Posted 2013-12-04 11:46 PM Subject: Grain to keep weight on in the winter.....Renew Gold? Fat levels?
Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586 Location: Phoenix
Can someone help me understand? Ok to add weight, you want fat, right? So for a easy-ish keeper, dormant horse in the winter...what fat levels do you want? And would you focus more on hay or grain to keep weight on in the winter?
I'll have to look at the fat levels in our wet COB mix that we are feeding....but I'm interested in Renew Gold for the cool calories but not sure if it would work in the winter, you know what I mean?
Let me know your thoughts! (Sorry for the RG repeat...)
Posted 2013-12-04 11:58 PM Subject: RE: Grain to keep weight on in the winter.....Renew Gold? Fat levels?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 972 Location: Texas!
Horses get much more heat from the fermentation in the hind gut that comes from hay/long stem fiber. So if they are easy keepers and don't need MORE weight they should do best will just extra hay to keep them warm. My easy keepers/dormant horses are on straight grass hay and look fabulous, actually they are fat as ticks. When I did have one that got a little thin last winter I go for a high fat senior feed that a local mill makes that is low starch but high fat. Renew Gold sounds like a great supplement to an easy keeper though!
Posted 2013-12-05 12:03 AM Subject: RE: Grain to keep weight on in the winter.....Renew Gold? Fat levels?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 733
The most important thing when wanting to add weight to horses is free choice hay (if possible) and make sure they are getting all the vit/min/amino acids they need, those 3 things can play a huge role in how their body functions. If they still need more weight they I think a feed like Renew Gold works great to add calories and fat.
Grain to keep weight on in the winter.....Renew Gold? Fat levels?
When I did have one that got a little thin last winter I go for a high fat senior feed that a local mill makes that is low starch but high fat. Renew Gold sounds like a great supplement to an easy keeper though!