Outlast is alfalfa based. I have a 9 year old OTTB who is on free choice alfalfa. She is also on twice a day Outlast. Is the outlast overkill considering she eats a lot of alfalfa?
The seaweed-derived calcium is what makes Outlast special over just what alfalfa can do. The honeycomb structure of the calcium increases the surface area by which it buffers the acid.
that said, it’s likely not doing as much as it would do otherwise.
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Considering that the feeding of outlast is one cup… and mostly alfalfa, I really don’t think that 2 cups of alfalfa pellets-minus the active ingredients, would be overdose for anybody at all, unless they had a sensitivity to it.
I am just wondering if I can stop it. She eats about 1/2 bale of alfalfa per day.
Oh. Gotcha.
Weeellll, that’s a LOT of alfalfa, which is supposed to be great at buffering.
I myself would try a regulated experiment. I would stop the outlast and pay very, very careful attention to all behavior. Give it a week, then start her back up on it. Might do that twice to get more predictable data.
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What made you start it? Did anything about her change when you added it?
1/2 of what size bale?
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I had the whole herd on Outlast for about a year but discontinued it. I started it because two of the horses were traveling a lot in the summer and I wanted something to help buffer any trailering induced ulcers or anxiety. It was easier with my set up to just feed everyone the Outlast versus worry about musical chairs with their grain buckets (they all live outside).
I can’t say I really noticed a difference. In my case it may have been overkill. They were already getting four quarts of alfalfa pellets between AM/PM feeding. My herd is on a round bale, so I’m not sure how much more the Outlast would do. However, in the scheme of things it’s really not an expensive supplement - so it’s worth trying for a few months to see if it makes a difference.
I discontinued it because someone I trust had mentioned it was not good to keep them on it permanently, plus I never noticed much a difference anyway. It may be my set up wasn’t conducive for it, I could see it doing a lot more for a horse who wasn’t already getting 24/7 hay, turnout, and lots of alfalfa anyway.
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Both of my horses are on Outlast or similar as part of their grain ration. The older horse gets a fair amount of alfalfa or O/A ~ 15-20 lbs daily. Older horse is also on a daily NSAID so I don’t think it’s overkill for him to have the alfalfa and the Outlast.
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She’s an OTTB and I have had her a month. With a new home and a new job, I thought it would be a good addition. 1/2 of about a 60-65 pound bale.
30-32lb of alfalfa isn’t outrageous at all, from an intake perspective It DOES warrant some additional phosphorous in the diet to help offset the high ca:p ratio
It’s unlikely adding Outlast will do enough more to make it worth it, but it might be something to give her right before you groom to go for a ride
She is on a mineral supplement designed for a alfalfa diet. good idea about before a ride.
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