# Dumors Equistages problems? new recommendation?



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Never toss anything that looks or smells the least bit moldy.

Take it back and make them give you the money back.

I had a half bag of Nutrena Safe Choice Senior go bad. I took it back to Tractor Supply only wanting the bag pro-rated for a refund but, they didn't even spit and gave me a full refund. It wasn't outdated but, it was going south soon and I keep my stuff in a spare bedroom in the house, where it's air conditioned. No excuses for going bad.

Also look at the expiration date on the bags before you buy. Depending on the company, they can often be difficult to interpret. 

99% of the horse world carries cell phones, trust me when I say, I will stand in anybody's store aisle, call the 800 number on the feed bag and ask questions.

Keep a good eye on the pony. If the runny bums weren't there before this bag of questionable feed, I would definitely call the vet if they don't disappear in a few more days.

At any rate, read the expiration date and if there isn't one? All the more reason to call the 800 # on the bag and bug them.

Believe me, it's a wonder all the major feed companies haven't put my cell phone on "block" by now. I have learned to be relentless and let them know I have no problem spreading their inadequacies all over the horse forums


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

I'm thinking Dumor changed their formula. I have been using it for over a year and about a month ago had the same issue. 

The pellets were light, clumpy, and just smelt off. I took them all back and they gave me new bags and the same issue. 

I decided screw it and went to Safe Choice Maintenance. 

Where are you located? I'm in Florida so I'm curious if its elsewhere.


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

Rain Shadow said:


> I'm thinking Dumor changed their formula. I have been using it for over a year and about a month ago had the same issue.
> 
> The pellets were light, clumpy, and just smelt off. I took them all back and they gave me new bags and the same issue.
> 
> ...


i am in central mississippi -- not as humid as Florida -- but definitely hot
i keep my feed in a rubbermaid trash can with a lid

Safe Choice Maintenance -- is that Nutrena?

I would like a better brand that is a little more ... consistent --- this is my first somewhat moldy bag -- but i have had the dry powdery bags before


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

I keep mine in metal trash cans in a feed room with a dehumidifier and these were also my first bad bags, though I seriously wonder if its a quality control issue with Dumor itself. I know of two other people who had the same issues. One in Virgina and another in Florida. 


Yes. Its made by Nutrena and I LOVE it. Its very good feed for the price. If you want a little better quality I like Purina Strategy. 

I wouldn't recommended the Omolene. Its a sweet feed.


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

walkinthewalk said:


> Never toss anything that looks or smells the least bit moldy.
> 
> Take it back and make them give you the money back.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info on expiration dates -- i had never thought to look for one

i think i am in the 30% that carries 2 cell phones

i threw it in the woods, and somehow they found it the next day when i let them into the front yard and had a 5-minute go at it while i was putting out buckets of fresh feed -- that was Saturday afternoon 

I also wormed them on Saturday, switched them over to Omolene 100, and added electrolytes to their feed ---- Monday morning she was fine -- Monday afternoon she was laying down -- which is very unusual for her to do while the others were milling about around her -- especially since it was getting close to feeding time

i walked her for an hour and a half -- she pooped 4-5 times during the walk -- 1rst poop was mostly solid, 2nd poop was softer, ect .. the last poop of the walk came out like firm pudding with a good deal of farting -- but she looked like she felt better, she perked up a little bit, and stopped laying down

this morning she was standing up like normal when i went to work


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

Rain Shadow said:


> I keep mine in metal trash cans in a feed room with a dehumidifier and these were also my first bad bags, though I seriously wonder if its a quality control issue with Dumor itself. I know of two other people who had the same issues. One in Virgina and another in Florida.
> 
> 
> Yes. Its made by Nutrena and I LOVE it. Its very good feed for the price. If you want a little better quality I like Purina Strategy.
> ...


i thought it looked and smelled like malted candy corn 

and I am going to have to agree with you -- i think it is a Dumors quality control issue since i have seen various quality issues --- but this is the first time it has turned into something that could be dangerous

But I also buy all of my feed from Tractor Supply

Thanks for the Nutrena and Purina recommendation 

Any other lines you recommend under either of those brands? I'll start making myself a list


Nutrena -- Safe Choice Maintenance
Purina -- Strategy


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

Check Tractor Supply's website. Type in your store and they will tell you the price and what's available. 

Those two and Safe Choice Original are my favorites for your average horse. 

Can you give some info on your horses? Age? Work Level? Hard keeper?


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

Rain Shadow said:


> Check Tractor Supply's website. Type in your store and they will tell you the price and what's available.
> 
> Those two and Safe Choice Original are my favorites for your average horse.
> 
> Can you give some info on your horses? Age? Work Level? Hard keeper?


Whiskey - 14hh QH - 2 years 3 months
Dixie - 15.3hh QH - 9 years 
Sparkles - about waist high - mini - around 6 years old
Gwen -- not mine - standardbred - about 20 years old

Work Level -- Pasture puff 5-6 days a week

they have 24x7 access to decent pasture and lots of woods -- and get 1 scoop of feed a day --- none of them are underweight -- some are on the verge of being over weight ... husky, but not neccessairly fat 

here are some pics of Whiskey so you can see in general what kind of shape they are in
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-conformation-critique/critique-whiskey-better-pics-419986/


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

Have you considered a ration balancer? If they aren't in hard work, a ration balancer might be all the chunky ones need.


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

Rain Shadow said:


> Have you considered a ration balancer? If they aren't in hard work, a ration balancer might be all the chunky ones need.


i have never considered a ration balancer ... i will have to look into it to see what it is


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## LittleBayMare (Jun 2, 2014)

That's weird. I feed equistages and I've never had a problem. Just opened I new bag last night. I'll have to keep an eye on it especially since I have a mare going through some unrelated health issues :-|.


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

jmike said:


> i have never considered a ration balancer ... i will have to look into it to see what it is


Here is a really good thread about ration balancers.

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/what-ration-balancer-where-can-you-16182/


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

jmike said:


> has anyone ever had problems with Dumors Equistages?


Every time I use Equistages my horses lose weight. Tractor supply will give you new bags or your money back on any feed problems, just take the unused portions back and show them the problem. I've never had a problem. I use Purina Strategy GX, and my horses stay fat and sassy on it. Equistages is supposed to be very similar but it doesn't work nearly as well for me.


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## LittleBayMare (Jun 2, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Every time I use Equistages my horses lose weight. Tractor supply will give you new bags or your money back on any feed problems, just take the unused portions back and show them the problem. I've never had a problem. I use Purina Strategy GX, and my horses stay fat and sassy on it. Equistages is supposed to be very similar but it doesn't work nearly as well for me.


Wait a second, my mare recently started dropping weight. I thought it was the stress of being stalled 24/7 (vet ordered stall rest) with everyone else out on pasture. Could it be the feed? I've only had her for two months. Ahhhh, come to think of it, since that last bag of feed I've been having weight problems with my gelding too. I've had him for two years and he's always been an easy keeper. I thought that was due to the stress from the vet ordering me to separate him from the herd because he was getting lumps from being groomed too hard. Could it be the feed? :shock: I've never had problems with this feed before.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LittleBayMare said:


> Wait a second, my mare recently started dropping weight. I thought it was the stress of being stalled 24/7 (vet ordered stall rest) with everyone else out on pasture. Could it be the feed? I've only had her for two months. Ahhhh, come to think of it, since that last bag of feed I've been having weight problems with my gelding too. I've had him for two years and he's always been an easy keeper. I thought that was due to the stress from the vet ordering me to separate him from the herd because he was getting lumps from being groomed too hard. Could it be the feed? :shock: I've never had problems with this feed before.



In my horses we'll go along fine and one day I kind of look and then look again and think, "MEH, they are looking pointy in the hips and their flanks are kind of sunk and their coats are looking dullish.". They just start looking rough. 

According to the label on the Equistages for Mature Maintenance, 1000 lb horse should get about 4 lbs/day and Strategy says 1/2% body weight, which works out to about 5 lbs/day for the same 1000 lbs. I feed 1 Little Giant 5 pint (a pint's a pound, the world around) scoop of Strategy and they look great. Feed the same amount of Equistages and they don't do as well, and according to the label I should be feeding less. 

So, I've learned to just stick with Strategy, it just seems to work for us. I know others who use Equistages and they do real well with it. I have the same problem with Safe Choice as I do Equistages. They aren't starving, but they aren't thriving either.


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## squirrelfood (Mar 29, 2014)

Equistages uses too much ground peanut hulls.........


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

Rain Shadow said:


> Here is a really good thread about ration balancers.
> 
> http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/what-ration-balancer-where-can-you-16182/


hilarious ... i am a McCauley

McCauley's


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

squirrelfood said:


> Equistages uses too much ground peanut hulls.........


sounds like it is time for me to switch

since i already have 100 pounds of Omolene 100 (i had no idea it was sweet feed) in my feed barrel, can i start mixing in another type of feed 50 pounds at a time until it is completely switched?

i can't imagine sweet feed being really good for growth

i give all my horses One 3-quart scoop of feed once a day


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## LittleBayMare (Jun 2, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> In my horses we'll go along fine and one day I kind of look and then look again and think, "MEH, they are looking pointy in the hips and their flanks are kind of sunk and their coats are looking dullish.". They just start looking rough.
> 
> According to the label on the Equistages for Mature Maintenance, 1000 lb horse should get about 4 lbs/day and Strategy says 1/2% body weight, which works out to about 5 lbs/day for the same 1000 lbs. I feed 1 Little Giant 5 pint (a pint's a pound, the world around) scoop of Strategy and they look great. Feed the same amount of Equistages and they don't do as well, and according to the label I should be feeding less.
> 
> So, I've learned to just stick with Strategy, it just seems to work for us. I know others who use Equistages and they do real well with it. I have the same problem with Safe Choice as I do Equistages. They aren't starving, but they aren't thriving either.


The problem with both of the horse that I am now having problems with is, normally, if I give them more than two pounds of any complete feed (I tried just about every brand on the market), they blow up like balloons and turn into fire breathing dragons. My solution is two pounds of a nice complete feed, a full serving of TC 30% and free choice grass hay supplemented with grass when possible. The mare was on a diet of only grass and hay when I got her. That's all she'd ever eaten for two years and she looked fantastic. She's being worked harder now (when not on stall rest) which is why I'm giving her some grain. Now I'm up to the recommended amount and its still not enough.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

jmike said:


> sounds like it is time for me to switch
> 
> since i already have 100 pounds of Omolene 100 (i had no idea it was sweet feed) in my feed barrel, can i start mixing in another type of feed 50 pounds at a time until it is completely switched?
> 
> ...


IMO, Sweet Feed is like feeding Kit Kats for breakfast. I would use the 100 as a top dressing treat until it was gone. So, if I fed a full scoop of Strategy, then I'd take 1/2 pound or so of the 100 and just put it over the top or I'd use it as a training aid. When I go out on my pasture and whistle, my horses all come running because I've fed them a treat when they get there. You could use the 100 like that.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LittleBayMare said:


> The problem with both of the horse that I am now having problems with is, normally, if I give them more than two pounds of any complete feed (I tried just about every brand on the market), they blow up like balloons and turn into fire breathing dragons. My solution is two pounds of a nice complete feed, a full serving of TC 30% and free choice grass hay supplemented with grass when possible. The mare was on a diet of only grass and hay when I got her. That's all she'd ever eaten for two years and she looked fantastic. She's being worked harder now (when not on stall rest) which is why I'm giving her some grain. Now I'm up to the recommended amount and its still not enough.


Yeah, I'd switch to Strategy if she was mine, and see how she did on that. I'm not familiar with the RBs and have pretty limited access to them, so I can't say anything about those. Strategy has been the best value for my $$$ for years. And if I have one I need to just round the edges on, I add 1 or 2 pounds of Ultium for a little while. It ups the calories enough and puts a great shine on them.


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> IMO, Sweet Feed is like feeding Kit Kats for breakfast. I would use the 100 as a top dressing treat until it was gone. So, if I fed a full scoop of Strategy, then I'd take 1/2 pound or so of the 100 and just put it over the top or I'd use it as a training aid. When I go out on my pasture and whistle, my horses all come running because I've fed them a treat when they get there. You could use the 100 like that.


 
i totally agree --- i just didn't know it was sweet feed until after i opened the bag, otherwise i would have bought something different

thanks for the suggestion


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## LittleBayMare (Jun 2, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Yeah, I'd switch to Strategy if she was mine, and see how she did on that. I'm not familiar with the RBs and have pretty limited access to them, so I can't say anything about those. Strategy has been the best value for my $$$ for years. And if I have one I need to just round the edges on, I add 1 or 2 pounds of Ultium for a little while. It ups the calories enough and puts a great shine on them.


My main problem with her right at this moment is she just went through emergency eye surgery and is on a ton of meds to try to save said eye. So the last thing I want to do is swap her feed out and make the situation worse by shocking her system or something because I really don't feel like dealing with colic on top of all of this. I'm going to start switching everyone else over now, but I'm going to wait until her check up with the vet on Friday to get a professional opinion on changing her diet in the middle of all of this craziness. *sigh* I think we're through the worst of it and suddenly I get another curve ball. And so the saga continues. *headdesk*
Of course then there is the joys of finding good feed in the **** end of nowhere. I can get Blue Seal (which is crap that I will never feed) or some Purina (which is not my first choice but it looks like I'll have to live with it). N.O. Bonsalls, Inc.


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## silverdollarmagic (Jan 6, 2011)

I fed Dumor Equistages for a few months to my TWH mare. She did well on it at first, then she started looking unthrifty and just...Bleh. I switched to Strategy and am very pleased with how good she looks now. She only gets about 3/4 of a standard sized scoop per day, but she's also on good quality pasture 24/7. 

I tried her on Safe Choice twice and both times she looked awful. I have heard and read great reviews on SC, but it just didn't work for her.


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## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

Was using Equistages for a bit, had switched from Strategy because it said it was basically the same thing. Like others said, my horses looked good for a bit then just... bleh. 

I'm feeding Tribute kalm and ez now for the boy and my project, while my moms fat old mare gets Tribute Essential k. They are all doing fantastic and within a month looked 100% better
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I've heard good things about the Tribute feeds. Unfortunately, none available around here.


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

glad to see i am not the only one that has had issues

sounds like Strategy is the way to go


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