Calculating amounts of feeds for EMS pony's weight loss.

[Hepsibah]

It's a minefield of numbers out there, MJ, DE, percentage of bodyweight etc. Can anyone help me get this right please?

My pony is a 13.2hh Fell pony mare currently weigh-taped at 417kg. She has no access to grass and is being ad-libbed meadow hay. She is to be put on her new diet just as soon as I can work it out!

If I have it right, I should be feeding her 1.5% of her current bodyweight so 6.25kg. This is including hay and any bucket feed. So I can feed her 1kg of Fast Fibre with Equimins vits and mins supplement and 5.5kg of hay. That doesn't seem enough. Am I allowed to feed oat straw in addition to this? Am I getting the calculations wrong somewhere?

 

[Supertrooper]

Tell me about it being a mind field!! Your calculations do sound correct though as my pony was weigh taping less but same height as yours and his was 5.25kg per day.

I feed mine Honeychop plain oat straw chaff, was told he could have as much as that as he'd eat xx

 

[OLDGREYMARE]

I have been through this recently,you have to weigh everything and split the hay into several small haynets with small holes.Feeding oat straw in addition to his measured rations will defeat the object of the diet,it will work if you stick with it.If you turn out use a muzzle.Soaking the hay for 3 hrs or so will help too.Look at the Laminitis Site and join their facebook group,they are extremely helpful and knowledgable. Good Luck,be firm.ps you are about right with your calculations.

 

[Buddy'sMum]

As above - straw does still contain calories so I wouldn't recommend feeding it ad lib either. I'd also soak the hay. Don't overrug and increase the exercise the pony gets. Good luck.

 

[catkin]

does she need as much as 1kg of the feed. If she will eat her minerals in a small handful then you can add the savings to the hay ration (which will take her longer to eat kilo for kilo)

World Horse Welfare's 'Fat Horse Slim' booklet is very useful - you can download it online. Exercise will really help with the EMS - if she's sound then do some formal exercise daily even if it's only 30 minutes at a brisk walk.

 

[serenityjane]

Should be 1.5% of desired body weight- not current weight.
What weight should she be?
I would reduce the feed to a very small handful (so negligable weight) and feed 1.5 % of desired bodyweight - (350kg??) in hay mixed with barley straw (less calories but still appealing as a forage) so a total of 4.75kg per day -split into at least 3 nets in a 24 hour period, and also increase exercise.

 

[LD&S]

It's a minefield of numbers out there, MJ, DE, percentage of bodyweight etc. Can anyone help me get this right please?

My pony is a 13.2hh Fell pony mare currently weigh-taped at 417kg. She has no access to grass and is being ad-libbed meadow hay. She is to be put on her new diet just as soon as I can work it out!

If I have it right, I should be feeding her 1.5% of her current bodyweight so 6.25kg. This is including hay and any bucket feed. So I can feed her 1kg of Fast Fibre with Equimins vits and mins supplement and 5.5kg of hay. That doesn't seem enough. Am I allowed to feed oat straw in addition to this? Am I getting the calculations wrong somewhere?

A lot will depend on how quick you want the weight to come off how cold it is also is she rugged and how often you can put forage out and how easy it is for her to eat the hay/straw that is available.
If you are putting her forage out on the ground she's likely to eat it very quickly then go quite a few hours with nothing, trickle nets or similar will ensure she is able to nibble for longer periods.