advice re feeding for ooomphf. oats?

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showjump2003

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I'm back for more advice re feeding. After my last post which was about which feed would be best for my horse, comp mix or performance concentrate I decided to try the latter. In just over a week my already rather laid back horse has become a complete donkey. Schooled her today and really struggled to get her going forwards. For those who didn't read my original post, she was on Dodson and Horrel competition mix as I was able to buy it to and from uni but now I'm home there isn't a stockist near me so I decided to try D and H's performance concentrate as that's ment to be fast and slow release energy. The performance concentrate does say you can add extra oats if needed. I have only ever fed mixed feeds before, not straights. Shall I just add some oats or try to go back to comp mix by driving over and hour to fetch it? If I go to the feed merchant for oats what are they called? As in are there different types and how much do I feed?
 
My horse doesn't need anymore condition/weight lol. I chose the performance concentrate as it says its good for those who don't need the calories.
 
I tried both of those mixes with my cob last winter, when she was hunting fit and in regular hard work. Neither of them made the slightest bit of difference in oomph, she just had a tendency to gain weight on them if I tried to up the quantity :/ So instead I switched to oats and they were fabulous. Ooomph without being off her head and no excess weight gain, plus (and here's the great bit) a giant sack of oats, at least twice the size of a normal bag of feed, only costs me £4 from the local feed merchant. A bag of brand-name mix from the same place is at least £8!

Ask for either whole or rolled oats - rolled are easier to digest but don't keep their nutrients as long. You could always buy whole oats and bruise them yourself as and when needed. As for quantities it depends entirely on your horse, some on them can go a bit loopy on even a tiny amount :s Mine is fed nothing all spring and summer and is on restricted grazing, then towards autumn time I start to feed her a small mug of oats and a scoop of plain chaff once a day, and then when she's clipped and it's properly winter she gets the one mug and one scoop morning and night. Bearing in mind she's a Welsh Cob and keeps weight on very easily, any other horse would probably want something additional as bulk.

Very chuffed with my oats now I've discovered them, cheap and they do a better job than proprietary feeds
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I have used competition mix (D & H) on my horse since i brought him which was 5 yrs ago and he has everything he needs in that. It gives him good condition and a nice forward going pace. My old pony used to be on Pasture mix and i used just under half a scoop of ROLLED oats mixed in. I used less in the summer. That done the trick as she was forward going from then on. BEWARE not to over feed as she may get fat very quickly.
Hope this helps.
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Thank you very much, it has helped. Think I will carry on with the alfa A and performance concentrate and just add some oats. I don't want to stop the performance concentrate as with that I know she is getting what she needs.
 
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My horse doesn't need anymore condition/weight lol

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Nor did Amy. I just fed a scoop of them when I felt she needed more energy.
 
I tried Tiger oats, but they didn't work - they still got through the gut whole, but do encourage our jackdaws to spread the muck in the paddocks!

However found TopSpec Turbo and has turned one of my horses into a fizzy horse and the other just has more energy. Worked better than anything else I have found (its basically micronised oats and soya beans, so they digest easily)
 
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