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  Discussion on Balancing Rations - Vitimin A
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 3, 1999 - 7:38 am:

I am not sure I can do much with your numbers as you did the calculations and did not tell me the concentrations of your various food stuffs. But for a 950 lb horse during maintenance the range of recommended levels of vitamin A is 2000 to 3000 IU per day. Be careful about confusing recommended total intake and recommended amount per weight of feed and recommended amount per lb. of body weight of horse.
The Advisor Vet, RN Oglesby DVM

Posted on Friday, Nov 10, 2000 - 8:54 pm:

Hello Doctor,

I have a question. My mare is approximately 1000 lbs. I do not give her any supplements. She has free access to a timothy mix grass hay, but not all the time. She also has a salt mineral block in her stall.

Currently, I've stopped feeding her grain, as she is tenderfooted due to a short trim, and also having her shoes pulled. In place of the grain, I've been feeding her 3 or 4 carrots, and an apple 4 times a day.

This question may sound dumb, but I'm a novice, so please bear with me. Am I feeding my mare too many carrots? Also, I read somewhere, that a pound of carrots a day would give a 1000 lb horse their daily dose of Vitamin A, Is this correct?

Posted on Monday, Nov 13, 2000 - 7:34 am:

A pound of carrots provides appx 14,000 IU of vitamin A which is about 4 times the daily requirement. Why not cut it down to 1 carrot 4 times daily?
DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 13, 2000 - 8:04 pm:

Thanks for the advice Doc, I'll give my mare one (1) carrot 4 times a day.

DrO, I find this website to be very very beneficial to a novice horseperson like myself. I'm extremely happy to have found it. Keep up the good work.

Posted on Monday, Nov 13, 2000 - 8:59 pm:

Hi Anthony & Dr. O - Just out of curiosity, why would you be completely cutting out your horse's grain ration because of sore feet due to overtrimming and shoe-pulling? Also, how do carrots & apples make a satisfactory replacement for missing grain - except for mental satisfaction?
Just wondered in case I'm ever in the same boat - Bonnie

Posted on Monday, Nov 13, 2000 - 11:38 pm:

Hi Bonita, Well when the farrier pulled her shoes, and trimmed her, she was left with sore feet. The farm owner advised me to take her off of her grain for a few days, as the grain would only increase the blood flow to her hooves, and she has enough of that already. The owner also stated she had talked to several people about this, and they also agreed. Let me add that the owner is not at all happy in giving horses grain, even though she knows my mare is a hard-keeper! so that may play a part in this. I keep telling her that it is my horse, and I would like to feed her my way, but she keeps bringing up the premise that horses dont need grain.

My mare is okay now, and back on grain, and she is doing fine.

Posted on Monday, Nov 13, 2000 - 11:43 pm:

Bonita, also about the apples and carrots, well I figured while she was not eating grain, I could try to keep her happy with the apples and carrots.
That's the only reason. Thanks.

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 14, 2000 - 7:23 am:

Never heard of the "blood to the feet" thing myself. Only reasons I ever heard of for completely eliminating grain were colic or other intestinal problems and founder/laminitis. Now I have heard of "reducing" the grain ration somewhat when there is going to be a sudden reduction in turnout or workload - like when a horse is stallbound due to weather or lameness, or won't be ridden as frequently, etc. Maybe that is what your farm owner was trying to justify, but I agree with you that if she doesn't like to feed any grain in the first place, this probably just gave her a good excuse to pester you - and you're right, it is YOUR horse! (And while there are horses that get along quite nicely without grain, it's always nice to be able to give them at least a handful - and your horse doesn't sound like a "grain-free" candidate anyway!)
Bonnie

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 14, 2000 - 9:14 am:

Thanks again Bonita for your reply. What I think the owner is trying to say, is that, she feels that due to her feet being sore, there is blood going to the feet, even though there is no heat felt on my mare's hooves. The biggest problem I'm having with the owner is this, she has been around horses for a long time, and everything I say to her about certain situations referring to horses, goes in one ear and out the other. Now I will admit I'm a novice, and the only horses I've been involved with, are at the racetrack, but I'm not a dummy either, and I've reading about all issues regarding horses from different horse people. One horseman in particular is John Lyons, and I am very happy with his expertise, and he has helped me a lot. I dont take everything he says verbatim, but I do rely on him a lot. At this point in time, and after five years being a horse owner, I feel I'm moving out of the novice classification. Thanks again Bonita.--Anthony

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 15, 2000 - 7:22 am:

The blood to the feet thing and grain promoting blood to the feet is pretty nonsensical.
DrO
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