OK so vet said I could soak or cook if I want to (I don’t.) but it wasn’t necessary. (Woohoo!) And I’m adding them to an alfalfa beet pulp boss mix for a horse that is underweight.
I bought 4 bags of whole oats for under $50. Not complaining one but lol
Growing up, everyone I knew who had horses fed crimped oats. Some had a little cracked corn or random soybeans in it. Horse feed? What’s horse feed?
friend used to soak her 3* event horse’s oats - they were whole - back in the 90s. IIRC the reason was to soften the hull, but that was a while ago.
A shorter while ago - like in the 2000s - I fed hulless oats. They rocked - higher fat, not crimped, but the hull was so thin you could munch on them yourself. (Yes, I did.) Don’t know if they’re still around.
friend used to soak her 3* event horse’s oats - they were whole - back in the 90s. IIRC the reason was to soften the hull, but that was a while ago.
A shorter while ago - like in the 2000s - I fed hulless oats. They rocked - higher fat, not crimped, but the hull was so thin you could munch on them yourself. (Yes, I did.) Don’t know if they’re still around.
[QUOTE=invinoveritas;8766336]
Plus, these horses have oats pass through in their manure, which my horses never had when I was younger.
So watch out if you have horses where whole oats in the grain you buy go right through the horse.[/QUOTE]
Not IME of feeding whole oats to 3 sets of geldings in the last 12yrs.
No oats visible in manure, or sprouting in my (composting)manure pile.
The only problem I had was my haydunker, who’d dribble oats from a mouthful into the pelleted bedding beneath his water bucket.*
He had his own little oatgrass garden there.
*ETA: yes, I swept beneath the bucket, but a bit managed to get lodged & the few dropped oats would sprout.
I read somewhere that when you see “whole” oats passed in manure, you are often just seeing the undigested hull, but the inside has actually been digested.
I never examined any manure close enough to see if that’s true.
[QUOTE=Chachie;8766852]
OK so vet said I could soak or cook if I want to (I don’t.) but it wasn’t necessary. (Woohoo!) And I’m adding them to an alfalfa beet pulp boss mix for a horse that is underweight.
I bought 4 bags of whole oats for under $50. Not complaining one but lol[/QUOTE]
As you are feeding beet pulp you will be soaking anyways - just dump everything in a bucket and add water before you ride. when you are ready to feed all will be good.
[QUOTE=2DogsFarm;8772438]
Not IME of feeding whole oats to 3 sets of geldings in the last 12yrs.
No oats visible in manure, or sprouting in my (composting)manure pile.
The only problem I had was my haydunker, who’d dribble oats from a mouthful into the pelleted bedding beneath his water bucket.*
He had his own little oatgrass garden there.
*ETA: yes, I swept beneath the bucket, but a bit managed to get lodged & the few dropped oats would sprout.[/QUOTE]
Was whole oats in manure,not just hulls,so wont feed them or any feed that has whole oats in it. Saw oats in manure dailey…
To buy rolled oats is just to $$$ at 27 dollars for 50lbs,crimped oats aren’t any cheaper…so won’t feed oats,not at 27 dollars a bag.
A bag of feed last me a day and half,so need feed that’s not going right on out in manure.
[QUOTE=tazycat;8772603]
Was whole oats in manure,not just hulls,so wont feed them or any feed that has whole oats in it. Saw oats in manure dailey…
To buy rolled oats is just to $$$ at 27 dollars for 50lbs,crimped oats aren’t any cheaper…so won’t feed oats,not at 27 dollars a bag.
A bag of feed last me a day and half,so need feed that’s not going right on out in manure.[/QUOTE]
Have you ever had your horse’s teeth looked at? How often?
IME, the hulls in manure are normal - if you pick them apart you will see that the oats are gone but the hull, split, remains – if your horse’s dentition is not flawless, whole oats can be hard for them to split/break down. The best unspoken perk of feeding whole oats is the ‘clean up crew’ – birds of every feather will come along and peck apart the manure in the paddock for you :winkgrin:
Why on earth would a bag of feed last you a day and a half? How many horses and how much are you feeding?
[QUOTE=tazycat;8772603]
Was whole oats in manure,not just hulls,so wont feed them or any feed that has whole oats in it. Saw oats in manure dailey…
To buy rolled oats is just to $$$ at 27 dollars for 50lbs,crimped oats aren’t any cheaper…so won’t feed oats,not at 27 dollars a bag.
A bag of feed last me a day and half,so need feed that’s not going right on out in manure.[/QUOTE]
Unless you have 20+ horses… why are you going through it so fast!?
I have a mid-20s mare that looks a good decade younger than she is. She is on a half pound of oats and coastal hay twice a day and does fantastic. No matter the season, her coat gleams like it’s wet and her (bare) feet are hard as can be.
Not all of this is due to the oats, of course, but I’ve had her on oats all the 11 years I’ve owned her…sometimes in greater volume than she gets now. The pittance of oats she gets now is to make her feel like she’s getting something in her bucket too when the others are fed. It’s worked for her marvelously - she’s a bright, rotund and hardy li’l gal.
Whole oats, by the way, and I’ve never seen oats in her manure. (and I’ve looked!)
I remember as a teenager, I used to feed whole oats and cracked corn to my riding horse. I loved playing with the oats, something very soothing plunging my arms up to my elbows in a barrel full of whole oats.
And then even better than that was feeding my horse, and standing next to him with my nose up to his feed tub smelling the feed as he was eating it. Heavenly.
[QUOTE=beowulf;8772635]
Have you ever had your horse’s teeth looked at? How often?
IME, the hulls in manure are normal - if you pick them apart you will see that the oats are gone but the hull, split, remains – if your horse’s dentition is not flawless, whole oats can be hard for them to split/break down. The best unspoken perk of feeding whole oats is the ‘clean up crew’ – birds of every feather will come along and peck apart the manure in the paddock for you :winkgrin:
Why on earth would a bag of feed last you a day and a half? How many horses and how much are you feeding?[/QUOTE]
Teeth are checked spring & fall just had teeth floated in may. 3 geldings ages 3,4 & 7 two OTTBS one paint/TB cross. All three get 10lbs hard feed a day,divided into 2 feedings.
All three tend to be on thin side even with access to pasture & hay. Hays alfalfa/grass mostly alfa,tested so i know it’s good nutrition wise.
Whole oat is in manure not just hulls.
