hay replacer?

[clare3603]

Am looking at ideas for hay replacer for my old boy. He has no problems with teeth etc. but is in 24/7 at the moment due to cutting leg in field. The yard hay is fine but he is not eating it. I have been getting hayledge for last 2 weeks but finiding it very expensive and wondered if chaff mix would work out cheaper. He does not do well with sugar beet so wondered what other people use and what would be best to mix. Was thinking perhaps mixing allen and page fast fibre with chaff?

[sara]

What about something like Hi-Fi lite?

[jes]

HiFi Lite works quite well, I used to feed a huge tubtrug full of it every night as an extra "haynet" for my lad, just dampened it down slightly and he'd pick at it all night.

You could also try something like Readigrass or Graze-On for variety.

[rosemaryhannah]

grass nuts soaked will be welcomed by most horses - you need to feed some other roughage as well.

[julz]

soaked grass nuts mixed with something like dengie hi-fi lite

[melissa]

Yep Hi Fi Lite is a good one but I feed my old boy Simple Systems grass nuts. He loves them and does very well on them. He is 39yrs old with hardly any teeth.

[gemmamarygold]

I've been using Readigrass since Marygold was on box-rest earlier this year.

I started using it as a grass replacement on the boxrest - I was feeding it by the trug-full.

I've been using it as a chaff for winter feed - mixed with alfalfa pellets and sugarbeet (unmollassed) and the pone looks great on it.

[Liz]

Would he eat good, clean chopped oat straw?

[clare3603]

Thanks for your responses. Have got some 'just grass' and hi fi lite to try will let you know how he gets on.

[steve]

Dengie do a Hi-Fi Senior, that is a blend of grasses and alfalfa chopped small to make it easier to chew. I think Spillers do something similar. I suggested my friend try it for her 30yr old mare who had stopped eating hay - she loves it and manages a whole tub trug full a night.

I also suggested she steam her hay for 15mins or so as it makes it a lot softer and easier to chew - just put haynet in dustbin and pour two kettles in and leave lid on for 15mins then drain water off.

Steve

[alia]

I give speedibeet (unmollassed ) and chopped hay to my oldie who is underweight but has previously had laminitis.
She loves it and seems to be maintaining condition.