why do horse trainers feed straight oats instead of a pellet feed that can be monitored for protein easier?

Answer 1

Hay itself can have a large amount of protein, especially alfalfa hay. Most horses do not need large amount of protein in their diet. Straight oats (not rolled oats or baked oats) provide a great amount of nutrition and can actually help monitor how well a horse is digesting feed. For example if the whole oat is coming out undigested in the manure that means your horse may need to get their teeth floated. Oats have a high fat content so it will also make your horse feel full especially if they don't get a lunch time feeding.

I fed my OTTB (off track thoroughbred) 5 pounds of Racehorse Oats with her supplements on a daily basis for 2 months and it helped her fill out in the rib area.

To get energy horses need carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Without a good mix of these things your horse will not have a healthy and balanced diet. I suggest you read information about the horse digestive tract. They are modified monogastric animals and have the ability to digest things other single stomachs animals cannot.

Answer 2

Equine nutrition is a very interesting topic. Having worked as a barn manager responsible for 40+ horses with varying nutritional needs, I can tell you that different horses require different feeds. However, I and many nutritionists and trainers agree that pelleted feeds are not the best solution for most horses. Pellets often contain minerals, starches, and chemicals that many horses don't actually need, wouldn't receive as a part of their natural diet, and that actually could upset the sensitive digestive systems of some horses. Rolled oats are a basic, grass-based feed in keeping with a horse's natural diet of roughage. On their own, they actually meet most of the horse's dietary needs. The only thing they really lack is a good calcium-to-phosphorous ratio. This can be addressed by a supplemental feed, either sweet feed or soaked beet pulp. Both of these are also very natural feeds. Sweet feed can also be added to boost the metabolism and increase energy, and beet pulp when soaked for the required time is great for bulking up horses that may be hard keepers.

Some horses with grass allergies may benefit from some of the commercialized pelleted feeds. But many horses do quite well on a simpler diet. Rolled oats are also many times cheaper than pelleted feeds, free from chemicals and added starches, and they've been the staple of a horse's feed for centuries.

Answer 3

Not all horse trainers do that-- you can most commonly see horses being fed just oats when they are just trail horses or for light pleasure rides. Plain oats are more natural and are cheaper.... It is what your horse would be eating if he was out in the wild and a lot of owners choose to keep it natural that way....Competitive trainers will feed their horses all kinds of supplements and feeds, including strategy, sweet feed, senior when older and etc... because they need a lot of that protein and energy-- joint supplements etc.

Answer 4

Well, first of all, when you feed horses grain(sweet feed) it tends to make horses more hyper, but horses love it. The last thing they need to do, while already having a youngster or unrully horse, is to have a wound up more hyper horse while trying to train. And horse love oats too, but it doesnt make them hyper. It does satify the horse tho, and the trainers want the best for their horses.

Answer 5

We feed oats/barley, because it is a grass..Horses eat grass, not chemicals. We serve them cracked.. More important to a horses needs is quality hay.. which they have free choice 24/7... Since we have gone to this simplified diet,, our horses have better natural energy, are not as prone to injury, and have a natural luster...
We started this program to to recieving the occasional HYPP horse,, composite feeds seem to create more siezres then a simple oat/barley ration.And we have several Performance World Championships to back up our philosophy.
Mineral supplements are offered free choice as well.
It is our belief, that we as a society are feeding our horse well beyond their needs,,,, American poeple, horses and dogs are way to fat, and unhealthy.

Answer 6

I've never fed oats--I feed good pellets/sweet feed mixed=I keep good costal/bermuda hay out all time--with a mineral block out for them.

Answer 7

I train horses & I feed my horses a mixed hay.I also weigh it every feeding & in the afternoon I give them beet pulp.

Answer 8

It makes them stronger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!