This post may contain affiliate links. Purchases support Heart of Gold Sanctuary at no extra cost to you.
If you've ever loved a "hard keeper," you know the worry. That's the horse who drops weight no matter how much hay you put in front of them. At Heart of Gold Sanctuary, nearly all of our horses are seniors, several are in their 30s, and some have almost no teeth left. Keeping weight on them is my daily mission, and rice bran is one of my secret weapons.
What is rice bran?
Rice bran is the outer layer of the rice grain, removed when brown rice is polished into white rice. It's packed with fat, about 20%, which makes it one of the most calorie-dense feeds you can give a horse without loading them up on sugar and starch.
Why it works for hard keepers
Calories from fat, not starch. Fat gives a horse a lot of energy in a small amount of feed. That's perfect for a senior who can't eat a big meal, and it's gentler on the gut than piling on grain.
Easy to eat. Pellets soften into a mash with water, which is a lifesaver for our toothless seniors.
Coat shine. Fatty acids help with that healthy, glossy coat (our herd's coats are gorgeous!).
Very tasty. Even our pickiest eaters clean their bowls.
Why "stabilized" matters
Raw rice bran contains an enzyme that breaks down its fat quickly, so it can go rancid within days. Stabilized rice bran is heat-treated to switch that enzyme off, so it stays fresh in the bag. Always look for "stabilized" on the label.
Watch the calcium and phosphorus
Rice bran is naturally much higher in phosphorus than calcium. Too much phosphorus can upset the mineral balance in a horse's diet over time, especially for horses on grass hay. Good commercial rice brans add calcium to balance it out, which is one reason I like the one we use.
The one we feed: Triple Crown Rice Bran
Triple Crown Naturals Rice Bran is a stabilized, extruded pellet with:
17% fat (minimum) and 13% protein
added calcium to balance the phosphorus
added amino acids for topline and muscle
no GMOs
It comes in a 40 lb bag and stays fresh, and the pellets soak into a soft mash in minutes.
Feeding guide (from Triple Crown, split across meals):
880 lb horse: 1 to 2.5 lb per day
1,100 lb horse: 1 to 3 lb per day
1,540 lb horse: 1.5 to 3 lb per day
How we feed it at Heart of Gold
Each of our seniors gets a soaked mash of senior feed, Triple Crown Naturals pellets and rice bran pellets, topped with organic chia seeds, cinnamon, garlic salt and a probiotic. We soak everything so it's easy on old teeth and adds water to their diet, which matters a lot in winter.
My tips:
Go slow. Start with a small handful and build up over 1 to 2 weeks so their gut can adjust to the extra fat.
Soak it, especially for seniors or horses with dental issues.
Keep it fresh. Store it in a sealed bin, out of the heat.
Talk to your vet. Weight loss can have medical causes like teeth, parasites or illness, so always rule those out first.
Every bag you buy through our link helps fill our own horses' feed bowls here at Heart of Gold Sanctuary. Thank you for helping our hard keepers stay plump and happy! Want to meet them? Read about the herd in our Journal.
With love,
Suzy
Product details from Triple Crown Feed. Rice bran background from Kentucky Equine Research.
