kezz86
Well-Known Member
Hello all,
My lovely big horse who has recently gone barefoot is not doing that well weight wise at the moment, not skinny but has lost some topline and is not looking as I'd like him. (14 year old ISH 16.3hh gelding, super chilled and in very light work)
This is my first winter with him so I don't know what he is like normally but over the summer he had tiny feeds (hand full or high fibre cubes and half a mug of linseed)
He is on ad lib haylege when in his stable at night and is out in a big field during the day but obviously with the winter here the grass is pretty poor. He gets a large round scoop of Spillers high fibre cubes twice a day (breakfast and dinner) with a mug of micronised linseed in each meal too about (500grams?)
I can't put any hay out in the field for the day time as we aren't allowed to feed in the fields
this would be the first thing I did if I could.
Would also hate to have to keep him in 24/7 as I'm not getting much time to ride and also I would have to keep his best friend in too and she swells up and gets all stiff if she's in too much.
Any ideas on anything I can add to his feeds that may help him? (I'm struggling for ideas as he's barefoot...). I've tried upping the amount of linseed but it didn't make any difference and seemed to just go straight through him...
In the ideal world I'd move to a place where I could feed hay in the field but honestly I've searched far and wide and cannot find anywhere suitable for my two horses needs and my needs. (only place had to close down recently which is why I've ended up here!). Other horse is actually fat with the current set up (getting less hard feed) and having only ever owned good doers in the past I need help please!
Would it be safe to change the high fibre cubes to Spillers conditioning cubes instead? (though they seem to be higher in protein and starch) http://www.spillers-feeds.com/products/conditioning-feeds/conditioning-cubes/
Or perhaps stick with what I'm feeding and add the Conditioning Fibre too?
http://www.spillers-feeds.com/products/complementary-fibre-feeds/conditioning-fibre/
Sorry it's so long... if you get to here and reply I've some yummy home-made Christmas cake that needs eating!
My lovely big horse who has recently gone barefoot is not doing that well weight wise at the moment, not skinny but has lost some topline and is not looking as I'd like him. (14 year old ISH 16.3hh gelding, super chilled and in very light work)
This is my first winter with him so I don't know what he is like normally but over the summer he had tiny feeds (hand full or high fibre cubes and half a mug of linseed)
He is on ad lib haylege when in his stable at night and is out in a big field during the day but obviously with the winter here the grass is pretty poor. He gets a large round scoop of Spillers high fibre cubes twice a day (breakfast and dinner) with a mug of micronised linseed in each meal too about (500grams?)
I can't put any hay out in the field for the day time as we aren't allowed to feed in the fields
this would be the first thing I did if I could.Would also hate to have to keep him in 24/7 as I'm not getting much time to ride and also I would have to keep his best friend in too and she swells up and gets all stiff if she's in too much.
Any ideas on anything I can add to his feeds that may help him? (I'm struggling for ideas as he's barefoot...). I've tried upping the amount of linseed but it didn't make any difference and seemed to just go straight through him...
In the ideal world I'd move to a place where I could feed hay in the field but honestly I've searched far and wide and cannot find anywhere suitable for my two horses needs and my needs. (only place had to close down recently which is why I've ended up here!). Other horse is actually fat with the current set up (getting less hard feed) and having only ever owned good doers in the past I need help please!
Would it be safe to change the high fibre cubes to Spillers conditioning cubes instead? (though they seem to be higher in protein and starch) http://www.spillers-feeds.com/products/conditioning-feeds/conditioning-cubes/
Or perhaps stick with what I'm feeding and add the Conditioning Fibre too?
http://www.spillers-feeds.com/products/complementary-fibre-feeds/conditioning-fibre/
Sorry it's so long... if you get to here and reply I've some yummy home-made Christmas cake that needs eating!
