summertime meal plan

Sometimes it’s hard for me to accept that my thoroughbred is actually a little fat LOL. She was so very very thin when I got her, ya know? 

It was kinda the same with Charlie too, especially bc I always had this perverse paranoia that bc of his enormous frame, it’d be a nightmare to put condition back on him if he ever seriously backslid. 

#hillsnacks

As it is, I’m about a decade into proper horse ownership now and am hopefully finally figuring out how to stay ahead of the seasonal nature of management and nutrition. Bc spring grass is one hell of a drug, guys, omg. 

the most spoiled + demanding princess lol

Especially given that Doozy didn’t really lose any condition over the winter this year, it seemed like a fairly safe bet this past spring that she miiiiiight be ripe for transforming into one of those jumbo squishy plush stuffies that are so popular with the kiddos these days lol.

anyway. snacks. Doozy switched to the Tribute Kalm ‘N EZ in early spring

I’m a huge fan of the Nutrena Pro Force Fuel that she’d been on (and that Charlie had also enjoyed for most of his life with me), and would 100% recommend it to anybody with a big or hard keeping thoroughbred. 

I’m also generally reluctant to tinker around with changing feeds a lot. Basically, if it ain’t broke, I’m not inclined to fix it, ya know?

it’s got pretty solid numbers for being low sugar / low NSC, suitable for moderate to hard keepers who may have sensitivities or metabolic conditions

Except the farm where Doozy lives has a pretty sophisticated feed room that’s stocked based on the manager’s consultations with an actual nutritionist, and all options are available as part of full board. So before the spring grass fully arrived, I asked the manager for recommendations.  

basic pellets, we still soak doozy’s feed but it’s probably not necessary

Based on her experiences, we decided to switch Doozy to the Tribute Kalm ‘N EZ pelleted feed, 4lbs. per day split over two meals. It has similar protein levels to the Nutrena, slightly less starch, a lot less fat, and about half as much sugar.

the only way “doozy” and “calm” “kalm” appear together

Obvi as a slightly change-averse individual, I reserved the right to revert back if it seemed like Doozy was losing condition or looking worse or whatever… But honestly I think she looks great! 

Things can change quickly if the grass stops growing — especially around here where that happens often in drought conditions — but there’s plenty of room to increase her volume on this stuff first before we’d need to consider switching back or making any other change.

and let’s not forget the snacks:
platinum performance; via calm; sucralfate (requires vet rx); electrolytes

Regardless, I’m glad we made the decision when we did bc it wasn’t very long after that when Doozy had her accident. Can you imagine what she’d look like on all that fresh grass plus zero work PLUS the normal high octane feed??? lol… 

purina enrich balancer (in the tupperware container far left); purina replenimash; triple crown stress free fortified forage

Especially considering my, um, ahem, *absolute inability* to resist indulging my demanding mare’s every snackish whim. Ahem. 

What can I say? I just like spoiling my animals lol… I’m a huge pushover and Doozy 100% has my number! So snacks are a major part of our daily routine.

guidance calls for 4-6lbs per day as a supplement, but i just use this little bucket

I’ve written about the Triple Crown Stress Free Fortified Forage before, and Doozy’s been enjoying it since early 2025 after I was all inspired by Carly. I especially like this stuff bc… at the end of the day, it’s just forage. Ymmv, but imo for the typical horse without any dietary sensitivities, there’s really no downside and no limit to this stuff. 

Doozy basically has free choice access to the forage at the trailer on show days, and I generally bring a bucketful to outings where she’ll be shipping for more than an hour at a time. It feels like a nice way to make sure her belly is full for travel, ya know?

a typical snack / lunch / third meal, clockwise from center top:
1/3lb ration balancer, small scoop electrolytes, scoop platinum performance, 1lb replenimash

The Purina Enrich ration balancer is also a holdover from Charlie. It’s not really nutritionally necessary for Doozy’s diet, but is a tasty and substantial additive. If I’m just preparing the forage and the balancer, I’ll do 1lb. Lately, tho, since we’ve added the Replenimash, I’ve cut back to about 1/3-1/4lb (or sometimes leave out entirely).

The Replenimash, also a Purina product, is … basically just an indulgence haha. And if you’re thinking to yourself, ‘Wow, it sure seems like she made up for the low sugar / low NSC feed with all these snacks…’ well. You ain’t exactly wrong LOL.

just mix and add water!

But. Eh. My thoroughbred, my rules! This stuff also contains a full serving of the Outlast gastric support product, as well as additional electrolytes etc. 

The final ingredient in Doozy’s Snack Package is a scoop of the Platinum Performance, which as far as I can tell is essentially fancy flax. It’s one of those really solid all-in-one wellness supplements that particularly supports a healthy coat and hoof. 

the forage is best for when she’s going back into her stall for a while, keeps her occupied

The frequency / volume / mixture of Doozy’s snacks varies from day to day. Obvi on days I don’t get out to the barn, she doesn’t get anything at all. 

Otherwise, honestly it’s kinda a vibes thing LOL. For example, I like giving the forage for times when Doozy is going back into her stall after we’re finished, or if she’s going to be getting on the trailer. She gets Sucralfate (via oral syringe) for gastric protection prior to trailer travel too.

regardless, doozy is a fantastic eater, cleans her plate every time!

The big wet sloppy mashes + electrolytes have seemed attractive lately with the oppressive heat dome conditions. I can also imagine the same for extreme winter conditions too. 

Otherwise, a quick scoop of the ration balancer can just be a nice little experience for Doozy, a nice reminder for her that “at least I have snacks!” Or a useful vehicle if I want to give her something like the Via Calm supplement (active ingredient: tryptophan), which doesn’t make much of a difference under saddle for us but helps take the edge off on days when the farrier is coming at exactly turn in / turn out, for example.

she’s a good drinker too, good girl <3

Obviously, tho, the main driver of Doozy’s regular nutrition is forage — plenty of hay (which is grown at the farm) in her stall, round bales in the winter, and grassy paddocks that are rotated carefully and conscientiously throughout the summer. 

The only time she’s ever really lost condition with me was two summers ago, when drought hit hard and early and the grass was dead and gone by August — well before round bales go out. So perhaps my snack regimen now is a bit of an overblown overreaction to guard against that, should it happen again LOL. 

Doozy ain’t complaining tho! But just to be on the safe side, we mayyyyy or may not have just had both her saddles reflocked to ensure a comfy fit at her peak plushness haha.