So, I have a rescue who has been rubbing on his mane, tail, and belly. I had him allergy tested, and I am getting the desensitization shots for him. However, he is allergic to Soy, Flax, Cottonseed (big time), and oats. I can feed him beet pulp, which I already do. Any suggestions on a commercial feed, or do I just need to start mixing his feed? He is not on the metabolic spectrum. Thanks!
Why not just do beet pulp with a good vitamin mineral supplement?
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how much food does he require outside of his forage?
It’s simple to feed hay pellets and then a good forage balancer, but not necessarily easy on the wallet.
Beet pulp can be useful, but if he needs a lot of calories, it’s too high volume for the calories provided, to feed much of
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Many feed alfalfa cubes, beet pulp, vitamin mineral supplement with great success. Most commercial feeds have soy or flax or oats so no recommendations there.
Any hay/dust allergies. Steaming hay was life changing for my allergy challenged horse.
Thanks for the ideas!
I picked up some rice bran pellets, alfalfa pellets, coarse cracked corn, and he will get beet pulp. He lives outside, and has free choice alfalfa. I ordered a new container of accel. I need to do something about the preponderance of calcium- any phosphorus ideas?
Amazingly, he didn’t come up sensitive to any grasses. He does live outside, because he has a wind issue which is exacerbated by dust- and he will walk a stall. He is starting on his allergy shots as soon as the stuff comes in.
Why the corn? There’s no value there
Why do you feel it’s out of balance? Are you feeding a lot of alfalfa?
if you’re feeding all grass forage, then the alfalfa pellets and beet pulp are adding potentially beneficial calcium, and most likely the rice bran you have is fortified for balance.
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I like corn in feed when possible. I’m old fashioned that way. Especially coming into the winter.
Thanks for your help !!
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OP said horse has access to free choice alfalfa.
Corn is mostly sugar and starch. It’s an old wives tale that it helps keep them warm. It does have calories, obviously, but there are so many healthier ways to provide that.
Ha, totally missed that and EVEN went back to read things!
Rice bran needs to be unfortified then. Or, you’re looking at adding something like monosodium phosphate, aka MSP, which is reported to taste like soap, and not very easy to get horses to eat
I would not be adding alfalfa pellets and beet pulp to a free choice alfalfa diet, not unless it’s just enough to get then to eat supplements. There are usually a variety of grass hay pellets to choose from
My understanding of horse digestion is that grains are digested for carbs and protein in the small intestine (just like for humans). Hay fiber however is fermented for additional calories in the cecum and colon, which humans can’t do. It’s this fermentation that keeps the horse warm, which is why free choice or regular hay feedings are important in the cold.
Back when I used to own horses I mixed my own feed–weighing whole grains.
I did not feed corn in the warm weather, but when it started to get colder my first horse would send mental “messages” to me about how WONDERFUL it was to eat corn when it got cold, the message was like a little movie, the joy of the crunch, how good it tasted, and how the fat in the corn kept him warmer (yes, corn has fat in it, that is how we get corn oil to cook with). One year my MS was pretty bad, my husband then got these mental “messages.” My horses got the corn they wanted and they kept in good weight throughout the winter even though they did not have free choice hay. When we got my horse his corn the mental messages ended immediately.
If I was crazy enough to own a horse again I would still feed corn in the winter just because many horses like it so much when the weather gets colder.
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We have a pony with many allergies including soy (also things like Timothy and many types of flies/insects) He is on the Triple Crown Gold Balancer which has no Soy
Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I had a large equestrian center up here and I had my feed made. I changed my formula seasonally so starting in the fall and through May I included corn and a little more protein generally in the form of the dreaded soy. The horses held wait beautifully during the winter and shed out and were gorgeous in the early spring. So I’m still a fan of corn because it’s just one of those things that my entire life we always fed horses corn until formula feeds became the thing. And now with him having allergies I need to make adjustments.
Question- what is the most affordable ration balancer (looking to bump up protein as a top dress) that doesn’t contain soy?
I have the gelding that this thread is about turned out with his two bestest buddies. The issue is that they will swap feed buckets, so they all have to get the same thing.
Thanks!
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There aren’t very many - Tribute Wholesome Blends Balancer, Triple Crown Balancer Gold, Purina Omega Match, I THINK there’s another one but it’s not coming to me.
The Omega Match is the most $$ because it has double the feeding rate. It’s probably a toss-up between the other 2, depending on where you are, and whether you are getting the Tribute locally or from Chewy
TC has 13% protein where Tribute has 28%, but the difference is only 68gm/lb, so not a huge difference at that 1lb rate.
Are you looking to bump total protein? Any reason you can’t use alfalfa pellets?
Or are you looking to increase amino acids?
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I have alfalfa pellets, rolled barley, and beet pulp in there. They get yeast and Accel once per day, and are currently getting Gut X, which is more for the newest arrival than the others, but what the heck? 
The one with the allergies is in great weight, but the other two need weight. He’s not a great keeper, so having them all eat the same is fine. I would just like something with a nice profile, and to pop the protein up, as the beet pulp and barley aren’t helpful there.
But what makes you feel they need more protein? Grass hay at 8% protein and 22lb is 799gm, and an 1100lb horse in light work needs around 700gm.
Beet pulp averages about 8% protein, alfalfa around 14%
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Because I am always on overkill! They also have been getting rice bran for fat. They have free choice second cutting grass hay. I hate that I cannot feed them flax, but Temper (Mr. Allergy) is allergic to that, too! Of the other two, one came in emaciated about a month ago, and the other arrived in the same condition a year ago- he is shiny and healthy, but I’d love about 50# more on him.
Thanks for your help!
If you can’t do flax, then you can’t do most ration balancers though.
More alfalfa pellets is what I’d increase from what you’re feeding, as that will increase calories, and protein. If they’ll eat oil, that’s the highest cal/lb you can get, 1c is around 2000 calories.
