# Feeding whole Oats as a primary grain for your horses?



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Oats and alfalfa would be my _last_ choice, not my first.

I feed a dry pellet along with a good, grass mix hay. 

I can't think of any reason, unless you have a barn full of high performance show animals, to feed such a high octane mix of alfalfa and oats.


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## spirit88 (Jan 12, 2011)

I feed whole oats and grass hay i do have a vitamin mineral mix i give also. 
I tryed RBS The feed store that special ordered it wouldnt do so any more so iv gone back to oats.My horses do just fine on oats and hay we do ride them six days a week four to five hours a day. I dont ever feed more then 2lbs though if they need more calories i add empower boost wich works well.
Plus they always have hay or grass to eat never are with out forage.My horses cant keep weight on without grain they work to hard to only survive on grass and hay.


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

Why do u believe it is high octane? 
I know many people believe that and all kinds of other myths which is partly why I posted here.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

They are considered high octane due to the high starch/sugar content when they are broken down in the digestive system. Oats can be a great addition to feed when balanced appropriately for the individual horse and it's workload. It's the balancing part that is key :wink:

We used to feed horses that were racing a combo of oats, barley, alfalfa, oaten chaff and bran amongst other goodies but they certainly burned off all the calories. Unless the horse has a very heavy workload it probably isn't necessary for most situations.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Speed Racer said:


> Oats and alfalfa would be my _last_ choice, not my first.


Second it. Although corn would be my VERY last choice beating oats.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Oh yes Kitten, good catch. I don't do corn, either.

Sarah, exactly. My horses are mostly lazy pasture puffs, with the occasional ride thrown in here and there. They certainly don't need to be fed like Olympic caliber athletes!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Many people do not realize that oats are actually a pretty high NSC feed. They think because it is not a processed feed it is a low NSC feed and it is very much not so.


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## spirit88 (Jan 12, 2011)

Where i live there isnt much choice on what i feed oats are very easy to get a farmer sells them. The fleet farm in town is fifty miles one way plus they dont carry any feeds i would buy. The only feed i would buy at fleet farm is impower boost the rest is nothing but by products for ingredients. Oats might not be the best but thats my only choice. My horses have done well on them so thats what i feed.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Annnie31 said:


> I know you people had a thread back in February about feeding oats to your horses and I was surprised that some were not too receptive to it as a primary feed along with hay. We feed our horse whole oats and quality alfalfa hay with and I wondered if many other posters on here have done the research and feed the same?


It's a common way to feed here in Arizona. Alfalfa is the most common and easiest to get hay here. It is also very high in calcium and low in phosphorous, so adding something like oats or barely will help balance out the high calcium of the alfalfa. 

Actually, when my mare was pregnant, that is what my vet recommended- alfalfa and several pounds of oats to give her some phosphorous to balance out the calcium in the alfalfa.

Right now I am feeding alfalfa, a little bit of bermuda, and barley (because they are cheaper than oats and are also high in phosphorous). For those of us feeding a mostly alfalfa diet, straight grains are our friends. :lol:


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

I feed whole oats because I personally just like the feed. For the record feeding whole oats is much more beneficial than feeding crimped oats because once crimped oats loose their fat content. So far as starch goes oats actually have around 90 percent digestibility compared to barley and corns 30 or 35 percent. Feeds like barley and corn are more apt to cause ulcers etc. than oats ever will. Over the past few years much more research has been done. My Uncle raised Percherons and I became very involved growing up and his feed of choice was whole oats, beet pulp and good quality alfalfa hay. He always said a horse would never founder from being fed properly. I have followed much the same theory and have always had excellent results.


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## spirit88 (Jan 12, 2011)

Annnie31 said:


> I feed whole oats because I personally just like the feed. For the record feeding whole oats is much more beneficial than feeding crimped oats because once crimped oats loose their fat content. So far as starch goes oats actually have around 90 percent digestibility compared to barley and corns 30 or 35 percent. Feeds like barley and corn are more apt to cause ulcers etc. than oats ever will. Over the past few years much more research has been done. My Uncle raised Percherons and I became very involved growing up and his feed of choice was whole oats, beet pulp and good quality alfalfa hay. He always said a horse would never founder from being fed properly. I have followed much the same theory and have always had excellent results.


Iv had alot less colics since i started my horses back on oats when their on pelleted feed they colic almost weekly. So iam all for the oats plus its tons cheaper. And my horses look just as good as anybodys horse thats fed pellets. Plus i dont have to use up a tank of gas going to get it so i save money there too with gas at 3.59 a gallon. It cost over 70 dollars to fill one tank on my pickup.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Oats are an ok feed, as is Barley. Corn I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

I choose to feed no cereal graisn to my horses. The starch can cause issues that i don't want to deal with, after having one grain intolerant horse.

I feed a diet high in fats and protein. Oilseeds/legumes form the basis of my diet as fat is better utilised as an energy from with less side effects than starch/carbohydrates.

My horses are on pasture, and weh we are competeing get an alfalfa/grass mix hay cube with added soy oil, and a small amount of Hygain Showtorque which is a mix of Lupins, Sunflower seeds, Full Fat Soy meal, oils, etc...

If I were to feed hay + one straight supplement, it would probably be lupins, or a rice bran product.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> when their on pelleted feed they colic almost weekly.


Ehgads!!

That means either a terrible quality pelleted feed or terrible management practices. Good quality feeds should not cause colic at ALL, let alone weekly, when used as directed.


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

Dont get me wrong about using other feeds that are balanced nutritionally, I have nothing against them, each to their own and for a short while we fed Purina Foal Ration etc. etc. when we had a larger show string and halter horses. We ultimately went back to whole oats because we felt safer feeding them to halter horses as the protein was lower, we could feed a bit more safely to bulk out our horses and the starch was more digestible. Of the 35 years we have been in horses only about 5 were spent feeding pelleted or premixes. We had 18 horses not including our foals, never had a case of collic, never had a founder, never had a single issue related to feed such as ulcers.
The mare we bought about 7 months ago had a tramatic injury to her front foot. She had blown an abcess out her coronet, she was 150 pound underweight, she was scarred up and marked up like she was in a world war. The safest feed for her was whole oats, there is no digestibilty problem, we could start her out slow and increase her a bit daily until she was optimium weight and I personally knew we would not collic on oats. She is now almost to the weight we think is perfect, she has a beautiful shinny coat and is coming along nicely with ground work and started lightly under saddle. We are feeding her a controlled amount of alfalfa because it contains calcium etc that the oats doesnt and balances out her diet. There are some excellent articles about feeding oats (whole) and alfalfa hay to your horses..some at Ag Canadas website under Albertas Horsefeeding Myths and Misconceptions and the Kentucky Equine Research Center also has some excellent articles.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

My mare is allergic to molasses and soy bean products so that throws every commercial feed out the window for us unfortunately...I had her on crimped oats for awhile with vitamin supplements and a timothy/orchard mix, but I was actually told that rolled barley is more digestible than oats so I switched her. 

But I noticed someone in this thread has said just the opposite, that oats are better than barley??
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

@Hoofprints in the Sand
I said the starch in oats is more digestible than the starch in barley and corn, just so not to confuse. I have had little to no experience with Barley so I cant say. Im sure your ration is as well balanced.


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## horsecrazy84 (Mar 20, 2011)

Oats is the best choice among the cereal grains. They have more fiber than the other grains but a slightly lower level of protein, about 5% fat, the starch is easily digestible and most horses like oats. The only negative thing about oats is that it does cause a spike in the blood sugar.
Corn is a denser feed and will make a horse a lot "hotter" than oats and a horse can't eat as much corn without risk of foundering. Oats are much safer in that aspect. Barley is so hard most horses won't eat it unless it is processed and even that doesn't greatly improve the digestibility.
If I had to feed one of these instead of a mix I'd feed oats:wink:
Around here they are $12 for a 50lb bag of whole oats, which is slightly more expensive than a generic "sweet feed". When we feed grain we usually use a mix with Calf Manna in it for the added fat content.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

I can't speak for everyone but I personally never said there is anything _wrong_ with feeding oats, just that the diet needs to be balanced according to the individual horse's needs and workload.

Which I stand by.

In fact, when I was eventing horses I used to make up my own feed entirely from grains, similar to the racing mix I described earlier. It worked at the time and I was happy with it, my horses were happy, healthy and super fit. These days I feed a good quality pelleted feed which works too for what I do these days - light work 3-4 times a week.

It's all about the individual situation, there is no be-all end-all rule for feeding horses.



Annnie31 said:


> There are some excellent articles about feeding oats (whole) and alfalfa hay to your horses..some at Ag Canadas website under Albertas Horsefeeding Myths and Misconceptions and the Kentucky Equine Research Center also has some excellent articles.


As for myths, I did take a look at that page and it was a good read, nothing new but thanks for sharing . However, what I was looking for was any info to refute my statement that oats are comparatively high sugar/starch when broken down in the digestive system and hence need to be carefully balanced when used in a feeding regimen given your statement that people believe in myths. I didn't find anything disputing that but if I missed it you can correct me with additional references as I would be interested to know more.


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## padgetts79 (Jun 25, 2011)

I also feed a dry pelleted mix of 16% and a free choice coastal hay at all times and then a chip of alfalfa once a day


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks for the clarification on oats vs barley  my horse loves either one, and they're both about $16 a 50 bag in my area so I guess I'll just stick with what's been working for now.

Sarahver, what was the mix you used for your event horses?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## spirit88 (Jan 12, 2011)

wild_spot said:


> Ehgads!!
> 
> That means either a terrible quality pelleted feed or terrible management practices. Good quality feeds should not cause colic at ALL, let alone weekly, when used as directed.


Just so you know there are no terrible management problems my vet was out for several colics. He asked what i was feeding i showed him the feed he said theres the problem get them off the pellets. Most pellets i can get are junk only byproducts not one grain listed. So ill take feeding oats over any pellet my horses quit colicing as soon as i quit feeding pellets. And it was used as directed!!!!! My horses are fed and watered every day at 6:30AM and fed at 6:30pm Plus free choice hay. My water trough is spotless fresh water at all times. So Saying i have terrible management is SO WRONG my vet recomends me for boarding horses Or caring for a sick horse.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

So the problem was bad feed, that's all, and you changed it


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## spirit88 (Jan 12, 2011)

Thats right and havent had a colic in three and a half years Not one of my horses has ulcers either. So i will feed what works for my horses wich is oats grass hay and a vitamin mineral supplement. Plus they all get two flakes of alfalfa hay one in the morning one at night.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I never said you have bad management - I said it was EITHER. You confirmed it was bad quality feed, as I suggested. 

Good quality pelleted feeds fed as directed do NOT cause colic and to suggest they do is plain wrong.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> Sarahver, what was the mix you used for your event horses?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


OK, I’ll give each feed in approximate ‘parts’ since it varied slightly from horse to horse depending on age, stage in training and the individual horse’s body type and metabolism. They were all TBs, varying in age from 4yo – 10yo and varying in comp levels from green as grass to mid level eventing. Also, one SJ (he lacked the balls for XC).

Essentially feed ratios were:
3:1 Roughage/Grain - Some variation according to the horse.
Of that:
Roughage: 2:1 Oaten Chaff/Lucerne Chaff – This ratio remained fairly consistent.
Grain: 4:2:1 Oats/Barley/Soy Bean Meal – This ratio changed according to the horse.

Overall, they were fed 8-12 pounds a day split into two feeds as well as free choice hay and they were all out on pasture 24/7.

On top of their basic feed there were other supplements that varied according to the individual horse’s needs, its workload, the time of year and the individual horse’s taste preferences (one didn’t like barley for example, some preferred rice bran to soy bean meal). Supplements included ration balancers, minerals, electrolytes, biotin, vitamin E/selenium, iron supplements such as Blud and probably some other stuff I have forgotten about.

My feed shed was full of barrels and buckets. But those horses worked their butts off, my girl at the moment thinks her world is coming to an end if she has to canter an entire lap of the arena. Plus I am warming to this pelleted feed idea, although I am selective about the pellets I choose.

Like I said, I am not anti-oats at all, quite the opposite. I am anti-people over feeding, under working and then getting frustrated at their horse's ‘behavioural’ issues (not directed at present company of course). Many horses will do just fine on good pasture and/or quality hay if their workload does not demand additional calories.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Haven't read all replies, so sure to repeat...

The diet you feed is seen as 'high octane' because it's high energy. Oats are high in starch(so energy) and also alfalfa/lucerne is high energy, although low in sugars. 

As far as grain goes, I think oats are not terrible, and they are one of the few grains that are reasonably digestible to horses when fed whole(I'd still prefer processed, but other grains *need* to be processed for horses). But grain is high in starch & energy, generally not needed for the average horse, unless in hard physical work. Starch can also wreak havoc in a horse's hind gut and cause a number of issues, laminitis being one. So I would generally want to avoid feeding high-starch, grainy rations, in favour of a healthier alternative if high energy/extra calories were required.

Alfalfa/lucerne is a great feed I reckon. Being low in sugar, it can be a good feed for laminitics too. But it is also quite high in energy, so should be fed judiciously - or not at all - to 'good doers' or horses who are getting well enough calories/energy elsewhere. It is quite high in calcium, protein & other nutrients, which can also make it a valuable part of the diet, but being very high in some nutrients & not others(as someone pointed out the Ca/Phos balance for eg), should be well balanced with the rest of the diet. High protein can also be problematic, esp to older horses.

So.... IMO if for whatever reason I couldn't find a better alternative for the horse in question, I would perhaps consider feeding your diet to a horse in hard work or needing 'condition', giving only a very small amount of processed, rather than whole oats, over at least 4 small feeds daily, and would be giving the lucerne as *part* of the horse's forage ration, making the majority straight, unimproved grass hay. I would also do a diet analysis and supplement the horse with whatever nutrients it was lacking/imbalanced in through this diet.


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

*@Sarahver*
I cant think of a better article at the moment to explain starch digestibility than this one. Yes I do agree with you about the sugar in oats and I would never suggest feeding it to a horse with cushings or ulcers etc. However the starch is very digestible in Whole Oats and therefor not bad.
I also didnt think for one minute your posting was saying Oats were not a good feed. I did however believe the "High Octane" statement was. Oats are at best 12% protein, Alfalfa usually around 14 to 20% so together not anything I would consider high octane, just a healthy balance, especially for calcium which whole oats is deficient. Hope this clears it up.

*Oats Part 1*


*James Welz* was one of the pioneers in applied barefoot hoofcare, graduating from the first year-long European School for Hoof Orthopedics course offered to North American students in 2000-2001. He has trimmed for a full time clientele of barefoot performance horses for over 8 years. He blends his theoretical educational background into practical application in the field, utilizing many elements of the wild horse model. James’ wife *Yvonne Welz* is the publisher/editor of The Horse’s Hoof Barefoot Hoofcare magazine, operates the barefoot website TheHorsesHoof.com, and was co-founder of the “naturalhorsetrim” yahoo group, the most popular barefoot chat group on the internet.


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## ItzKayley (Jun 8, 2011)

Mine get oats, two types or chaff, lin seed, hay and mums mare gets weight gainer with it. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

*Overall, they were fed 8-12 pounds a day split into two feeds as well as free choice hay and they were all out on pasture 24/7.
*
We feed 4 pounds of rolled oats with 1/2 cup of flax seed- split in 2 feedings. This is for our 16 hand QH mare. She also gets 2 flakes of Alfalfa morning and night and one at lunch. She gets the flax seed for her immune system mostly but it certainly has also put alot of shine on her coat as well. She was underweight quite alot when we bought her but is now almost ideal weight. We have fecal cultures done quarterly to determine which wormers to use and will be doing a blood culture shortly to see if she needs anything added to her diet. She is the most laid back, good natured horse in the barn. She is turned out when supervised because she is boarded but we spend a minimum of 2 hours a day riding and doing other things with her. 
and for the record I dont think anyone is more interested or involved in nutrition than I am. I live to make sure our animals are cared for properly and compassionately. If I had one doubt in my mind that feeding Whole Oats would be detrimental to one of our horses health I sure would make a change! 
Thanks all for all the comments.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

^^And if that is her in your avatar pic then she looks a million dollars 

Feeding, hoofcare, bits and training techniques - many different views all of which are valid (usually).


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> And for the record I dont think anyone is more interested or involved in nutrition than I am.


That's a pretty bold statement! :]

I just sold a horse I had for a few years who was grain intolerant/borderline IR - I have done tons of research into the best feed options. 

As such, I choose not to feed any grains. It's not that grains are 'bad' persay - Just that they can cause issues with some horses. You won't know which horses until it happens, so I choose not to take the risk and feed other products without those risks.

Every horse is an individual also - I feed all my horses the same in varying amounts, but that is because they are all very similar in size, activity level and metabolism. If I had different types of horses, I would most likely have a huge variety in my feed shed :] No one feeding system is going to work for every horse.


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

Wild Spot....Ahhhhh....so taken out of context, that you would think I think no one is more interested in feeding and nutrition...you have taken me literally...and that was not the point I was trying to make. 
Please accept my appology.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Sorry, wasn't offended, actually thought it was funny :] So no need to apologise!


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