Feed/Rice Bran question

[carolinagirl480]

I am currently feeding my 7 y.o. OTTB Southern States Solution and want to add Legends pelleted rice bran to her feed regimen. She doesn’t really need to gain weight at this point, but I’d like to add it in to maintain weight and for coat/hoof health. There is only space for 1 grain bin for my horse in our feed room. I’m assuming it’s fine just to mix the Solution and rice bran and keep it in one big bin? If so, how many lbs of the rice bran would you suggest I mix in for each 50 lb bag of SS Solution?

Thanks in advance!

[JB]

If she doesn’t need to gain weight, why add something like this? Any amount to make it worthwhile will make her gain weight, and any amount to not make her gain weight is a waste of $$.

Keep in mind if you mix it, you can’t increase/decrease one without doing the same with the other.

But, if you’re just going to do it, then you have to know how much of each you want to feed. If you feed 5lb of the SS and 1lb of the rice bran, that’s a 5:1 ratio by weight.

If that’s 4qt of the SS and 1qt of the rice bran (it’s probably less, just making the math simple here) that’s a 4:1 ratio by volume

[carolinagirl480]

She is a typical hard keeper, and it took several months to get her to an acceptable weight when I got her last fall. She is at a healthy weight now, but I am moving to a new pasture board place at the end of the month that will only feed grain once per day instead of twice per day (which is what she has been accustomed to). I am going to try to get out there to feed her a 2nd time every day since I prefer to split it into 2 feedings vs a larger amt once per day, but there may be some days I won’t be able to make it. She currently gets 6-7 lbs of grain and 1 lb of soaked timothy/alfalfa cubes per day total. When I move, I’m thinking of cutting the grain back to around 4 lbs per day since she will have access to grass/round bales 24/7 plus the rice bran for added fat/nutrients so she (hopefully) doesn’t lose any weight w/ the decreased daily grain amt. I also just really don’t want her to be getting her usual 6-7 lbs of grain per day all at once if I’m not able to make it out there for a 2nd feeding. Should’ve mentioned more of these details in my first post…sorry! Maybe I’m using the wrong strategy by decreasing the grain and adding the rice bran, but I’m open to any suggestions anybody might have! Thanks!

[carolinagirl480]

Anybody have any other suggestions?

[WasthatC]

If the pellet sizes and textures of the two feeds are different one of them will end up at the bottom of the bin. I don’t think you’ll be happy once you mix them regardless of the ratio.
Bring out reusable zip lock bags and put the amount of rice bran that you want in each feeding in those. Scoop of your feed, baggie of rice bran and voila. Prepare the bags once a week and you have a cheaper more environmental version of smart pak.

[JB]

Good point about settling - it’s not even just about size/texture, it’s about weight too.

Given the new info, I’d have her get 5lb of her grain. I’d ask for a couple of pounds of alfalfa pellets be put in a separate bucket for her to eat at her leisure when she’s in.

[RedMare01]

I’ve mixed lots of stuff together and not had settling problems. Last year I mixed TC Senior, rice bran pellets, and alfalfa pellets in the same bin and they worked fine.

You might be surprised by how well 24/7 access to hay will keep on the weight. This is the first year my BO has done round bales, and my mare is holding her weight better than she did on all the above stuff last year. She’s only getting 3-4 lbs of senior feed and free choice hay.