getting the horse to eat the supplement!

[Sheryl]

I have fed Equerrys supplements for awhile. I heard about them from Tee, it is locally produced, reasonably priced and I have gotten great results. What I used to feed him were little pellets that he loved... I fed it in grain, but he would have just eaten without the grain.

Well, last winter I decided I needed to kick up the joint supplements a notch or two, and got tired of mixing up a batch of supplements so I decided to switch to Equerrys RX. It is a comprehensive supplement, including the joint supplements and quite economical when purchased at my local farm store (they special order it for me). It also has the stuff you need to build up hooves, which is something Buster needs.

So, here is the problem, the equerrys RX is a coarse ground "powder". Not really a powder, but not pellets. Buster doesn't seem to like it very much, and it is coarse enough it doesn't stick to the grain. I often find it at the bottom of his food pan. Any tricks for getting this stuff inside him??? It isn't very economical if he doesn't actually ingest it!

(btw, the manufacturer told me to ignore the Chondroitin Sulfate - they know it isn't effective in this formulation, but they need it in there for "marketing" reasons. My estimation of them went even higher when I heard that big shot of honesty!)

www.equerrys.com/combinedrx.htm

Equerry's Combined Rx 4-Way

Nutrition supplement designed to help the horse in a variety of areas.

Digestive Strength - Enzymes, Microbes, Live Yeast.

Joint Health - Hyaluronic Acid, Glucosamine, MSM, Chondroitin, for Collagen Support.

Hoof & Hair Condition - Biotin, Omega 3, Amino Acids.

Over-all Health - Vitamins - Minerals - Organic Selenium, Kelp Meal.

Pain - Digestive Upset - Beneficial Probiotics can aid in stress on the digestive system.

t
Crude Protein
Crude Fat
Crude Fiber
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Bifidobacterium thermophilum
Enterococcus faecium
Bacillus pumulis
Bacillus subtilis
Amylase ( Aspergillus oryzae )
Protease ( Aspergillus oryzae )
Cellulase ( Aspergillus niger )
Lipase ( Aspergillus oryzae )
Pectinase ( Aspergillus niger )
Calcium (Ca)
Calcium (Ca)
Phosphorus (P)
Magnesium (Mg)
Potassium (K)
Sulphur (S)
Cobalt (Co)
Copper (cu)
Iodine (I)
Iron (Fe)
Manganese (Mn)
Organic Selenium
Zinc (Zn)
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Riboflavin
Pantothenic Acid
Biotin
Folic Acid
Choline
Vitamin B-12
Niacin
Pyridoxine B-6
Thiamine B-1
Ascorbic Acid
Lysine
Methionine
Chondroitin Sulfate
Glucosamine
MSM
Hyaluronic Acid

[Reds]

I usually add a glug of water or two to feed so the powdery stuff sticks to the pellets. Oil works too.

During the winter, though, I often forget to grab my jug from the house, so I know I have waste. In the warm months, I keep the liquid whatever in the feedroom when I have a picky eater.

[Marci]

Yep water or oil works well. Then too you can make a nice mash out of it too. Shadow loves her grain all soaked-that is about the only way she gets pellets since she choked years ago.
And in the winter she gets it warm. Sometimes with peppermints in it, or cookies. I got some grahmm crackers for our camping trip and they are downright nasty-luckily she loves them. LOL

[snaffle]

I do the water too.

well except for the winter months because I am a wimp when it comes to doing anything extra outside when it is cold.

[Deleted]

Wow, Jack licks his right up - tho it's mixed in with the flax, so I'm sure it isn't the supplement. LOL I would try adding the water. I'm sure he eats his grain fast enough it'll stick long enough for him to finish.

[Sheryl]

ok, when I first got it I mixed oil in since I was trying to put weight back on Buster. He would leave an oily goop at the bottom, which looked to me like the supplement! I now pour the oil on his hay which seems to work better. In the winter, I have made him bran mashes and found I could disguise anything in that!

Are you saying to add just a little water to the supplement and then mixing it with the grain so it sticks?

Oh, and I haven't been feeding flax because of the spoilage factor. I have access to a fridge at this barn - so I could start using that now. I can't remember the details around feeding flax though.

[Deleted]

Sheryl, which details?

[pamz]

Joey won't eat his DAC, so I just dump about two cups of water in the bottom of his feed tub, then dump the pellets with the DAC on top. He mixes it up by himself and I haven't seen him waste any in months.

[snaffle]

I put about one cup of pellets in a bucket and pour a good size splash of water on top....

dump any supplements or garlic powder and stir with a metal spoon.

sometimes I have a bunch glued to the inside lower edge of the buckets

[ride4fun]

Just put a glug of water on the feed before you dump the supplements in. Quick stir and you are done. Sometimes I use a layer BOSS (sunflower seeds) for the bottom of the can to avoid wet grain sticking.

[Laurie]

I soak all my horses feed, if is going to swell up I want it to do it before it goes into their stomachs. Plus I can add any supplements and the horses will eat them.
I have just started using Equerrys rx for my 29 year old, the reviews convinced me, Thank You all.
Just my opinion but I think horses use their teeth enough on hay, but my 29 year old horse cannot chew enough hay any more..
Mine liike the cool water in the summer and the hot water in the winter.
Soaking the food was first recommended buy a vet 20 years ago for a 20+ old horse with breathing problems, we just started soaking all the horses feed before we fed since then. Reduces chances of colic from feed swelling in their stomachs when it is soaked. Enough Thank you for all your posts. I hope I do not upset anyone with my opinions. Laurie

[ride4fun]

Hi Laurie. This board is barely active anymore but thanks for chiming in. I now soak all my horses feed too. Not because I think they need it soaked all the time but I don't want them to go ewww whats this wet glop when I do really want to get some extra water in them.

I kept my senior guy in good weight with Eq. senior and beet pulp plus a bit of leafy alfalfa and the little bit of hay he could chew. Internal melanoma got him last spring but he was in good weight and feeling spry until that awful colic, It is nice to have all the feed options available these days so that worn out teeth don't have to be a serious problem for a senior horse.

[Idaho Linda]

I feed a couple of cups of alfalfa pellets twice a day. I put water over the top and leave the buckets in the house until the bext feeding. Supplements stir right in and they can't be sifter out.