This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Candace,
I have no idea what is the "right" answer to that question but I can tell you what has worked for me. I feed Major mostly grass hay - 2 flakes in the AM, 1 flake at noon, and 2 at night. He is in a dry lot paddock with an Arab who is 27 who gets a special Senior feed 3X a day. The Arab is boss (pretty funny, heh?) so Major knows he can't bother him when he's eating his special feed. Major gets all the hay because the old guy can't chew his hay and ends up spitting it out on the ground --- of course, Major cleans that up! Yuck! Anyway, to the point of grain. I feed him about a 1/2 cup of oats twice a day when I feed my other horses only so he thinks he's getting something. This is probably more for my comfort level than his! I also give him 2 Winnies Cookies twice a day along with his oats. These are an organic vitamin/mineral supplement which I give all my horses. They are in the form of little bran muffins so they are easy to feed and I know they don't contain all that "stuff" that most of the processed feeds have in them. Major looks great, nice coat, and does not look tubby like a lot of Fjords. I'm sure he'd be happier on grass but we do not have the acreage for it. I let him out every other day to eat in the front of the house for a short time and he goes to town like there's no tomorrow!! My answer to your question is no, they don't need grain as long as they are getting a good quality hay and a vitamin/mineral supplement. It will be interesting to hear everyone's comments on this. Susan in Minnesota
