Hello all,

I'm new to this forum, but I'm trying to get input from experienced horse people on specific feeds. I have a 16 month old AQHA mare (cutting bloodlines - Smart Little Lena is her great grandsire). She was 4 months old when I purchased her and I fed her Equine Junior (Purina) twice a day (about 2lbs in morning and 2lbs in evening) until she was 2 years old. She was also not kept in a stall, so she had continuous access to pasture, and I also fed plenty of hay even though Equine Junior is a "complete" feed. She did extremely well on this feeding routine and she is very healthy. She has great muscle tone, her coat is shiny, she has beautiful healthy mane & tail, and she is full of energy... but not so much energy that she's hard to control.

The reason for this thread on this forum is that I would like input from experienced horse people about what to feed her now. I liked Purina's Equine Junior so well that I thought I should stick to Purina, so I debated whether to feed Equine Adult (complete feed) or Purina's Strategy. I ended up choosing Strategy, which is what she has been fed for the past 3 months or so. She seems to be doing fine with it and she has plenty of grazing and hay to go along with it. However, I have read some things online posted by people who say not to feed a pellet feed. I've also seen some postings which indicate that there are long term negative effects from feeding Strategy and that Strategy is a "high end of the low-end quality feeds". One trainer I know mixes racehorse oats with Strategy.

Anyway, basically I am welcoming any advice/input from experienced horse people as to what their opinions are of the feeds I've mentioned and are there better feeds out there I don't know about? Should I feed oats with a pellet feed? Should I not feed a pellet feed? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

Everyone has different opinions on pelleted feeds. When I wean my babies I mix their grain with Oats, until about their 2-3 year old year (just depending upon how well they do).

I have never heard of any negative effects of using Strategy- I don't use it. But I would love to hear what people have been mentioning to you concerning it. I have the curiosity of a puppy haha...

I've fed Strategy to performance horses for years any only changed due to a same quality feed for less money.
I've also used the so called "junior" feeds on all ages of horses.
If you really read the labels, the different mixtures are so close that for the most part they can be interchanged.
If you are currently happy with what you have, don't let someone else opinion change your own.
Only look to a diet change if you are looking to a specific reason for change.

what i do and works AMAZINGG is feed about a full scoop of a grain, any grain with a high fat, or even a complete junior feed will work really well, and then 1 scoop of whole oats, but no more too much will cause too much energy anywhere from 1-2 big scoops of oats with a grain or junoir feed is good, and then add a oil to the feed. its simple and easy my horse loves it and she has never looked better! and she has been fed it for a year nwo she is only 3 and it has done wonders for her.

the thing with purina is it has a lot of recalls in their feeds, equine and dog foods. be careful feeding that stuff, even if she did good on it for a while. i woudlnt feed anythign purina anymore, they have had way too many recalls on all their feeds.

I just feed a good grain mix from my local feedmill and don't have any advice on the Strategy feed but thought I would ask sence you are feeding it right now, would you be interested in a coupon I just got in the mail? I don't plan on using it and it's a $10 off coupon for any Premium Purina Horse Feed including Strategy! It is good untill 9/30/09.
If your interested in it email me your mailing address and I'll send it to you. email me at jcpaintedacres@yahoo.com
Cathy C

Since the pelleted feed is already ground down the horse can absorb more of the nutrients than with regular grains if they don't chew it completely (like real fast eaters).
I've been feeding my horse Strategy for almost 4 years now and he has never looked better.
I have never heard of any negative effects from feeding Strategy. If your mare is doing well on it don't switch because of what you heard, it is really great feed