis plagues obese horses.  If he develops laminitis, you'll really have reason to feel sorry for him.  It's one of those hard choices...I hope you choose the right thing.