Purina Outlast - how many times a day do you feed it?

[hillary_again]

I’ve read through many of the threads on this feed supplement, but still can’t quite understand how others are using it. The website states: The feeding rate for both the top-dress and the snack is 20 grams per 100 to 125 lbs. body weight. For example, a 1,000 to 1,250 lb. horse would receive 200 grams of the supplement per feeding. This feeding rate is equivalent to 1.25 cups (10 ounces with a dry-good measuring cup). See chart for specific recommendations.

Typical feeding rate is 3 to 4 times per day – top-dressed with each meal and a snack 30 to 60 minutes prior to a stressful event. Do not feed more than 6 times per day at the recommended rates for your horse’s weight.

It appears that many are feeding this once/day and then just before riding. ? So, for a 1,000 lb horse, a 200g (1.25 cup) serving at meal and same before riding? But directions are “… 3-4 times per day…”?

My vet’s recommending this but my horse does not get fed 3-4 times/day, so I am trying to determine how this would work.

[beowulf]

I’m feeding this to my entire herd as a top-dress. They’ve been on it since November. They all get 1 cup 2x a day.

It’s hard to say whether or not I’ve seen a difference. I started one of the ulcer prone (and being treated w/ ulcer meds) horses on it and then put all of them on it because it was just easier and it’s not that expensive as far as supplements go. One of them looks absolutely stunning – the best he has ever looked – but I don’t see a big difference in any of the other horses on it.

FWIW, they all already get 4 qts of alfalfa a day. Which is a big part of what PO is. Most – many – boarding barns do not feed 3-4x a day, so I imagine that many people are in your situation.

[hillary_again]

Is that 4 qts of alfalfa pellets? Or of some other alfalfa?

[lenapesadie]

I did a one bag trial w Outlast.

I gave him the 1 1/4 cups 2X daily with meals and then as a lunch snack and again at night check.

[Highflyer1]

When I did it I did it AM and PM and any time that I rode if it wasn’t a mealtime. I did not see any difference.

[quietann]

Mine has been on it for a while. She was diagnosed with ulcers in 2020, but probably had them well before this, treated with Gastrogard and eventually Abler paste as Gastrogard is just unreasonably pricey. During this time, she got 1 cup Outlast in her p.m. meal, plus 1 cup before riding. When she came off omeprazole entirely, it went to 1 cup a.m. and p.m., and either Outlast cookies or 1 cup before riding. She is now retired and still getting 1 cup a.m. and p.m., and has not had symptoms of ulcers since she came off omeprazole. I do think it’s helped her gut.

The biggest difference is an odd one – she is no longer extremely reactive if she gets static shock when having a blanket removed. I think it was the winter of 2018-2019 that it was not safe to remove her blanket in her stall – you’d have to chase her around, and it took several minutes going very gradually, approach, undo something or make one fold and retreat, to get the blanket entirely off. Eventually I started tying her and giving her some hay in her feed bucket, and she was still reactive but not as bad. This winter, all she does is lift the opposite (right) hind leg a little when I undo the belly straps, and she doesn’t need to be tied.

[joiedevie99]

We feed it 3x/day (for those on it). One horse also gets a 4th serving before riding.

[good_booie]

1 cup 2x a day. I will never go off it. It WORKS! We have been there, done that and this is the answer.

[JB]

@hillary_again

It appears that many are feeding this once/day and then just before riding. ? So, for a 1,000 lb horse, a 200g (1.25 cup) serving at meal and same before riding? But directions are “… 3-4 times per day…”?

3-4 times a day is to provide near full-time coverage.

Not all horses need that, many (most?) only benefit from either 1 serving before work, or maybe that plus an additional serving.

So it’s really, as few servings as possible, but as many servings (up to 4) as necessary.

[StormyDay]

I use the treat version. I’ve not seen a huge difference, but since I feed treats before I get on my horses anyways and the price isn’t that much different from their regular purina cookies I use it.

I think that the 1.25 cups is each time you feed it. It’s essentially an acid buffer.

Also they added it to a bunch of their grain so double check that you aren’t double feeding it.

[horsepoor]

I’m not using it anymore, but when I did, I was doing 3 feedings a day (just a heaping cup each time). We’ll see now that I have stopped if it was really doing anything or not. My horses were all getting really finicky about it lately which is so unlike them (always starving haflinger and welsh cob were leaving good amounts uneaten). I figured it was a local milling issue as I was also finding big chunks of unpelleted ingredients in the bags, like some part of the process wasn’t being done right.

[StormyDay]

I have no idea if it is relevant to this, but for a time I was having a medical issue that was causing severe acid reflux, so I had to take tums all the time.
At first they don’t seem so bad, but after a few weeks I could taste the chalky-ness to them. It didn’t matter what flavor I took, it was horrid. Luckily I got off that medication quick and didn’t need them anymore, but I do wonder if the horses can tell too after a time.

[quietann]

Oh I forgot to say my mare is about 900 pounds so she’s not quite full size. She thinks she is, though.

[oldernewbie]

My horse gets fed Outlast 2 times a day in his regular feed. I also give him another dose 1/2 hour before a ride.

He’s a weird-ish case - scoped clean for ulcers except for a tiny spot of erosion but something was clearly bothering him. Kept him on Ulcergard daily all last show season, which worked pretty well but holy $$$$. And, I had to go to the barn every day to give it to him since I just pay basic board.

My niece the vet gave me several alternatives to try after show season was over. Outlast was the easiest and probably cheapest approach, so I gave it a try. Darn! It works! So he’s been on it ever since. 10/10!