Tell me about Triple Crown "Lite"

[Minerva]

Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone using Triple Crown “Lite” could give me some more information on it. I noticed that it has a wonderfully low NSC (9.3%), but they don’t list the actual sugar and starch percentages. Does anyone have these?

I was also concerned about its palatability. Since it seems like more of a ration balancer, I was wondering how horses like it.

My mare has been a royal pain in my arse lately and my friend strongly recommended that I try cutting the grain and instead give her a token of the coolest feed I can find plus her supplements. She was getting a regular size grain meal to maintain her condition but adjusting her hay has allowed me to cut that way back. I’m looking for something with a really low sugar content (her current feed is 8%, though I’m not sure if that’s considered high to be honest) that is tasty enough that she won’t just go, “Eugh, this AND supplements? No thanks!”

I was also looking at Ultium, though as I recall that’s still 6% sugar. She’s not going to be getting much of it but I figured if I’m going to try this out properly I might as well look for the lowest AND cut it back.

Any other thoughts or recommendations are welcome too!

[JB]

TC lists ESC, WSC, starch, starch + ESC, and NSC (starch + WSC) for all their products
http://www.triplecrownfeed.com/articles/horse-food-carbohydrate-values-triple-crown-horsefood/

You get there by clicking NSC Values right above Guaranteed Analysis on each product.

8% for a regular feed is really nice and low - what is it?

TC Lite sounds like a very reasonable place to start. You can also do any ration balancer and add alfalfa pellets for calories. That allows you to adjust calories as quickly and often as you need to, by in/decreasing the alf pellets.

[Janet]

My “easy keepers” all find it palatable.

[lcw579]

The fat ponies live for their handful of TC Lite. They think it’s manna from heaven.

The OTTB gets the Ultium.

[Minerva]

Thank you JB, I didn’t even notice that! Interesting that they still don’t actually list the sugar percentage. I didn’t expect it to still be 4.8% with the ingredients in the Lite but it’s the lowest I’ve found so I’m not complaining.

They think it’s manna from heaven.

:lol::lol:
I’m glad it’s palatable too! My mare lives for her grain; as far as she’s concerned it’s the best part of life. She was absolutely chuffed when she was getting eight pounds a day in two servings to put weight back on after winter.

She’s definitely a bit of a hard keeper and I don’t know that she would eat enough grass hay on her own to maintain decent weight. Since we’re in the Land of Alfalfa however she’s been getting two flakes of alfalfa a day plus free choice bermuda and that seems to be the ticket. Before she was on one flake alfalfa and five flakes teff hay but she really doesn’t like teff much.

Now here’s another question: since she tends to lose weight like crazy in the winter even when blanketed, should I consider switching from Lite to Ultium when it’s cold or up her alfalfa again instead?