I wanted some hay apart from chaftel hay to give to the boys. Maxie can only eat hay like lucerne and chaftel hay . I finds the fine gras rye hay too hard to break down. The feed store suggested this Vetch hay. Well the boys love it and it doesn't look as rich as lucerne. Anyone else tried it?
1. "RE: Who has given their horses Vetc"
In response to message #0
Hi Mickey,
I have tried it. My mare LOVED it but it gave her the runs so I had to stop feeding it to her. But she is super sensitive, her two paddock mates were also fed it and loved it and had no problems digesting it. It's not meant to be as rich as lucerne from what I was told when I bought it.
Sorry not much help but just know it didn't suit my mare.
2. "RE: Who has given their horses Vetc"
In response to message #0
Heya Mickey, Vetch is a shaftal clover which most horses will find very palatable. It is still fairly rich although I have not heard any of the associated problems like you may get with very rich lucerne. We had a good supply in the store over the winter and drought months when lucerne was hard to come by. A lot of customers were very happy with it some even telling me that their horses preferred it over lucerne. It can vary in colour ( depending on age) from a very very dark green to a slightly tan/light green ( khaki?). Glad to hear they liked it
3. "RE: Who has given their horses Vetc"
In response to message #2
my horses are currently on Oaten Vetch - they love it and in SA its fairly cheap. I have know of people having horses scour on vetch but all of mine are fine (foal, yearling, aged mare and 6yo RP)
4. "RE: Who has given their horses Vetc"
In response to message #3
vetch hay dont feed a lot as someone has mentioned it rich enought to cause the runs and too much does cause colic... very good to feed with other hay high in protein
It is better to remain silent and apear an idiot, than to speak and remove all doubt
5. "RE: Who has given their horses Vetc"
In response to message #4
We nearly llost 8 horses feeding vetch hay, there are different types of vetch. Two of these did die, horrible deaths, on autopsy it showed that the gas in the vetch had pushed the diaphram up onto the heart causing them to die. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life, this was 14 years ago and from that day to this, not one stem of vetch has ever passed by any of my horses mouths and never will. please be very careful using vetch
6. "RE: Who has given their horses Vetc"
In response to message #5
Thanks for the feed back. I only give them a very small portion of the biscuit. One of the replys said it was the same compostion of shafftel but it seems so different more like lucerne. Shafftel I found was much plainer and thats why I liked it and that my eldest could eat it easily.
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