I recently came across several articles saying that soy based feeds are bad for horses with cushings, due to the soy creating something very similar to estrogen, which causes further hormonal issues for the horse. I can pretty easily believe this, as soy products have long been known to cause hormonal issues in women. Unfortunately every low NSC feed I have found is soy based! Does anyone have more information on this topic, or know of any low NSC feed that is not soy based? It’s getting very confusing knowing what to feed. I am 100% proponent of forage based feeding solutions - but my guy lives in a large herd and probably doesn’t get his fair share of free choice hay even though there is plenty provided, and needs supplemental feed to maintain weight. Any insight is appreciated!
I’ve gone to feeding a quality vit/min supplement mixed w/ hay pellets, soaked to make horsey soup. This is pretty common now in order to avoid
soy.
If you’re able to separate your horse for feeding, the above would work and maybe some soaked hay cubes also.
I understand that soy hulls are low in phytoestrogens, whereas soy meal is high.
If you want to avoid soy altogether, unsweetened beet pulp is a good alternative for calories, unless you feel the NSC there is also too high: it’s meant to average about 11 %.
A mash of beet pulp, alfalfa cubes, and a vitamin/mineral supplement powder would do the same job as a bagged feed, and would be grain-free, low NSC, and soy-free.
My miniature who is IR and probably pre-cushings had a bad reaction to Soy in the form of a rashion balancer that has 3 soy ingredients in it. Not only did he quickly get fat and lethargic, but his sheath swelled, he developed a big crested neck, his eyes were always goopy and he got mildly foot sore. Quit the Rashion balancer and went to a hay/beet pulp/alfalfa pellet (top dressed with California Trace & MAG) and he quickly recovered.
I feed this to my IR horse and my Horse with corn, oats, and soy sensitivity.
http://horsetech.com/high-point-grass
No soy, no added iron.
I feed the meal form and mix with water in Timothy pellets.
Cost is ~70 cent daily per horse.
Thanks to all for the great ideas!
Soy is bad for so many reasons. many hors are allergic to soy. It has so many chemicals used that I would avoid it regardless
[QUOTE=walkinthewalk;8532084]
I feed this to my IR horse and my Horse with corn, oats, and soy sensitivity.
http://horsetech.com/high-point-grass
No soy, no added iron.
I feed the meal form and mix with water in Timothy pellets.
Cost is ~70 cent daily per horse.[/QUOTE]
If you decide to try this HPG in meal or pellets get samples first to try. I’v tryed both forms and my horse won’t eat but a 1/2 teaspoon. He’s totally put off by the smell. Mixing it with soaked hay pellets made no difference smell is to strong…
Even the flavored meal form had no luck with that either…so have gone back to hay pellets and a vit/min.
I have three mares who are sensitive to soy on High Point Grass and have no problem feeding it to them with timothy pellets and Omega Horseshine. Probably depends on the horse…
I now feed oats and alfalfa pellets after going on a miserable journey with laminitis as well as several other more minor issues (in various horses) after feeding a ration balancer where soy was four of the ingredients. No one. And I mean no one needs that much soy in the diet…especially since when put in horse feed, it’s full of chemicals and just plain no good. And it is in almost every single feed now. It took me a long time to figure out and once I did, even the temp of my mare’s feet went from very warm/hot to very cool or cold in a matter of a few days. That said a lot to me right there. All the sudden the digital pulse became much quieter and in time, her feet became beautiful again. For the longest time I kept worrying over whether it was my hay or what had I done to cause this?? She is a tall TB type mare without the sort of metabolism youd worry would ever have laminitis issues. I knew it wasn’t grass because this happened in the middle of winter with snow on the ground. My hay is made by my husband and we feed the same grass hay every year. Feed was the only change. Avoid the soy which it sounds like you already plan to do. BP and alfalfa pellets or the like will be much better for your horse.
