Changing fat ponies feed

S

Serianas

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 October 2013
Messages
619
Location
South Yorkshire
Visit site
Ok so we had fatty on the weighbridge, and his condition score was higher than I expected. The wonderful lady suggested feedning a light balencer and cool fibre. I finally got to the feed merchant last night and pick up the recomended items and began slowly changing his feed. He was previously on a mollasses ridden chop/chaff (whatever the term is for it these days) with apple bits, and since the dark nights have set in I havent had much time to work him. I was wondering if this new feeding regime would possibly have an impact on his attitude, because some days hes a terror and some days hes a saint...

Hes a Registered New Forest in very light work.
 
Agree with holeymoley, no need for a chaff at all; In fact I wouldn't bother feeding anything until you had his weight under control. Balancers only balance if you are in short supply of certain vitamins and minerals, only by having your grazing and hay tested can you find out what your pony is missing.

If he's only decent grazing then no feed ( but as you have already bought them, just give a small amount ) no rugging if not clipped and good 2/3 hour hacks
 
I too have a new forest who is prone to getting fat.

He is muzzled most of the year and I feed him the Blue chip lami light balancer and no chaff.

I believe it is possible for ponies to be fat and still have malnutrition - bit like eating loads of cream cakes - you get fat but your diet would be missing essential vitamins. I think of the lite balancer as a bit like a multivitamin pill for us - some people take them, others feels that they get enough from a balanced diet.

I expect the mollassed apple chaff and too much sugary grass may have contributed to any behaviour issues you might have.
 
I would keep him on the balancer or a vitamin supplement as said above, just to make sure he's getting everything. Mine wears a muzzle from April-ish , and has just had it off in the last week. Obviously it depends on your grazing. Make sure your not feeding too much hay either, by weighing it. If you really want to give a chaff, you need to start reading up the analysis of each, particulately looking at sugars, starch and proteins. The names of them advertised can be very mis-leading. Personally with mine, I step away from a chaff until we're well established into winter. He gets his hay weighed and soaked religiously, and as a feed he gets fast fibre, so basically his intake is fibre.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top