Can someone please give me some diet advice for my pony

[dalidaydream]

I'm after a bit of diet advice for my pony. He is currently getting the following:-

Hi Fi Molasses Free
Fast Fibre
Forage Plus Summer Balancer
Equimins Biotin Plus (http://www.equimins-online.com/all-products/15-equimins-biotin-plus.html)
MSM
Turmeric
Pretoxin

I'm worried that he might be getting too much zinc as both the Forage Plus and Biotin contain it in quite large quantites. I'm not even sure if I need to keep feeding the Biotin but I'm too scared to stop and find his hoof quality suffers. Also I started to give him MSM when he had a tendon problem and I found his hoof quality improved so much I carried on feeding it but I don't want to supplement stuff he doesn't need so I would be grateful for some advice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CBFan]

You shouldn't need to feed hoim biotin with the forage plus balancer - that should have all he needs in it.

I would personally cut out the hi-fi - it contains alfa-alfa which for many doesn't do their feet any good at all.

If it isn't contained in the balancer (which I don't think it is) I would feed micronised linseed which will help his hoof, coat and joints and cut out the msn.

at the end of the day, if you cut something out and his feet deteriorate, you can always add it back in

I'm sure someone more knowledgable will be along shortly!

 

[dalidaydream]

Thanks for the answer. He only has the Hi Fi because he won't eat the Fast Fibre without it (he loves his grub normally, must be because it's good for him ). He only gets a tiny bit - enough to add a bit of texture.

I'm not giving him linseed at the moment because with all the grass I didn't think he needed it - I was planning to add it in the winter but if I can substitute it for the MSM maybe that would be a plan (although I am constantly watching his weight and was worried the linseed might not help that).

I have to ask why we're constantly told we should feed biotin if it isn't needed - is it just marketing aimed at the poor horse owner just trying to do the right thing?

I do want to get his feed at simple as possible as I'm sure that can only be a good thing.