Thursday, March 1, 2012

hobby horse blog hop #2

Here are the rules:
Answer one or all of the prompts. Link back to Living a Dream's post. Visit other blogs. And don't forget to ask a question of everyone else!
1. Tell us about a special person you associate with your interest in horses. In what ways did (does) this person support you?
I would have to say Robin is the special person who I associate with horses. I never dreamed of owning a horse, I never really thought it was a possibility. I started going to the barn with her and I got on Ryleigh a few times. Then she talked me into leasing Mia, the Haflinger. I had wanted to buy Mia, but it did not work out, so Robin found Shyloh for me! She has supported me through my adventure with Shy and helped me when I started to ride her bareback. Now that I have a saddle. . .I need to get back on. . .

2. Carousels? 
No. Not fast enough for me!

3. What sort of books did you read when growing up?
I read anything I could get my hands on. I loved reading! Literally, anything was fine for me.

My question: To grain or not to grain?

7 comments:

  1. Holy Haflinger! You are fast! It seemed like I just posted the hop a few seconds ago!

    To grain? Or not to grain?

    I was a firm believer in 'not to grain' for my haffies. They don't need it. They are easy keepers. They, like me, gain weight just looking at food. BUT..... I went to a presentation by a feed company. The presenter gave us a lot of information about the formulation of their products and why they are important to use. She commented that, unless we buy hay that has been tested, we won't know the nutrient content. She also commented about the protein and fat needs of horses. I caved in. I don't 'grain' per se, but I do use a general horse maintenance feed that may provide some basic nutrients. But.... I only give them a tiny bit. Far less than what the manufacturer suggests..... this goes back to my comment that 'they don't need it'! So, each evening my boys get a cup of the basic feed, a cup of timothy pellets (to make them feel like they are getting something special) and a cup of a supplement that is supposed to do miracles for their coat, feet, eyes, digestive system, yada, yada, yada!

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  2. To grain or not to grain ... that is the question.

    In my case, it's not to grain. I've done a lot of research into what is the best possible way of making sure my mare and my Haffie need to be healthy. They get top quality hay, and I give them o&m as a "treat" and a way to feed their supplements in a way that they *think* they're getting grain. I think people have a tendency to overgrain simply because they want the horses to have it, and because they don't really know any better.

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    Replies
    1. I do not grain either, but I am the only one in my barn who doesn't!
      What is o&m?

      Shyloh does love grain and sometimes as a treat, I will use it when we are working on tricks, but it adds up to a small handful, since I only give a few pellets at a time.

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  3. Your blog is very informative!!!!!
    This is obviously one great post.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Horse Chiropractor

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  4. just found you on the hop, very interesting.
    I don't feed mine grain usually, maybe some when I've been conditioning for an endurance ride or when we bought a weanling before the grass greened up. Mostly just pasture and some hay in the winter.

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  5. I'm totally trying this on the next hop. I might even do this one since it's not closed, but I'll have to double post because I pre-posted for the whole week lol.

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  6. Oh and I forgot to answer your question. I'm also a no-grain type of person. Horses really don't need the extra sugar and carbs. I use a ration balancer which is basically a vitamin/mineral supplement with added protein. :) If they need extra energy/weight I will add oats. I like to feed flax seed and beet pulp as well. I just don't like grain (sweet feed-not balanced minerals/vitamins) or pellets (the ones with sugar and starch added because most of those would have to be fed in huge doses to make sure they were getting all of the minerals they need and that would make them obese and prone to insulin resistance and founder). I'm still learning more about the complexities of the equine diet. It's fun, but very confusing at times lol. :)

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