# Nutrena Life Design Senior Horse Feed better then purina senior?



## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

I currently feed my 30+ year old gelding purina, but i saw the nutrena at tractor supply today and the ingredients(which i cant find listed online anywhere) seem better then the purina, but i don't really know much about equine nutrition so i'd figure i'd come on here and ask the more knowledgeable people, it's also 14-15 a bag vs the 16-17 for purina, but price really isn't much of a factor, i hear triple crown is very good, but i can't find a place to get that here, it's looking like our only options are purina, nutrena, or dunmore are our only options around here :-(


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## Macslady (Oct 23, 2009)

Nutrena has some good things I haven't seen in purina. Check to see if it contains lechitin. The Nutrena we feed (Safe Choice) has it as an ingredient which is very helpful for digestion in any age. They also are putting less sugary additives in their feed now, as is Purina in some of their feeds. Best thing is to read the labeling carefully. If you don't see anything on the label ask your feed store to show you the ingredient list, they should have it on hand.


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## qtrhrsecrazy (Aug 2, 2009)

I prefer Nutrena to Purina... Nutrena adds probiotics to their feed too which to me is a BIG plus


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I worry about any bag of feed - that has the Ingredients on a tag, sewn to the bag. Because that means that the formula, changes all the time in accordance to what products they can get cheaper at that time to make the feed.

I now, only buy a brand of feed, that has the Ingredients printed on the bag itself - which means that the formula is a fixed formula, and never changes in accordance to what they can get cheaper or not. 

The only Purina Product that I know of, that has the Ingredients listed on the bag itself, is Purina Ultium. I feel that is the best Purina product.

Many at my barn have been feeding Purina Senior, and since we've been talking with Equine Nutritionists about this, many have switched from Purina to Buckeye or Tripple Crown. Including myself. I feed Tripple Crown Senior.

I have never looked at the bags of Nutrina, and its ingredients....I think they sell it at TSC, next time I am in, I'll have to look.


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## qtrhrsecrazy (Aug 2, 2009)

I've fed Nutrena products for years. When I was feeding Nutrena Senior, they offered 2 types.. one with beet pulp, and one without. I prefered the one with for my old guy. The same store didn't sell both types. Orchelns and Southern States Feeds are the only 2 places I've seen and bought the Senior with beet pulp.
Now lol... my beef with Nutrena reps - I have moved to an area with no Orchelns or SS. All I've seen here is Senior without beet pulp. I've contacted reps for my area, and they say there is not 2 types and it all has beet pulp... um, yes there are 2 types and no one does not have it. Same with the Nutrena page on Facebook when I mentioned it. All I wanted was to find the closest place to me that sold the one with bp.
Why they would tell a person such a thing when there are 2 types is beyond me.. they even look and smell different with the bp or without. One with states clearly on the bag it contains bp and flax. Doesn't say much about their reps, which makes me wonder about higher up in corporate.
I will say they have a good product, my old guy did great on their Senior, my youngers great on the life design prime, which brings me BACK to their ignorant reps lol... I fed 12% Prime. I move here and can only find 10% and 14%. I ask rep to bring in 12%.. he argues with me they don't make a 12% Prime. I had to show the store clerk a bag (i'd brought 100lbs with me in the move) to verify I'm not out of my mind and for them to tell the rep over the phone that yes, you DO make a 12%. 
I do like their products, but my God dealing with their ignorant reps has taken a big toll on me

Edited to say they do now sell my 12% Prime here at TSC lol


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

Between those two 

Nutrena it's nutritonal package is more bioavaliable then purina's  And it is a fixed formula I was shocked to discover


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

^^ That is good to know Peggy!


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

good to know, after we are down to 1 bag of purina i'll work on switching him, we just got feed so right now we have like 5 or so bags...for my other horses(13 going on 14 year old OTTB mare and 20ish year old very easy keeper appy) we currently have then on strategy healthy edge, does Nuterna have a formula that would be better for them? Bella(the ottb) gets hot on strategy GX and she can also be a little difficult to keep weight on(not as bad as Blue, my senior tho) Legacy my appy gets fat just looking at food(although he's just about perfect right now) but i really don't want 3 different kinds of feed, is there something that both Legacy and Bella would do good on?


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

Safe choice is NOT a good option it is not a fixed formula and doesn't have same nutritinally package as the senior feeds. 

I would probably try to get Nutrena's Empower BALANCER for all of them and then use the alfalfa cubes and stuff for hte calories on the old man and Bella 

Then you have nutrition covered with just 1 1/2 lbs and then add the calories for each horse


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I've heard bad things about Purina, but I use Nutrena to keep weight on my senior and it works very well.


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Peggysue said:


> Safe choice is NOT a good option it is not a fixed formula and doesn't have same nutritinally package as the senior feeds.
> 
> I would probably try to get Nutrena's Empower BALANCER for all of them and then use the alfalfa cubes and stuff for hte calories on the old man and Bella
> 
> Then you have nutrition covered with just 1 1/2 lbs and then add the calories for each horse


I could be wrong, but i don't think our tractor supply carries empower, i don't remember seeing it, i think they only had the life design feed, i think prime, complete, mare and foal and senior, and then safe choice, and then they have the dunmore feeds and a few purina feeds, strategy gx, senior, junior, and omolene...our tractor supply just opened back in September so they don't carry some stuff that the other ones carry, they say they are waiting to see how many people ask for it before they start stocking it


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

You should be able to ask and get it ordered for you...but some people have trouble with TSC ordering stuff ... I wonder if you could order it from the website ... off to check LOL


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## deineria (Mar 22, 2009)

I've used both with no issues and similar success, from what I can tell; however, Triple Crown Senior or Complete is my preference.


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## JerBear (Jan 23, 2011)

I dont know much about horse nutrition. But a girl I went to school with did a special project on it. And she claims nutrena actually gets their research from purina. So basically its all the same... kind of.... I didnt know this. Really crappy deal. I do know purina pet foods are horrible so overall I dont trust them at all. I have always fed my horses nutrena. If you can find a good feed dealer they will special order other feeds on the nutrena line for you. Their other high end feeds are great. I fed Nutrena Vitality Sweet Feed 14% with a mix of Nutrena Empower (extruded nuggets). They also have some other pellet versions I think in their line called Triumph. Just depends on your preference and how much the horse is getting worked. They also have a feed called Legacy for horses prone to allergies thats mostly beet bulp.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

actually we found her a Triple Crown dealer YAH!!!


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Peggysue said:


> actually we found her a Triple Crown dealer YAH!!!


Yes Thank you again! I'm actually looking forward to running out of grain so i can go out and buy the triple crown! I think we still have 3 unopened bags of senior and 4 of healthy edge(plus the cans are full) so it will probably be 3-4 weeks, but I'm looking forward to it lol I'm still waiting for my friend to get back to me on if they carry the 30% supplement, hopefully they do!


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

if they don't carry it see if they will order it for you MOST Triple Crown dealers can order it by the bag.... with three horses you will need about 2 bags a month I would order 3 the first month and then 2 every month after that


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

My older horse does better on the Triple Crown Senior, which I believe is Nutrina.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

Triple Crown is contracted out to several companies to be made includinh Nutrena and Southern States 

but it is NOT a Nutrena Product


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

I used to use triple crown senior (now blue seal SBP 14-10 is the same thing) for my hard-keeper 25 yr old arab. He has done really well on it and eats much less than previously while keeping much more weight on. In fact, I never need to worry about his weight anymore 

One thing that I always recommend is to feed a supplement containing fenugreek. It is a natural ingredient that acts as an appetite stimulant. Without it, my guy would only pick at his hay, and this was why he couldn't keep his weight on. He now eats all of his hay. At one point, I tried to see how he would do without the weight gain supplement (as he was in fine condition) and found that probably the most important thing about it was that it caused him to eat his hay. When he was off the supplement, he started to loose his appetite. I think that this is often over half the battle with a hard keeper.

Hope this helps!


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## Erin_And_Jasper (Jul 5, 2008)

thanks to you guys i have/am switching over to nutrena! bought 2 bags of the senior feed today and 1 bag of the Purina senior so i can slowly switch


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## qtrhrsecrazy (Aug 2, 2009)

qtrhrsecrazy said:


> I've fed Nutrena products for years. When I was feeding Nutrena Senior, they offered 2 types.. one with beet pulp, and one without. I prefered the one with for my old guy. The same store didn't sell both types. Orchelns and Southern States Feeds are the only 2 places I've seen and bought the Senior with beet pulp.
> Now lol... my beef with Nutrena reps - I have moved to an area with no Orchelns or SS. All I've seen here is Senior without beet pulp. I've contacted reps for my area, and they say there is not 2 types and it all has beet pulp... um, yes there are 2 types and no one does not have it. Same with the Nutrena page on Facebook when I mentioned it. All I wanted was to find the closest place to me that sold the one with bp.
> Why they would tell a person such a thing when there are 2 types is beyond me.. they even look and smell different with the bp or without. One with states clearly on the bag it contains bp and flax. Doesn't say much about their reps, which makes me wonder about higher up in corporate.
> I will say they have a good product, my old guy did great on their Senior, my youngers great on the life design prime, which brings me BACK to their ignorant reps lol... I fed 12% Prime. I move here and can only find 10% and 14%. I ask rep to bring in 12%.. he argues with me they don't make a 12% Prime. I had to show the store clerk a bag (i'd brought 100lbs with me in the move) to verify I'm not out of my mind and for them to tell the rep over the phone that yes, you DO make a 12%.
> ...


*I would like to say that I have been in touch with a very cordial and helpful Nutrena rep. It has been pointed out to me that all their Senior will now contain beet pulp, flax and rice bran. *

*Nutrena makes wonderful feed products, and I'm very happy to know that now we can get Senior w/bp, flax, and rice bran everywhere! Of course it all still contains probiotics, biotin, etc etc. Great feeds *


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

Just because thier senior is a "decent" feed doesn't mean all thier feeds are


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Peggysue said:


> Nutrena it's nutritonal package is more bioavaliable then purina's  And *it is a fixed formula* I was shocked to discover


Sigh. I said that a long time ago.

There are several plants throughout the US that manufacture for Nutrena. Keeps the feed fresh and less $ as they don't spend a ton of fuel to get it trucked in.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

several plants is part of the problem ... each area is using nutritionally different ingredients

actually MLS they JUST went to fixed formula on a few feeds about six months ago and safe choice is NOT one of them


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## qtrhrsecrazy (Aug 2, 2009)

Peggysue said:


> Just because thier senior is a "decent" feed doesn't mean all thier feeds are


I also feed their Prime with great results. It's "decent" too
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

qtr prime is just a basic sweet feed in desguise  I personally won't feed anything with grains a horses digestive system is just not meant to have all those sugars and starches


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## qtrhrsecrazy (Aug 2, 2009)

Yeah, but it's lower in fat than SafeChoice


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

If I remember right it is higher in NSC which is bad...LOL horses readily convert fat to energy

when I get my internet back I will double check to be sure

of the Nutrena feeds I want to try the Empower Balancer but right now I can't get it around me


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## qtrhrsecrazy (Aug 2, 2009)

The SafeChoice is?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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