building up topline on a cob - feeding for energy?

[lucky7]

Looking to build up my cobs top line in time for the showing season - just for fun mind She is a 4yr old and has been back in work around 6 weeks now after being turned away, we are up to 5 x per week of hacking up to 40 mins mainly walking with the odd trotting in places. No school at the moment so everything gets done out hacking.
She is a very good doer but also very very laid back, would like to give her a bit of zing without pushing her over the edge.
Top line conditioning cubes - how good are they and would they suit my cob? and what could i feed her to give her a bit more energy?

 

[Shay]

Cobs tend to be really good do-ers. If I put our lad on the top line cubes he'd balloon! Your lass is quite young and I would be slightly wary of feeding anything which would blow her brains. But we feed our lad competition mix year round and NAF EnerG in the 4 days before competition. He show jumps - so not quite the same energy requirements. But it might help as a guide. Oats are the other classic - but not all horses show any sensitivity to them. Our lad is one who doesn't.

The best way to get more topline of course is the right sort of exercise. Feed won't build muscle on its own!

 

[Kacey88]

I started to feed my cob cross Baileys Conditioning cubes and they turned her loopy. I mean, she went from laid back to dangerous. I find that the best thing for building a topline is hill work. Fibre has energy, you don't need a conditioning feed to build muscle. I swapped the cubes for a diet of speedi mix, pink powder and oil. Her temperament has settled down but she still has plenty of energy.

Good luck, let me know what you try and how you get on!

 

[L&M]

I bought a cob to show and his only fault is not having the 'crest/topline' on his neck that most show cobs do.

I have found that lunging in side reins has helped, and even on a hack, make sure he works in an outline for some of it. His neck still looks a little weak but has vastly improved. We also do a lot of hill work.

I haven't tried any conditioning feeds as he can be fizzy, but tbh think work is more important in improving top line as long as the feed is balanced.

It has taken over a yr to see any improvement, but am glad I have kept hammering away!

 

[JFTDWS]

Feed doesn't build top line, correct work does. I would be very hesitant to suggest giving a cob-type conditioning mixes, especially at this time of year when the grass is about to come through. Unless she is actively underweight, she probably shouldn't need hard feed at all.

Get her fit, give her time to build muscle naturally and when she's properly in real work, then consider if she needs more "sparkle" for the ring. From your post she's only in very light work at the moment, so it's impossible to know what she'll be like when she's show-ready at this stage.

 

[Kaylum]

Feed doesn't build top line, correct work does. I would be very hesitant to suggest giving a cob-type conditioning mixes, especially at this time of year when the grass is about to come through. Unless she is actively underweight, she probably shouldn't need hard feed at all.

Get her fit, give her time to build muscle naturally and when she's properly in real work, then consider if she needs more "sparkle" for the ring. From your post she's only in very light work at the moment, so it's impossible to know what she'll be like when she's show-ready at this stage.

Totally agree with this. People often think they are giving their horses medium or hard work when actually they are giving light work.

 

[Achinghips]

Are you looking for advice on feed or exercise - or both?