Target IR was just mentioned this week in a post - Is there a reason you would not be able to use this long term with a predominantly grass diet? And if so, what would be considered long term - a year, 6 months, 5 years?

Hi Stephanie -

Target IR is a supplement, not a feed. It provides minerals in a *recipe* that is reasonable to try to fill the mineral gaps in a diet based on what are average excesses and deficits. It is not and we do not consider it a magic bullet. Some products are marketed with the implication or outright verbiage that it somehow returns your horse to normal.

There are a number of supplements that have been formulated for different regions of the country. I used one for quite awhile for my region, but it still did not balance my hay.

And that's the key. Balancing your hay to your horse balances the diet. Target IR comes nowhere close to balancing my hay. Could it fill some gaps? Yes, but barely. Could it better fill gaps in my next load of hay? Perhaps. Could it balance your hay and be good for your situation? You don't know unless you know what you are feeding.

Would Target IR in some way be detrimental to a horse -

No - but to be optimal, not just *close* or *in the ballpark*, balancing to your hay is best.

If you are stuck with finding a mineral mix, this would be fine. However, it does not nor is it marketed to *fix* IR.

Patient - 15yr Arab Mare, suspected IR, currently on 3# brome hay per day, 9# prairie hay per day, 2# ODTB cubes per day, 2# Nutrena LiteBalance per day and 2TBSP CTB/Vitex per day. On dry lot, exercised on weekends only. - She's lost about 100# (over 3 weeks) on this new diet.

Did you want her to lose weight? Was that the goal or are you concerned about the weight loss? Is there a history of her posted?

If you were to start Target IR, you would drop the Nutrena as it is a concentrate.

Please be gentle, I know tone is hard to determine in email, but some emails have made me feel berated for not doing enough.

This certainly is not anyone's intent. I see only a few posts from you, so hope you haven't been getting private messages (not posted to the list) as well.

Linda
EC Primary Response
West Coast
May 2004