Powdered supplements in grain bag/muzzle?

[TinFoilHat]

Hey gang. I’m pretty sure this is a dumb question, but hey, someone has to ask them so I’ll gladly take one for the team.

I’m looking at some pasture board situations and a lot of them don’t feed grain unless it’s in one of those grain bags/muzzles (admittedly, I have no clue what the real name of it is). If everything works out with this specific horse (pending PPE), he will NEED grain for at least a few months as he is a bit underweight at the moment. I was planning on adding some supplements (Cool Calories and MSM) and I’ve only seen them come in powder form.

So my question is, is it realistic to have powder in the grain bag on him? Aside from the concern of him breathing it all in (I mean I guess that’s one way to ingest it?), I’m assuming it would probably fall out through the material, right?

I’m definitely overthinking this.

[Bebe_Falcon1]

@TinFoilHat

I’m assuming it would probably fall out through the material, right?

Not at all! The kind of bag I use for my mare is a solid material at the bottom, I feed a powdered supplement and to my knowledge it doesn’t fall out I also mix it with a handful of sweet feed so it has something to stick to, though.

[TinFoilHat]

Yes!! What are those called? They can’t be called grain muzzles lol

[Bebe_Falcon1]

“Grain muzzles” is very descriptive, though The place I’ve bought mine in the past from calls them feed bags. It’s eliminated all kinds of feed-time shenanigans for the group my mare’s in, which is out 24/7.

[TinFoilHat]

I was so close yet so far away thank you!!

[JB]

Feed bag

Powders need to be wet, regardless of what bucket/bag/bin they’re in, because of that breathing issue.

I wouldn’t bother with Cool Calories, TBH. Feed a good quality commercial feed, at the appropriate feeding rate, and give it a couple months to do its job, before deciding if more calories are needed

There are MSM pellets - Smart Pack has one, UltraCruz Equine MSM is another pellet

[TinFoilHat]

Appreciate the feedback on Cool Calories! I’ll try a few months without and see how that goes!

[StormyDay]

I feed two powdered supplements in a feed bag and it sticks to his sweet feed, so no big deal there. But if I was feeding a drier type of grain I’d probably add in some oil.

[candyappy]

This may be a dumb question but here goes.

I have 3 horses all together and we feed the RB ( or grain if needed) in individual tubs or buckets spaced out in the dry lot. It works because everyone is eating and knows their place.

If you are feeding an individual horse among a group and they are not getting feed, as well, how do you keep them from harassing the poor one trying to eat?

Even with the grain bag/ muzzle thing you pictured, I have 2 horses that would be all over the one wearing it.

Just curious.

ETA: If someone has to go in and put it on and go back and take it off, wouldn’t it be easier to just take the horse out and feed it?

[TinFoilHat]

I’ll be honest, I don’t have the answer to this. That’s kind of my question too, and I should have asked, but they made it sound normal.

In my situation, if it ends up being a problem, there’s several unused individual turn out pastures, so I could always ask if they could move him into one of those while he eats. Worst they can say is no ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[Warmblood1]

Yep, just wet the supplement down prior. You won’t be able to feed a ton of grain at a time but they are great for group feeding.

Also, if your horse likes to scarf down feed or is a messy eater, you might consider the Calvary style feed bags. I have had some who throw their heads up to get feed quicker and then end up pouring the feed out of the back of the bag.

[clanter]

@JB

Powders need to be wet, regardless

fully agree

[2DogsFarm]

Simple & relatively cheap way to add calories is Triple Crown Senior.
I feed it exclusively to my Would Like to Founder mini & at my vet’s advice, started adding a cupful to my horse’s grain (whole oats & BOSS fed 2X day) when he looked a bit ribby coming out of Winter.
Due to the Mystery of Science (to me ) mini has lost weight on it, horse has kept his & both look great.