Another feeding query (sorry!)

[Chex]

What would you feed Chex? He's 14.1, approx 24 years old. Overweight, but eats very little over the winter, so drops a bit of weight (he's never underweight though). He's been out of work for 4 months, just starting to be ridden again now. Since the start of winter he's been on a big handful of Spillers Happy Dieter, and is on a Danilon every few days for his arthritis. He's one of these ponies that isn't affected by food. Last year he was on mollichaff, sugar beet and rolled oats. He's in at night for about 11 hours, with ad lib hay and haylage and there is still some grass in the field. Any ideas of what he should be fed? I'm quite guilty of just putting him on a feed, but not being 100% sure if thats really what he should be getting. I don't feed senior mixes, he doesn't get enough to make the extras worth it (I think anyway).

 

[Judie]

Does he seem happy on his current feed? What has made you ask the question, is there anything wrong? Why did you change from last year?

Sound a good sort to still be going strong at 24 so you've done something right

 

[Chex]

He seems fine on his current feed, was just wondering if he should be getting something extra now he's in work. But them I wasn't sure because he's not really lacking in energy and is still overweight. I don't feed him over the summer and he was so fat I though Happy Dieter might be more appropriate than mollichaff (that and it was buy one get one free

)

 

[TGM]

If he is happy and has plenty of energy on his current feed, and is a little bit porky then I wouldn't bother changing it at the moment. If you really want to feed by the text book you could add a vit/min supplement as, although Happy Dieter is supplemented, you are not feeding enough to get his full recommended daily amount of vit/mins.

I would suggest leaving him on what he is on until he is down to his target weight, then you can decide whether you want to increase the amount of Happy Dieter you feed, or swap it for something else.

 

[Chex]

Ok thanks, will probably just stick with what he's on unless it becomes a problem.

 

[Scarlett1980]

Happy Dieter is really good and very concentrated so you can feed as little as 2kg per day for a pony of your size and he would get all he needs. If he looks fine and is healthy I wouldn't swap.

However, if you wanted something similar but designed specifically for older horses and ponies, WINERGY do one called Equilibrium Senior. It's fibre based and completely balanced with vits and mins like Happy Dieter but more tailored to older ponies.

Their number is 01908 226626 if you want to call them. They were doing free trials of it when I spoke to them at Burghley.