Best type of hard feed for event horse on box rest

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Darremi

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I just bought 2 bags of Spiller HDF Lay Off Mix, but I was wondering if there was anything else recommended? The horse is quite highly strung but a good doer who has been quite wound up since he has been on box rest. His normal competition feed is D&H Build Up but this is high energy feed so I cut it right back. In order to maintain his vitamin uptake I would like to use a different mix that I can feed in a higher quantity.
 
If he is maintaining weight well then why not give a vit/min supplement or balancer instead of a mix? Lay Off Mix is 23% starch which might be contributing to him being wound up.
 
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Darremi said:
I just bought 2 bags of Spiller HDF Lay Off Mix, but I was wondering if there was anything else recommended? The horse is quite highly strung but a good doer who has been quite wound up since he has been on box rest. His normal competition feed is D&H Build Up but this is high energy feed so I cut it right back. In order to maintain his vitamin uptake I would like to use a different mix that I can feed in a higher quantity.
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I would phone D&H nutrition for expert advice. Rather than accept anyone on the forum.
 
^^ As TGM says, cut out the hard feed as much as you can. Also if he's on haylage I'd try switching him to hay or a lower grade of haylage and double net it but make sure he always has a net available. Then he's kept occupied for longer but should be less wound up.
 
Surely if he isn't working he certainly doesn't need starch feeds. Wonder what D&H would recommend?

My advice is learn about horse nutrition yourself. There's a free course running atm by coursea.
 
I know something about horse nutrition, it was just that I have not been in this situation before (horse on box rest). By vitamin supplement does that mean Top Spec etc? He has hay ad lib already.
 
Darremi said:
I know something about horse nutrition, it was just that I have not been in this situation before (horse on box rest). By vitamin supplement does that mean Top Spec etc? He has hay ad lib already.
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Drop to basics for br. :) Yes, something like a Top spec Balancer or Equimins advance complete. A bit of plain salt too. He wont need any extra energy feeds that contain cereals or sugars.
 
Mine has done 10 weeks total box rest, he gets fast fibre and speedibeet, supplements plus adlib hay, he has stayed relaxed most of the time,, with the odd moment:eek:, quickly put the weight back on he lost while in hospital when he did not really eat.
 
Ours was on 6 weeks box rest last year. We cut her hard feed out and fed her chaff and lots of good quality hay. She is fantastic doer anyway, and just gets fed pony cubes even in the middle of the season when she is in full work, plus good grazing and hay or haylage. I guess they are all different. Ours was still going loopy and rearing in her stable though.
 
The longest I have had one in is seven months .
I feed lots of diffent forages hay , haylage , chopped straw , I have recently got some Timothy hay blocks from Halleys and think these would excellent for horse on box rest .
Hard wise I give none just a little bit of something ( handful chop handful oats and a bit of speedibeet to get any drugs and a general supplement down I would also add some linseed for a bit of high quality protein and the healthy oils).
 
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