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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 456
 
Location: SW MO | Needing options for a PSSM type 2 horse. Thinking about soaking pellets, that’s all that is available in my area. I did this before, but I didn’t like how my horse was looking. I felt like I didn’t have the Coats/muscle that I wanted so I tried a feed (before I suspected PSSM). Was I not feeding enough alfalfa, or do I need to add something? |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
 
| I do. I have two respiratory horses that are completely off of hay. They get 18 lbs of alfalfa a day. Split up between alfalfa pellets, alfalfa Chaffhaye and alfalfa cubes. So far I've had good luck. Their respiratory allergies and COPD has gone into remission and best of all they both look great! |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| WetSaddleBlankets - 2017-11-28 6:09 PM I do. I have two respiratory horses that are completely off of hay. They get 18 lbs of alfalfa a day. Split up between alfalfa pellets, alfalfa Chaffhaye and alfalfa cubes. So far I've had good luck. Their respiratory allergies and COPD has gone into remission and best of all they both look great!
Do they get turned out? |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| rodeomom3 - 2017-11-28 6:39 PM
WetSaddleBlankets - 2017-11-28 6:09 PM I do. I have two respiratory horses that are completely off of hay. They get 18 lbs of alfalfa a day. Split up between alfalfa pellets, alfalfa Chaffhaye and alfalfa cubes. So far I've had good luck. Their respiratory allergies and COPD has gone into remission and best of all they both look great!
Do they get turned out?
Only for 6 to 8 hours in the summer from June to November. I live in Wisconsin so our winters run 5 months. They get 18 lbs of alfalfa plus 5 lbs of a pelleted 12 percent protein, 6 percent fat with equilix free choice. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 851
Location: West Texas | A whole lot of people only feed alfalfa. It is great. |
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| Be sure to feed a good mineral like Moorman ‘s GroStrong when feeding just hay of any kind is my recommendation. |
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Member
Posts: 41
| Long-stem forage is also important for digestive health, so you may want to take that into consideration if you will be feeding pellets only. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| 123barrelracer - 2017-11-28 8:09 PM
Long-stem forage is also important for digestive health, so you may want to take that into consideration if you will be feeding pellets only.
Exactly. Since your horse doesn't have allergies like my poor souls, I'd look for baled alfalfa not just pellets or cubes. I love Chaffhaye because it resembles as close to stem hay as I can get for my two off of hay. Or just mix... Add alfalfa pellets with the hay you feed now or find baled alfalfa like I said above. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I think that mine look better with an added fat source than purely alfalfa diet. That extra little "bloom." So I feed 1lb of rice bran am and pm. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 456
Location: SW MO | Would rice bran be ok for a PSSM horse? |
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Expert
Posts: 1409
Location: Oklahoma | Be careful with rice bran bc it is very high in omega 6 which causes inflammation if not balanced with the other omegas. I feed Horsehine bc it is flaxseed and the company does the balancing of the omegas. I'm sure there is other stuff out there it just what I use as a fat. |
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Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | Some dairy quality alfalfa is very high in protein and is best used in combination with a grass roughage source. Most horse quality alfalfa can work great, and greatly reduce the use of added grain based feed in the diet. This is a good thing. Quality alfalfa pellets and cubes made with a safe alfalfa source also fit in this category. |
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