I have a Connemara/TB cross mare that is borderline insulin-resistant on blood panels, but has never foundered. She used to be very hormonal and marish when I had her on the LMF low NSC feed, which is relatively high in soy, and she seems to do much better on a soy free diet. I feed her Quiessence, which is high in magnesium, and I’ve alternated between feeding her Linpro or Smartpak’s multivitamin/mineral supplement for easy keepers. I event at training level so she gets a fair amount of exercise, and the bulk of her diet is low sugar grass hay. I used to mix the quiessence with alfalfa pellets and she would eat it up, but now she’s decided it’s not tasty enough and turns up her nose. I suppose I could try beet pulp, but does any one else have a suggestion for any other tasty soy free low NSC feeds I could give her? She needs to get the quiessence because she’s also developed a headshaking problem this year, and the magnesium was recommended by the vets I took her to at UC Davis. She’s actually a very sound mare and fun to ride, but diet seems to make a huge difference in her temperment.
I feed mostly alfalfa pellets to my horses who are soy sensitive. It is low NSC and relatively convenient as well as a good source of high quality protein. I also use Beet Pulp and rice bran as needed.
I’ve got 6 horses on Beet pulp and they would tell you it IS tasty. Of course, I add 3 sprinkles of cinnamon to it. 4 of mine are soy sensitive so they all get BP and their supps. They are fatties so they only get 1-3 cups of soaked BP after soaking.
I mix BP and alfalfa cubes and soak it together. In the summer, it only takes about 20 minutes to turn to mush. I can disguise anything in there, even with the picky horses.
Part of what I love about beep is that the odor is particularly strong, so it hides a multitude of evils.
I hope Melyni sees this and chimes in, but I think I’ve heard in the past of horses going on strike for a time with the Quiessence. You mention SmartPak, you could try their pelleted magnesium supplement for a month, see if she’s happier with that… (MVP is the brand)
I have a sneaking suspiscion-theory that this time of year horses turn their noses up at a LOT of things. Because they can smell spring grass. And nothing man-made can quite compare. 
Different batches of Quiessence taste different due to the distillers grains. I keep my stud on it during the summer and some batches he’ll tolerate, others he hates. Foxden will replace the batch if your horse won’t eat it. Melyni puts that in every thread that mentions a horse going off their Quiessence and nobody seems to chime in afterwards . I for one am thrilled at the level of customer service with Foxden and the fact they will replace a product if your horse won’t eat it.
Beet pulp and EquiPride… no soy, sugar, etc… very low NSCs
I feed mine beet pulp, but I make sure it is NOT the one with molasses. She is starting on the SP QuietCalm, I’ll let you know how that goes!
I feed my soy sensitive horse timothy pellets, and equipride. I only provide white salt blocks. Which she really loves. I am careful on what horse cookies I feed too. Mrs. Pastures have nice ingredients, no soy on the label.
She loves BP anyway it is served. But, I think she may get a little hot on it. Maybe it is the tiny bit of sugar, or the tiny bit of extra calories. ?? It requires more one rat testing. She is totally happy with timothy pellets - YUM. They have a great sound, goes in a bucket, and she loves them any way they are served up.
I do know they have the BP pellets which has a lesser amount of sugar, but the timothy pellets are great. They are hay, and nothing else. They are shaped like a grain pellet.
TIMOTHY PELLETS!!!
I so wish I could get them.
That’s a super idea too.
The breeder I got my filly from now gets them by the pallet. She has several horses. I gave her the address of the company. I think they are out of CAN?
I could hunt down the feed tag, and post it.
ANY feed store can order them. They sell in TN at the co-op for about $15 a bag. I live in very N. AL. They are at the Pulaski co-op. I think they must be catching on, because they always have a supply.
[QUOTE=rmh_rider;4831061]
T
ANY feed store can order them. They sell in TN at the co-op for about $15 a bag. I live in very N. AL. They are at the Pulaski co-op. I think they must be catching on, because they always have a supply.[/QUOTE]
Oh no they can’t. I have tried to get them at both the local Co-op and the local feed mills. Their suppliers don’t carry them. I used to work for a feed store. We could only get in what our suppliers. The closest they can get are timothy/alfalfa CUBES. There is one place about 35 miles from me that keeps the plain Timothy pellets in stock and that’s Bonnie’s Barnyard. I’ve called every feed store within 30 miles (and I’m in Middle Tennessee) and that is the only place that carries them. It depends on who their suppliers are. In order for me to get the Timothy pellets from my local feed mill they were going to have to buy X amount of tons of product and they’re just not going to do that because I want one particular thing.
Yep. My feed store has no access, and they won’t order from other mfg they are a Blue Seal dealer and only get Blue Seal/Kent/TC products.
I thought TC made some, but apparantly not in the Northeast. All the products here come from a mill in VT.
TSC carries timothy pellets around here. My horses HATE them though. No one would eat them, except the two who eat anything. I mean literally anything. One of them loves banana peels, the other will devour a head of cabbage like nothing I’ve ever seen. My mare turned around and walked away from them, and my friend’s mare started just stealing my filly’s dinner instead of eating hers with the pellets in there.
[QUOTE=pintopiaffe;4831601]
Yep. My feed store has no access, and they won’t order from other mfg they are a Blue Seal dealer and only get Blue Seal/Kent/TC products.
I thought TC made some, but apparantly not in the Northeast. All the products here come from a mill in VT.[/QUOTE]
I can’t find them either. My poor feed guy has done all sorts of research for me, and he had no luck at all. Which is foolish… because I’d feed them in a heartbeat. The only option is alfalfa/timothy cubes… which I don’t want :no:
I feed pure Magnesium Oxide regarding the gal who wrote about her marish mare. Also when added hay pellets you can add beet pellets, freshly ground Flaxseed with water, oil and organic apple
Another zombie post bumped up.
