I spoke with a local trainer who puts all of her OTTBs on this similar diet below, of course amounts varying per horse. I have no idea what Hay stretcher is or Safe Starch Forage. Can anyone elaborate?
Soybean oil
Alfalfa pellets
Legends Southern States Hay Stretcher
Alfalfa (lots of it)
Triple Crown Safe Starch Forage
I have a hot, hardkeeping warmblood (if he didnāt have a brand Iād assume he was a TB). He is a much more solid citizen now Iāve eliminated the alfalfa from his diet. Heās on grass hay only (lots of it), Purina Wellsolve LS for dinner, and Renew Gold for breakfast. Heās the first horse Iāve had in many over the years that truly gets high on alfalfa.
Hay stretcher is just hay pellets. I wouldnāt add hay stretcher to a normal horseās diet if I could feed them more hay. I fed it after I got a very thin TB broodmare; BCS of about 2. She simply could not eat enough hay to gain weight while nursing a foal, so in addition to free choice grass hay, plus about 10lbs of alfalfa, I gave a couple scoops of hay stretcher/day.
Personally, I wouldnāt add hay stretcher unless youāve either exhausted the hay your horse will eat, canāt afford to feed more, or canāt get enough hay. If you canāt give more hay, it might be something to consider, or beet pulp.
Safe Starch Forage is just bagged hay. Low NSC. I wouldnāt go with that for a TB in work either. Maybe for a metabolic mini. Itās like $18-20/40lb bale. Not worth it if you donāt have a serious metabolic issue to deal with. The trainer must have deep pockets, or really isnāt feeding enough to do anythingā¦just feel like they are doing something. Itās just hay.
Awesome! That is the information I needed! I am still undecided on the best route to go 
. I am THINKING, Seminole Wellness Dynasport (comparable to what she is on now, 14% protein), soybean oil, alfalfa (will decide based on weight she is getting now), and would it be crazy to add a ration balancer for calories if needed? Or am I totally off base here?
Would timothy or O/A be a better choice than straight alfalfa?
Just hay pellets and oil, nothing there to meet the nutritional needs vit/min wise. I use some alfalfa pellets but senior feed makes up the bigger part of diet. Along with actual alfalfa hay. Hay is fed free feed not rationed out.
Iām a big believer in feeding free choice hay 24/7. Continual foraging is what horses were built to do. Have the hay analyzed and add supplements to address deficiencies. FeedXL is a great resource.
As for the alfalfa myth, our alfalfa hay contains ~12% protein. 12% is unlikely to make a horse hot. Alfalfa is also less likely to contribute to ulcers than commercial grains and feeds or even grass hay in some cases.
Iām a big believer in feeding free choice hay 24/7. Continual foraging is what horses were built to do. Have the hay analyzed and add supplements to address deficiencies. FeedXL is a great resource.
As for the alfalfa myth, our alfalfa hay contains ~12% protein. 12% is unlikely to make a horse hot. Alfalfa is also less likely to contribute to ulcers than commercial grains and feeds or even grass hay in some cases.
A year ago, I would have argued this point with you as my extremely hard keeper TB is on 8 pounds a day and a pretty mellow guy but I have a new guy and I think it might be making him bonkers. We are going to take him off of it but I am at a loss as Ultium was my go to feed.
Ration balancers are used for the opposite issue - horse needs more vitamins/minerals, but with few additional calories. I would up the Dynasport before I added a ration balancer if she needs more calories. My horse is young and growing, but an easy keeper. If I fed him enough complete feed to get his nutritional needs met, he would be obese, so he gets a ration balancer (1 lb) with about a cup of beet pulp (soaked) to supplement his bermuda/alfalfa hay.
Iām not sure about the advice to stay away from Ultium feed (for example, Purina Ultium). My horse (a Westfalen) used be be a very hard keeper as a youngster. I consulted the Purina nutritionist (Ph.D., he comes to town for things), the Cargill PhD nutritionist, plus my vet and separately her husband, and another vet. Basically all advice was similar - increase fat, watch the sugar, and the recās came down to Purina Ultium and Nutrena Pro Force Fiber or Fuel. The Coolstance did nothing for my horse. I picked Nutrena PF Fuel and my horse eventually gained wait very nicely. Another horse in training was on Ultium and his owner swore by it. Feed by the label and weigh your feed.
The company nutritionists are very helpful and do not push their product (in my experience). You can easily call them.
Oil is a fine additive, but not too much. If it makes the grain too oily, oil will get on everything your horse puts his nose on in the stall (ask me how I know!!). Beet pulp is great for adding calories. It is the basis of Nutrena Pro Force Fiber.
Ration balancer is for horses NOT getting mush/any grain and is mainly a vitamin/mineral supplement. NOT what you need. My horse has now gained weight (over years) to the point that he gets just a little grain but mostly balancer.
Thereās nothing wrong with alfalfa hay supplementing regular hay. It adds calories. BTW, when I lived in NM, some horses (mine-another horse) on sand were given straight alfalfa and did just fine. Currently, I supplement alfalfa hay in the winter when it is cold, he LOVES it but would be obese if I wasnāt careful about his diet now. BTW, he lives outside on almost an acre of excellent, very well-maintained pasture which is supplemented with local hay in the winter.
Good luck!
I have seen a few horses that have been fine on it, but they seemed to be more of āthe exception to the ruleā - its a shame because it definitely did help keep my horses in good weight as well when they were on it. Sorry to hear about it not working for your new guy, hope you find another substitution!
Itās kind of surprising, isnāt it. Ultium is very low sugar.
A friend has her TB pudgy on beet pulp, 2 lbs ration balancer, Top dressed with 1 cup of flax and soaked alfalfa cubes and unlimited grass hay and 10-12 lbs of alfalfa hay. He was homely looking when she got him, now heās a beef cake.
Alfalfa protein ranges from 12% to 20% in our neck of the woods - depending on cutting. The only way to know for sure is to test it. I also use alf cubes (soaked) for my OTTB, ration balancer, Legends Omega Plus for fat. Last winter I added soybean oil - he seemed to have more trouble holding his weight, but this year he looks fantastic and I have not needed to add oil to his diet - however, I did just treat for ulcers - 30 days of Gguard and we are tapering, so I believe that helped too.
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