Question

I have a 13-year-old, 14-hand (142 cm) Mustang gelding that weighs about 800 lb (365 kg). He’s in moderate body condition. I would say he’s in light work, as I trail-ride him a few times a week. He is on typical Virginia pastureland 24 hours a day. Aside from the pasture, I give him a handful of low-carb feed once daily and grass hay. He is prone to colic and has a nervous temperament. Do you think his diet is adequate?

Answer

Because you’re feeding your gelding less than the recommended amount of feed, he isn’t getting the nutrients he requires for optimal health.

To ensure that he receives the nutrients he needs for a balanced ration, I would recommend adding 2 oz of Micro-Max (or 120 g Gold Pellet, in Australia) micronutrient supplement per day. This will provide him with vitamins and minerals not found in sufficient quantity in the forage he consumes.

Additionally, because he is prone to colic and is maintained mainly on forage, I would suggest adding 60 g of EquiShure hindgut buffer to his ration to help maintain optimal hindgut pH and guard against hindgut acidosis, something that can occur from ingestion of fructan-rich grass like that found throughout Virginia.

Micro-Max, Gold Pellet, and EquiShure are available directly from Kentucky Equine Research.